With the holiday season
already upon us, the flurry of new CDs is already beginning to hit the
shelves. As fall settles in and frost is on the pumpkin, a beautiful and
joyous time of the year awaits our enjoyment with those we hold dearest to
our hearts. We have an opportunity to blow the dust off all of our
seasonal favorites in our music collections, and if we are fortunate, have
the opportunity to hear something new and refreshing. This adds more spice
and variety to our lives and enhances our holiday experiences.
Joe Curry is one of those talented young men
that you need an introduction to this year. He plays 14 traditional
holiday tunes on his latest effort Midnight Clear. Curry is a
very fluid and tasteful piano player that takes classical and jazz
elements and turns each track into an expression of artistic beauty. The
ambiance is clearly spiritual while carrying a relaxing and comforting
vibe throughout the run of the CD.
Twelve of the tracks are instrumental and
three feature Curry’s vocals. His music is excellent and his strong sense
of musicality would allow any vocal style to enhance it, it is that
powerful and effective.
It is a difficult task with each passing year
to be impressed with the same songs. I think Mr. Curry saved me from any
ritualistic boredom by playing his heart out giving me something to cheer
about this year. An entirely new audience has yet to discover his piano
journeys into Christmas. I imagine he would sound awesome in a church at
a Christmas Eve mass. Put another log on the fire, grab some hot toddies,
and warm up to Midnight Clear this year, you will be glad you
did.
