Solo piano improvisations that embrace classical melody, harmony and rhythm. A stream of consciousness merging styles and eras: pure, elegant and honest.

14 MP3 Songs in this album (36:05) !
Related styles: AVANT GARDE: Structured Improvisation, CLASSICAL: Postmodern

People who are interested in Roger Powell should consider this download.


Details:
Roger Powell Releases Solo Piano Blue Note Ridge

Tuesday March 03, 2009

SAN FRANCISCO - Roger Powell releases Blue Note Ridge, a collection of improvisations that embrace classical melody, contemporary harmony and impressionist forms on this debut solo piano album. A stream of consciousness merging styles and eras, Blue Note Ridge is pure, elegant and honest.

In the 70âs and 80âs Roger Powellâs groundbreaking electronic synthesizer albums Cosmic Furnace (Atlantic) and Air Pocket (Bearsville) were hailed as masterworks. Powell has always been held in high esteem by his peers. âEven among the keyboard titans of the prog-rock Seventies, Roger Powell always stood out.â (Future Music U.S. Ed.- June 2006).

2006 signaled a welcome return of Roger Powell with the retro-futuristic, groove oriented, Fossil Poets (Inner Knot CD/Vinyl LP). The critically acclaimed release was produced by award winning producer Gary Tanin, who along with Powell, produced the 2009 solo piano offering Blue Note Ridge.

Fossil Poet Records is releasing Blue Note Ridge as a Limited Edition CD through CDBaby as well as digital download by way of iTunes, Rhapsody, Napster, and Mindawn (offering a cutting-edge lossless format for superior audio fidelity).


Stefan's Monthly Mix - Vol.28 No. 2 - February 2009

Roger Powell
Blue Note Ridge
Fossil Poet Records

"Path To The River" - Decision and ultimately progress toward a hopeful end. The opening chords and their progressions instantly capture attention. This piece leaves you wanting more.

"Blue In Grey" - Sad - A teasing with tempo gives this piece interest. Immigrant, European meets American. A wandering melody which leads you to wonder if it would ever resolve, but it does.

"Blue Note Ridge" - A minor key look at the vast beauty of the Blue Ridge Mountains of Virginia. The melody and feel of this produces a certain wistfulness.

"Take to the Sky" - What Roger Powell does with this adaptation only emphasizes what great American music Gershwinâs âSummertimeâ really is. Roger's interpretation brings out its best. This is a piece that, in lesser hands, would have been a sure recipe for disaster.

"Snowfall" - No doubt at all, this is Winter's call. A forward drive of motion and certainty about its end.

"Green Shift" - An introspective and beautiful exploration of the piano. This longest piece starts out by telling you there is much to be said and it has, indeed, much to say. One kind of floats along listening while Roger explores this music.

"Flint Hill" - Very American in that it is foursquare with little deception and very straight forward. The introspection will get your attention. This is the type of piece that demands the listener pay attention.

"Peace & Quiet" - Meditative moments at the end of a day, or a lifetime.

"Ghost Ripples" - More experimental than traditional with effects used to create waves in the ectoplasm.

"Shadow of Pines" - Sadness has beauty and is different from "tragedy", a bit more mellow without the edge of disaster. The opening suggests grandness and resolves to a "what might have been" feeling.

"Valley Fog" - This piece keeps one sort of "leaning" forward, a yearning for the sunlight to burn through.

"First Light" - The moment prior is pure darkness. In the next instant there is a glimmer of hope. Precession of daylight. Melodic and beautiful.

"Still Point" - A place overlooking water. Movement begins. Refreshing after the boldness of previous pieces heard.

"Watershed" - Diminished chords at the beginning evokes the feeling of leaning forward towards the future, again. It seems to be saying "good bye" to all that preceded it. A superb ending with the very last dying Bass note.

Bradley Angell
Jerome Stefans