Award winning pianist Chad Lawson & renowned percussionist Jim Brock walk the creative tightrope. With only a melody as a reference, these two capture the essence of what improvisation is all about; the moment.

10 MP3 Songs in this album (31:20) !
Related styles: New Age: Neo-Classical, Classical: New Music Ensemble, Type: Improvisational

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Details:
Chad Lawson is a versatile and talented jazz pianist who has recently released his most intriguing and satisfying recording.

Born in North Carolina, Lawson took lessons from Donald Brown and Hal Galper, recorded two fine trio albums for Summit (Dear Dorothy: The Oz Sessions and Unforeseen), scored several films, and toured with Julio Iglesias. His previous recording, a solo piano date called Set On A Hill (for Hillset Records), is a logical predecessor to Vol. 1: Summer Suite.

For his new project, Chad Lawson went in the studio with percussionist Jim Brock and simply played. While Lawson had written melodies for âHeart Of A Lionâ and âSummer Suite.â otherwise the music is completely improvised.

The results are hypnotic music that evolves slowly but always has a forward momentum and a purpose. The improvisations proceed logically but contain plenty of subtle surprises. While the energetic and catchy âHeart Of A Lionâ (which is in 5/4 time) is concise, âSummer Suiteâ has nine sections that flow from one mood and idea to another. The impressionistic music, which could be called New Age although it contains plenty of jazz improvising, can serve as a soundtrack for watching the sunrise or sunset, sitting by a lake, viewing wildlife, or being with a loved one. The music is thoughtful and at times cinematic while being quite spontaneous. Jim Brock's percussion adds color to the music, inspiring Chad Lawson to come up with consistently fresh ideas.

This 32-minute EP is the first in a series that will find Chad Lawson performing with a different duo partner for each season. The series is off to a strong and memorable start.

Scott Yanow,