【专辑】：All Around Me
【艺人】：Loren Gold
【厂商】：Gemini
【日期】：2003年
【类型】：New Age[新世纪音乐]
【Average Customer Review】：★★★★★
All Around Me, the debut recording from California-born pianist Loren Gold, yields a pleasant collection of soft instrumentals that break no new ground but make revisiting well-traveled territory an agreeable affair. Gold's reflective blend of melody and melancholy (perhaps best showcased on the affecting title track) will likely elicit comparisons to better-known pianists, from the opening "Cascade" (a first-rate, ensemble-based rumination that brings to mind Michael Gettel) to the searching hopefulness of "Jake's Dream" (in the style of George Winston) to the modest, sometimes strained classical pretensions of "A Song for Nancy" (see David Lanz). Percussion periodically surfaces, lending a hint of tension to "The Magic Mirror" and sultry momentum to the sax-based "Midnight Blue," yet it does little to disrupt the disc's overall contemplative nature. Flautist Nicholas Gunn, the disc's producer-arranger, performs on several tracks. --Terry Wood
All Around Me is a flawlessly produced collection of fourteen original compositions, each showcasing the musical talents of Loren Gold. These "New Age" pieces are as technically impressive as they are enjoyable to experience. The selections include Cascade; Falling; The Magic Mirror; All Around Me; Jake's Dream; Snow; A Son for Nancy; Midnight Blue; The Morning After; Sounds of the Mersey; Snow Revisited; Searching; and Until Tomorrow. Very highly recommended listening.
This is the most beautiful music I've ever heard. When does your tour start? I'd love to see you live!
Loren Gold's "All Around Me" is one of the best albums of the year. Some of the thirteen tracks are solo piano, and others are piano with flute, synth, sax, and/or percussion (or a combination). For Gold's longtime fans, "All Around Me" is comprised of the music from his earlier album, "Reflections of Gold", with most of the songs retitled and remixed with Nicholas Gunn's arrangements and accompaniments to Gold's piano. "Reflections of Gold" has been one of my favorite albums since its release in 1998, so I was skeptical that it could be improved on. I was wrong! Gunn's touches really brighten up the pieces and flesh them out, so if you have "Reflections", you'll love "All Around Me", too..
My favorite track is still "Falling", which is solo piano this time out. A little melancholy with a catchy rhythm, there is something irresistible about this song. The addition of bass and percussion to "The Magic Mirror" augments the mystery of the piece and adds some sparks. "Searching" is darkly passionate with a lost quality befitting the title. Gunn's flute intensifies those lonely feelings, making them haunting - a gorgeous piece! "Cascade", which I play as a piano solo, takes on a whole new life with flute and rhythm. This is a bright, more upbeat song that absolutely sparkles. "Jake's Dream" is "Short Line" without the train whistle that scared me to death in the car! Sweet and loving as a piano solo, it is a gentle piece that seems to smile. "Snow", another favorite, is given two treatments. The first is orchestrated with synth strings, flute, and percussion. The second is solo piano. Both are wonderful!
Loren Gold is an artist who needs to be heard. His music is accessible, and holds up exceptionally well to repeated listenings. "All Around Me" is very highly recommended!
I see that the second cut from this CD is available as an MP3 download. Do not hesitate!! This track is an incredible solo piano piece that will treat your ears and your soul, even though it is only about three minutes long. I have listened to it over and over again. The rest of the CD is not like that one cut, however. The other pieces are closer to smooth jazz, with a full-sounding group, but all the tunes are composed and performed by Loren Gold. The CD is produced, recorded and mixed by Nicholas Gunn, who also plays flute, percussion, strings and additional synthesizers. The awesome sax on "Midnight Blue" is played by Rob Russell. This is a great CD to listen to at night, or when you feel the need for intelligent music that doesn't blast you out of your chair and get you twitchy. I would say that the second cut alone is worth the cost of the CD, but you can get it on MP3. Don't download that one track, and neglect to buy the rest. The entire CD is really worth your while. Besides, we should be supporting artists like Loren Gold, just so they can keep on creating music for us....
01. Cascade
02. Falling
03. The Magic Mirror
04. All Around Me
05. Jake's Dream
06. Snow
07. A Song For Nancy
08. Midnight Blue
09. The Morning After
10. Sounds Of The Mersey
11. Snow Revisited
12. Searching
13. Until Tomorrow
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