Echoes
of Childhood follows a story line adapted from William Wordsworth's
much loved poem Intimations of Immortality. In the story it
says;
"At our birth the soul rises within us trailing
clouds of glory. For a brief moment we are the child of joy.
But all too soon shades of adulthood close in upon the dreaming
child. Now in darkness lost our soul travels through the valley
of forgetting and sorrow until the day that echoes of childhood
come riding on the freshness wind which sounds the dance and
brings with it the innocence brightness of a new born day"
Based upon this story, this 68 minute CD traces the timeless
and eternal human journey from innocence found to innocence
lost and innocence regained.
As with all of his recordings, Michael's piano artistry displays
a remarkable ability to capture the feeling of the moment
and carry it through the music. With each note the listener
also hears an invitation to join Michael in the call to their
own dance in which they may experience a glimpse of the subtle
wonders of the world that his music reveals.
Echoes of Childhood features cover art by Judy
Archer, Michael's life partner and a fine artist. It was
produced by Lance Anderson who also composed and performed
the background synthesizer tracks. Echoes was recorded in
one sitting on a seven foot Bosendorfer model 225 piano in
Michael's home studio in the Spring of 2002.
Reviews
After a very long career with Narada (his "Pianoscapes"
was the first recording released by the label in 1984), Michael
Jones has established his own label and released his first
independent album, "Echoes of Childhood". Jones
has been known for his improvised recordings, and I have to
admit that some of his earlier work left me a little cold.
However, I love this album! A bit more structured and 'composed,'
"Echoes" wonderfully balances the freedom of spontaneous
creation with. the polish of musical ideas that have been
developed a bit before recording. And what an incredible instrument
Jones uses to record these musical stories and ideas! The
high end of the Bosendorfer absolutely sparkles, and the deep
bass resounds with authority. Some of the tracks include subtle
synth washes for color, but this is definitely a solo piano
album.
The eight tracks range in length from just over four minutes
to almost seventeen, allowing the listener to get lost in
the music. Some of the compositions are darker than I remember
hearing from Jones in the past, which makes me think perhaps
Narada was 'type-casting' him a bit. With his own label, Jones
is now free to 'paint' with a broader range of colors and
textures.
"Echoes of Childhood" is based on a story by William
Wordsworth, and "traces the timeless and eternal human
journey from innocence found to to innocence lost and innocence
regained" (quoted from Jones' website). The album opens
with the light and breezy Song of the Wood Thrush, a very
gentle piece with a simple melody line and catchy rhythm.
Call to the Dance starts out full of energy, and weaves together
several musical themes in a rich improvisation that covers
a range of emotions, from joy to reflection to melancholy.
In Dark Wood Lost is my favorite piece in this collection.
Dark, haunting, and very introspective, the passion and sense
of searching in this piece go right to the heart. The title
track follows, with a strong feeling of hope and inner calm.
New Born Day is full of the joy of rebirth, and some of the
passages remind me of children laughing. One of the longer
improvisations, the piece dances and sparkles with childlike
innocence.
Excellent from start to finish, "Echoes of Childhood"
will take you on a wonderful journey. Very highly recommended.
Kathy Parsons "Solo Piano Publications"
Michael Jones has been recording since 1984, but this project
represents tradition and experimentation in two very different
ways. Musically, it is the high quality minimal piano compositions
that we have come to expect from Jones. However, this also
represents the inaugural debut on his own label, Pianoscapes.
This auspicious move will only benefit jumpstarting the label
courtesy of this soon to be classic recording.
Speaking of jumpstarting a label, Michael Jones along with
David Lanz previously completed this task about 20 years ago
when they were the foundational artists to the then rookie
label Narada. And the rest, [as] they say, is history. While
Lanz went out to greater commercial success by compromising
his sound, Jones has remained true to his improvisational
classical roots that are never overbearing. Despite his stripped
down approach, the music of Michael Jones is rarely dull.
Though his collaboration with cello player David Darling
on the superb album Amber continues to be his finest moment,
Echoes Of Childhood holds true to the style and beauty of
Michael Jones and comes close to matching his tour de force.
In fact, less the compilations and yet including his collaborations,
this would represent Michael's 12th recording. And he can
be proud to know that this beauty also comes close to reduplicating
the flagship debut album Pianoscapes for Narada over eleven
albums ago. The latter has just been re-released in its complete
form thus the delay on releasing this endeavor.
Musically, this particular project remains consistent and
true but the songs fluctuate from short precise compositions
to lengthy exploration of improvisation. The latter is best
represented by the elegant "Call To The Dance" that
clocks in at close to 17 minutes, though you would never know
it. Equally as impressive is the "pillow talk" found
on "Dream Of The World" that musically appears to
fluctuate from sad dreams to dreams of joy. There is also
a reprise of this track in an edited short form.
Differing to the above there are the shorter compositions
such as the moody "Echoes Of Childhood" and the
fluttering opening track "Song Of The Wood Thrush."
But the most impressive track is the very accessible and melodious
"Summer's End" that even features some very nominal
synthesizer orchestration from producer Lance Anderson. A
close second is the Kevin Kern-influenced "New Born Day"
that also features some sparse orchestration from Anderson.
These songs alone are worth the price of admission and may
be a direction that Jones may want to consider.
The elegant, sophisticated and contemporary impressionistic
approach of Michael Jones continues to live in his simplistic
but graceful music. Echoes Of Childhood extends the rich tradition
of classy improvisational "pianoscapes" that has
become well known as Michael's Music. The only question that
remains is whether the birth of this new label will echo this
very fine and solid album that we have come to expect from
Michael Jones.
I certainly wish him every success.
Michael Debbage 'Wind and Wire"
Like many people, I own (and buy) too many compact discs.
Most are played once (maybe), but a precious few CDs seem
to be played over and over, year after year. Michael Jones'
"Echoes Of Childhood" is one of those rare CDs that
is so well-conceived, so well-performed, and so well-recorded
that one playing would never suffice. This isn't piano mastery;
it's piano magic. The tip-toe memories of childhood are only
part of what this album gives to its listener. Hit the play
button, close your eyes, and listen for just a minute and
you'll find yourself setting aside all other tasks and duties.
For more than an hour, while Michael plays, you'll be transported
to that ageless state of childhood, where innocence and wonder
create a sense of excitement that makes each day a blessing,
not a burden. The booklet with this CD alludes to William
Wordsworth, the 19th Century English poet who wrote "Intimations
of Immortality." In that work, Wordsworth talks about
his own echoes of childhood, lamenting the loss of his youth,
the loss of "The things which I have seen I now can see
no more." Hit the play button, close your eyes, and listen
to this wonderful compact disc for just a minute and you will
be blessed in ways that Wordsworth could not: through Michael
Jones skilled hands on the keyboard, we can all now "see"
once again our childhood. We can recall what it is we loved
about those early years in life. We can remember once more
what it is we need to draw on, time and time again, whenever
the heavy burdens of our maturity need to be lifted by a celebration
of childhood energy and enthusiasm. Michael Jones teaches
through this album a valuable lesson. We do not have a choice
about getting old. But we can always choose to live with the
irrepressible spirit of youthfulness.
Tom Brown from Amamzon.com review
Thank you for the CD! Its already brought me many hours of
listening pleasure. There's the old rich exploratory sounds
I'm familiar with, and some very exciting new ideas. I absolutely
love In Dark Wood Lost - particularly the middle piece. Its
very Russian, or eastern European sounding. Its not scary,
as I would feel if I were lost in the woods, it makes me feel
more like In Dark Woods Found. Very peaceful, thoughtful,
looking sadness in the face and not running from it. Melancholy
might be a better word, without the "bad" connotations
most people think of when they are sad. It just is, isnt'
it? Perhaps its exactly what Wordsworth says - a faint shadow
of the soul's immensity lying beneath. All our happiness,
hope, joy, sadness, sorrow lies there and its awesome. You
touched it perfectly.
Much to my surprise, I like the synthesizer addition. It
softens the edges, not that they need it, but Lance seems
to deepen the music - adds a dimension perhaps, and it just
works. Not overdone, just right. In a sense, the synthesizer
sets the stage for the piano".
Wendy
I never believed that it would be possible, but you have
once again, created the most beautiful music that I have ever
listened to. This new recording is absolutely wonderful and
I thank you for it."
Sandra B.
I love it. I love this work more than any of your others.It
feels more grounded and open hearted than any and as I was
listening to it today, I felt more in my body than in weeks
and smiling and laughing and crying from the inside out.
Linda C
I bought the CD....I love this music so much! A worthy encore
to the Pianoscapes album of so many years ago.
Like Pianoscapes, this music reveals itself to you only slowly.
Every time I replay it, I appreciate it more. My favorite
tracks are Call to the Dance and the exquisite, achingly beautiful
Summer's End. But the other tracks are so good too....I enjoyed
the entire CD.
James P
The story behind Echoes
of Childhood.
At our birth the soul rises within us - our life star - trailing
clouds of glory. For a brief moment we are the child of joy.
We hear the song of the wood thrush calling us to the dance;
we see the meadowland and far hills appareled in celestial
light and feel the world about us alive with all the freshness
of a dream.
But too soon shades of adulthood close in upon the dreaming
child and our song our gift at birth is perceived
to die away until finally, at childhood¹s end, it fades
into the common light.
Now in darkness lost, our soul travels through the valley
of forgetting and sorrow, our exterior but a faint shadow
of the soul¹s immensity that lies beneath.
Bound by duty, it still remembers a world that is fugitive
to its longings now. Yet this desire for reunion burns as
an ember deep in the heart waiting for the wind whose breath
will bring it to flame.
Then one day echoes of childhood come riding on the fresh
wind. The scent of fresh cut grass, the radiance of which
was once so bright, sounds the dance again and our soul is
awakened to the innocent brightness of a new born day.
And on this day our soul knows a perfect peace, a peace that
is intimate with the joys of the world and also with its pain.
This peace knows that nothing can bring back the first hour
yet finds new strength in a memory of a dream that will not
die but lives on in the heart of humankind as a thought too
deep for tears.
Adapted from William Wordsworth's Intimations of Immortality
from Recollections of Childhood.
Technical
notes
Michael Jones - Piano
Produced by Lance Anderson
Mixed by Inaam Haq and Lance Anderson
Mastered by Inaam Haq at Cherry Beach Sound, Toronto Canada
Piano Tuning Bill Carter Pianoshop
Artist Photography V. Tony Hauser
Cover Art "The Bay In Spring" Judy Archer
Design Nancy Nevala www.hinterland.ca
Drawings Deborah Koff-Chapin
Artwork photo Andre Beneteau
Synthesizer orchestration composed and performed by Lance
Anderson on an Ensoniq MR 76.KT88 controller
Echoes of Childhood was recorded on a Bosendorfer 225 Grand
Piano
All selections composed by Michael Jones
All selections published by Pianoscapes, Inc. (SOCAN)
Recorded in Orillia Ontario Canada, Spring 2002
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