And to be fair, Patrick Moraz released a trio of solo piano albums, starting with 1994's Windows of Time and also released a live album for his solo piano tour.Originally Posted by Iris
And to be fair, Patrick Moraz released a trio of solo piano albums, starting with 1994's Windows of Time and also released a live album for his solo piano tour.
Rick was recording solo piano albums way before that...
Country Airs (1986)
Sea Airs (1989)
Night Airs (1990)
The Piano Album (1995)
Preludes To A Century (2000)
Chronicles of Man (2000)
Classical Variations (2001)
The Piano Tour Live (2001)
Past, Present And Future (2009) (This is a 3CD set of all-new music)
Piano Portraits (2017)
Pretty sure I missed some!
In Princeton is awesome.
'Piano Vibrations' in 1971...
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Piano_Vibrations
I always forget that one because it wasn't issued on CD until 2003!
I was thinking about 'the recent flurry' of piano albums that could be said to have been kicked off by Rick's Piano Portraits. But, yes, I'd forgotten that he'd been there before. Several of the cds you list still available but they're pricey - £15, £16. I'd like to get at least one. Which ones do you (or anyone else) recommend please?
^ Most of the earlier albums are original compositions on piano, rather than Piano Portraits and the new Piano Odyssey, which are well-known songs done in a piano style for ageing fans of classic rock. The Airs albums are more ambient in style.
Of those I've heard, Portraits isn't bad, but Odyssey (which adds strings) is dire.
Henry
Where Are They Now? Yes news: http://www.bondegezou.co.uk/wh_now.htm
Blogdegezou, the accompanying blog: http://bondegezou.blogspot.com/
To be fair, he's only on it as a 'gun for hire', rather than a legit solo album. However, I note it has been described as 'slightly cheesy', so it's in good company.
I like the "Airs" albums. They're perfect for a specific mood..
Music isn't about chops, or even about talent - it's about sound and the way that sound communicates to people. Mike Keneally
Chronicles of Man, and Night Airs. The latter is quieter, more introspect, but both are devoid of the slightest tinge of bombast.
Get whatever's cheapest of the Airs trilogy if you see a good price. You can't get wrong with any of them.
Pleasant, if a tad too soft centered for my taste. I would reserve "wretched" for the truly awful music out there, of which there are many examples. But, to each they own bag of chips. It is good background/ napping music.
... but maybe we should expect a little more than good background/napping music from the Master. Soft easy going new age stuff and unoriginal sound. (the overused acoustic piano tracked with highly reverberant synthetic strings !) Let's face it: this IS awful and unworthy of an artist like Vangelis. OK, he's old now but this should have not taken him more than an afternoon to record and produce. Very disappointing.
I think if I had been expecting an album of new originals on grand piano, I would be equally offended, but quite frankly I can't get this upset by a 76 year old man knocking out a solo keyboard album. Is it beneath him? Sure, I guess. Maybe he did it for fun, or because the idea amused him. He has earned the right to do what he wants. Now, if he had plopped this out 30 years ago instead of one of his better soundtracks, I guess I would have been mildly annoyed. But now it is sort of nice that he can play at all.
Music isn't about chops, or even about talent - it's about sound and the way that sound communicates to people. Mike Keneally
There's also something to be said for more stripped down, minimalist music...not everything has to be the Rite of Spring to be enjoyable.I think if I had been expecting an album of new originals on grand piano, I would be equally offended, but quite frankly I can't get this upset by a 76 year old man knocking out a solo keyboard album. Is it beneath him? Sure, I guess. Maybe he did it for fun, or because the idea amused him. He has earned the right to do what he wants. Now, if he had plopped this out 30 years ago instead of one of his better soundtracks, I guess I would have been mildly annoyed. But now it is sort of nice that he can play at all.
"Well my son, life is like a beanstalk, isn't it?"--Dalai Lama
I have nothing against (good) minimalist music and actually enjoy it at lot . But this is neither good, nor minimalist.
You aren't 100% wrong...at least one track is played by someone else per the liner notes (Mythodea). Which is actually even more baffling to me...could he not play it himself? Why that one track?
And speaking of Yes/Vangelis connections, I'm wondering if he hired Brian Lane to suck up the album hype...as this is among the prominent mentions: "Vangelis himself records on a grand piano for the first time." I do not recall which specific digital ROMpler provides Vangelis with his signature piano sound of the past two decades, but...that is most definitely what is on display throughout Nocturne.
Also, apparently he wasn't aware of what he had in his signature studio throughout his most inspired period: http://www.nemostudios.co.uk/nemo/se...br_gallery.htm
Speaking as someone who considers Vangelis in his top 4 influences, I've yet to successfully make it through the album. This is, IMHO, a deeply gifted composer and musician coasting. Which yes...his life, his legacy, he can ride out the proverbial clock however he wishes. But I can't honestly say I'm finding much worth the effort on this particular drop.
If you're actually reading this then chances are you already have my last album but if NOT and you're curious:
https://battema.bandcamp.com/
Also, Ephemeral Sun: it's a thing and we like making things that might be your thing: https://ephemeralsun.bandcamp.com
I haven't heard the album, but this really baffles me in view of the fact that his last album, Rosetta, was so good--up there with his peak period for me.
Hurtleturtled Out of Heaven - an electronic music composition, on CD and vinyl
https://michaelpdawson.bandcamp.com
http://www.waysidemusic.com/Music-Pr...MCD-spc-7.aspx
I get the criticisms here but I have to say that, sitting in my comfy chair in front of the log burner and with a copy of Prog these last two evenings, this has sounded just lovely.
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