At the end of the summer the grasses unsheathe their seedheads, spraying the field with a million points of light. It's as if they are finally acknowledging the sun's work all season long by reflecting its brilliance.
I guess an album cover can be like one of those seedheads. This one, coming at the end of a long season of preparation, gives away the inspiration for the whole Battlescapes project: the area I call home, as viewed from Bolivar Heights.
Pleased to announce that the piano tracks have been sent to the distributor and they will be released online on Nov. 8!
I miss how easy it used to be to get or give a CD. So I've been designing one. If there is enough interest to cover the cost of duplication, I'll order a batch. If you think you would like one for yourself or as a gift, you can pre-order here at the site for $10/CD, including delivery to you. If I get 45 pre-orders I'll be able to make CDs.
Meanwhile, here's a new Spotify playlist. This mostly instrumental mix favors the harmonic strains of Appalachia and nineteenth-century hymnody, with some fresh interpretations by modern composers. Often plaintive, sometimes dancing, always beautiful. It includes numbers from
- Edgar Meyer
- Doris Johnson
- Jay Ungar and Molly Mason
- Mark O'Connor
- Yo-Yo Ma
- George Winston
- Laura Leon
- Fernando Ortega
- Pa's Fiddle Band
- Julyo
(and one modest piece by yours truly).