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It may not be
cheap, but it's worth every pound or dollar- depending
on your home country! This is a two-disc collection
showcasing the very best of Michael Allen Harrison's
talent. He has been a prolific composer over the last 20
years or so, and his compositions are of the highest
quality.
Michael
Allen Harrison (not to be confused with Michael Harrison
who is also, rather bizarrely, a well-known pianist) has
considerable technique. He can certainly play the piano!
But it is one thing being a technically accomplished
pianist; it is quite another thing entirely to have the
gift of being able to create consistently beautiful and
heartfelt music in a range of styles, but mainly coming
under the "New Age" or "Contemporary Pianist" umbrella.
Rarely are Michael's compositions
tranquil; rather, they sway towards
being uplifting and inspiring. Some of
the piano playing on the two CDs is
nothing short of incredible. Michael
definitely has a special gift!
There are many highlights on the two
CDs. I prefer the first CD as the second
contains more Jazz pieces, and, whilst I
admire their quality, I am not a fan of
the genre. The CD opens with "Will You
Take Me There?"- an energetic number
which displays Michael's talents to
great effect. It is a new piece, and
Michael explains how it is his favourite
composition to play. Not a surprise
really, because if you are talented
enough to play such a complex number, it
must be great fun as well as hard work!
Other favourites on this CD include
"Remembrance"- which starts off very
mournfully and is a tribute to the 50th.
anniversary of Israel's Independence
(Michael is Jewish) and to remember all
the lives lost during the Holocaust,
"Journey Home" and "Best of Every
Moment". This particular track is an
absolute joy to listen to and contains
some amazing piano playing from the
Steinway Signature Artist. It is
dedicated to his friend Lisa Branch, who
battled kidney disease with great
dignity. It is a fittingly upbeat tune,
as Lisa made the best of every moment.
Michael goes on to explain that he plays
this piece in almost every show as a way
of connecting with his good friend. Her
last words to him were, "I'll see you
soon, my friend!" Another favourite is
"February's Child"- a lovely piece which
has enjoyed considerable success over
the years and is probably Michael's most
widely recognised composition.
On the second CD, "Passion and Grace" is the
stand-out track for me. Touchingly, this is
dedicated to one of Michael's great teachers,
Adrienne Reisner. He explains how everything she
did in music was with such passion and grace.
This disc has a jazzier feel to it.
This is an excellent CD and I highly recommend
it. There is something on this CD for everyone; you're sure to
be impressed.
S.C.
Please note: The collection has recently been re-released in
a condensed single-disc format at a much-reduced price. Visit
the artist's
site for more details.
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