| |
| Kathy
Parsons' Favorite CDs for 2005 |
| Please
note that these are listed in the order that I reviewed them: |
Marcus Loeber, Songs For Emelie
David Nevue, Overcome
Laura Sullivan, Mystical America
Jonathan Dimsdale, Smoke On the Horizon
Jace Vek, Jace Vek Live
Christian Calcatelli, Christian
Calcatelli
Greg Maroney, Wind Chimes
Wayne Kelling, Observations in the
Woods
Philip Aaberg, Blue West
Michael Dulin, Christmas At Our House
George Skaroulis, Forever Young
Wayne Gratz, Soul to Soul
Kevin Kern, Imagination's Light
David Lanz & Gary Stroutsos, Spirit
Romance
Peter Kater, The Elements Series:
Water
Michael Allen Harrison, A Tribute
to Gershwin & Friends
Patrick Gorman, Sounds From the Wishing Well
Karen Marie Garrett, Allure of Sanctuary |
| Mike
Debbage: Contemporary Instrumental Top 15 of 2005 (ranked) |
1.
Jonathan Butler, Jonathan (Rendezvous)
2. Secret Garden, Earth
Songs (Decca)
3.
Jesse Cook, Montreal (Narada)
4.
Brian Crain, Spring
Symphonies (BRC)
5. Paul
Cardall, Primary
Worship (Stone Angel Music)
6.
David Lanz and Gary Stroutos, Spirit
Romance (Narada)
7. Kevin Kern, Imagination’s
Light (Real Music)
8. Wayne
Gratz, Soul
To Soul (Gratz Music)
9.
Stanton Lanier, The Voice (Stanton
Lanier)
10. Enya, Amarantine (Reprise)
11. Jim Brickman, Grace (Windham Hill)
12. Seay, 1 Voice (Tuscan Sun)
13. Peter Kater, Fire (Real Music)
14. Ryan Farish, From The Sky (Neurodisc Records)
15. Philip Wesley, Comfort & Joy (Autumn Music)
16.
Wendel Werner, Loss (Wendel
Werner)
17. Marcus
Loeber, Two
Sides (Billibaberecords) |
| Kathy
Parsons' Favorite CDs for 2004 |
Lisa Hilton, Cocktails
at 8:00
Michael Allen Harrison, Composer/Pianist
Frederic Delarue, Dolphins: A Message
of Love
Janie Horton, Heavenly Whispers
Robin Spielberg, Memories of Utopia
Brian Kelly, Pools of Light
Craig Urquhart, Streamwalker
David Nevue, Sweet Dreams
and Starlight
Michael Dulin, Timeless: Classics
for a New Age
Bradley Sowash, When the Saints
Go Marching In |
| Kathy
Parsons' Favorite CDs for 2003 |
A
few of these albums were released prior to 2003, but I reviewed
them during the year. They are listed in alphabetical order
by artist, as it was a good year for new music, and these are
all outstanding albums!
Michael
Dulin, Atmospheres
Michael
Dulin, The
One I Waited For
Ludovico
Einaudi, Echoes
Michael
Hoppe, Solace
Michael
Jones, Echoes
of Childhood
Peter
Kater, Piano
Kevin
Kern, The
Winding Path
Greg
Maroney, Harmony
Grove
George
Skaroulis, Second
Nature
Craig
Urquhart, Evocation
Honorable
Mentions:
George Skaroulis,
Season’s
Traditions
Philip Glass & Yo-Yo Ma, Naqoyqatsi
Sandy Owen, Gioia
|
| Kathy
Parsons' Favorite CDs for 2002 |
 |
I’d
like to preface this list by saying that it is made up of albums
I reviewed in 2002 for Solo Piano Publications. Some were released
several years earlier, but did not come to my attention until
last year. I still have some releases from 2002 that have not
been reviewed, so they will be eligible for this list next year.
I’d also like to clarify that I don’t claim to have
heard everything that was released last yearthis is a list of
my personal favorites of the CDs that I reviewed during the course
of the year. In previous years, I’ve kept the list to ten
favorites, but decided not to struggle so hard and am including
fifteen favorites, listed in no particular order. It was a good
year, musically, and 2003 also looks very promising! Enjoy!
William
Linton, Piano Sketches (Emerald
Castle Music)
Matthew Zachary, Every Step Of the
Way (Matthew Zachary)
Jocelyn Woods, A River’s Journey (JourneyQuest
Music)
Omar, Opal Fire (Real Music)
Peter Kater, Inner Works (Source
Music)
Wayne Gratz, A
Place Without Noise (Narada)
Various Artists, The HeartAid Project (Spring
Hill Music)
Suzanne Ciani, Meditations (Seventh
Wave)
Sandy Owen, One Late Hour With a Steinway (Paras
Recordings)
Sandy Owen, Boogie Woogie, Rhythm and
Blues (Ivory Records)
George Winston, Night Divides the DayThe
Music of the Doors (Windham Hill)
David Lanz, Finding Paradise (Decca)
David Nevue, Postcards From Germany (Midnight
Rain Productions)
William Linton, Wayfarer (spaceformusic.com)
Rebecca Kragnes, Surrender (Rebecca
Kragnes) |
|
|
| Kathy
Parsons' Favorite CDs for 2001 |
|
A
lot of really good albums were released in 2001, but not many
really great ones. That makes my favorite of the year a must-have.
I consider all of these on the list to be "great" albums,
and recommend them all very highly. I still have several 2001
releases that I haven't reviewed. They will be up for consideration
for 2002. Full reviews of each of my choices are on www.solopianopublications.com.
Best Album
of 2001: Philip Aaberg, Live
From Montana (Sweetgrass Music)
Phil has been one of my favorite artists for many years, and this is a live
compilation of the best of the best. This album was nominated for a Grammy,
and deserves all the recognition it can get. Absolutely wonderful!
The
other nine selections are in no particular order:
Loren Gold, All Around Me (Anagram
Records)
Rebecca Kragnes, Joyful Noel (Rebecca
Kragnes)
Bradley Sowash, We Gather Together (Bradley
Sowash Music)
Jace Vek, Vision (Jace Vek)
Laurie Z., Heart of the Holidays (Zebra
Productions)
Kevin Kern, Embracing the Wind (Real
Music)
Robin Spielberg, With A Song in My
Heart (playMountain Music)
Spencer Brewer & Kostia, Piano Ocean (North
Sound)
Danny Wright, Soul Mates (Real
Music) |
|
|
| Kathy
Parsons' Favorite CDs for 2000 |
|
I
had no trouble coming up with my top nine favorites, but had
some trouble limiting myself on the 10th, so there will be a
couple of “honorable mentions” as well. These are
not in order of preference (I can’t do that, as it changes
according to mood!). I’ll alphabetize by artists’ names.
Jeff Bjorck, Pure Piano Panoramas:
One of the best solo piano albums I’ve heard in awhile. I stopped in my
tracks several times the first couple of times I listened to it and said “Wow!”
Richard Carr, Christmas
Fireside:
I’m not usually crazy about Christmas albums, but this one is truly exceptional.
Ron Clearfield, Time
on Earth:
Incredible cello solo and ensemble playing; very classical with a contemporary
flair.
Ken Elkinson, Revelry:
Also an outstanding solo piano album. More upbeat than his early work.
Loren Gold, Reflections
of Gold:
Previously released in 1998, this was re-released in 2000. It’s just too
good to miss!
Kudzu, Absinthe:
This album was released mid-1999, but I didn’t hear it until 2000. It
blows me away every time I listen to it!
David Lanz, East
of the Moon:
This isn’t my very favorite Lanz album, but I love the upbeat stuff, and “The
Visitor” has to be a Lanz classic.
Revival, The
Longest Dream:
This is a mind-blowing debut! Great concept, great music, and a great experience
to savor over and over!
Robin Spielberg, Dreaming
of Summer:
Quite possibly Robin’s best work to date. Solo piano with lots of heart
and a great deal of artistic growth. Outstanding!
Various Artists, A
Different Prelude:
Another winner assembled by Dawn Atkinson. It’s a collection of classical
preludes composed by a number of different composers, played and interpreted
by a varied group of artists. I love this stuff!
Honorable
Mentions:
Craig Casey, The Opening
Philip Aaberg, Field
Notes
Janie Campbell, A
Gift From Janie |
|
|
