Scarlet- A collection of Improvisations for the Nylon Strung Piano

[nickc]

 This album was inspired by the change in seasons (it is now fall time and the color is breathtaking) and was recorded in real time. It was also inspired by the keyboard sonatas of Domenico Scarlatti...

 Musically, it is an exploration of new techniques for the keyboard. In this album, I explore and adapt various "guitar" techniques for the keyboard. Hints of Flamenco, bluegrass, country, and asian elements are all present. Enjoy!

1) Slim Pickins (0:00)
2) Scarlet Rose (2:37)
3) A hint of adventure (5:00)
4) A Monday evening long ago... (7:51)
5) Gentle Soul (9:41)
6) A prelude... to what? (12:03)
7) The Spanish Eye (13:58)
8 The poorly tempered clavichord (15:05)
9) Looking forwards down the road (18:03)
10) Blossoms Green (21:13)
11) Picked Over (26:40)

copyright Nicholas

[ted]

It surprises me that this effective little set has been here a week without response. I have now listened again, several times to some of them. I do not, as I previously commented about your piano playing, hear an orchestral sound here, but rather a richly compelling medium of one instrument, the timbre of which, were it not for the absence of pitch bending, is strongly reminiscent of the guzheng, an instrument I am very fond of. Each miniature is complete in itself, a surprisingly difficult end to achieve in spontaneous playing. I for one am quite useless at it. I found myself asking the source of obvious life in these pieces, so much more life than, for instance, the hundreds of new age examples one hears. I think the key, as in your piano playing, lies in rhythm, phrasing and internal accents within groups. The listener is always aware that something definite is being said, a property much improvisation lacks. One can feel this quality even if the “something” is not fully understood. Indeed, it could be asserted that to fully understand a piece of music is a severely constricting limitation of one’s own mind and of the music; but that can be a topic for later on.

[Derek]

What a neat recording! I've always liked the sound of the guitar. I presume this is a synthesizer of some kind?