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review by Bill Binkelman On his latest recording, pianist Craig Urquhart paints in muted colors and shades that evoke melancholy, reflection, nostalgia, and the more subdued introspective emotions. The result is a beautiful and engaging solo piano recording, one that I enjoyed from the first listen and that grew on me with every playing. Besides the artful side of his compositions and his performance, I also think the engineering is wonderful, too. There is a warmth and softness to the piano that is sometimes absent from recordings in this genre, as well as a solid mix from a balance standpoint (especially on headphones - sometimes I thought I was standing right next to the instrument). Opening with "Morning Eagle" which carries a strong classical aspect to its opening (reminding me of Debussy), Streamwalker features thirteen selections that range in length from a tick below two minutes ("The Awakening") to eight-and-a-half ("Thanksgiving"). As mentioned earlier, the mood, while somewhat varied, tends to be in the somber or romantic vein. "Morning Eagle" is the latter. "The Astronomer," the next track, strays closer to the former, with its introspective tone and interplay between upper and lower registers that conveys a sense of sadness or melancholy. Now and then on a few tracks, Urquhart dials up the drama, which while not a negative, is less satisfying for me, such as on "Remembrance." Some of the notes are played quite forcefully, which strikes me as out of character for the majority of the song which is more attuned to longing and regret. On the other hand, on "Ghost Canyon" (one of my two favorite songs on the CD), the artist approaches the same tragic minimalism that Tim Story frequently achieves (sans Story's electronic keyboard embellishments and textures, of course). The simple unadorned refrain, repeated throughout the song, is mysterious, haunting, and completely lacking in pretension. The title track is my other personal fave here, and it ends the album on a "high" note (although it's really a "low" note, since the song is arguably the most nostalgically beautiful song on the album, and as such is tinted with a gentle sadness). Once again, Urquhart shows an uncommon grace with the balancing act between left and right hands, playing upper and lower against each other in perfect balance. Streamwalker is a satisfying and captivating album of soft melodic solo piano music, never becoming too commercial or slick sounding, but also avoiding the usual blandness that creeps into a lot of new age piano music. Some selections are more adventurous tone poem offerings (such as the ambitious "Thanksgiving") and others are as comforting as a walk with a close friend ("Flow On"). As long as you don't expect a lot of cheeriness or uptempo music, you should come away impressed and enchanted by this album. Highly recommended. |
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