I was about three tracks into my first playing of Kurt
Reiman's debut album, North Maple Road,
when I thought to myself, "This can't possibly be his first album." Granted,
the past year has seen a number of remarkable debuts by other artists, so maybe
my surprise was just that I get so many solo piano recordings and to have one
stand out so easily on the first playing, and also have it be an artist's
debut! As Neo would say "Whoa!"
North Maple Road
sounds like the work of a seasoned veteran composer and performer. Reiman's
exemplary control of tone, nuance, shading, and tempo across an assortment of
musical moods is not just admirable, but nearly textbook. He is helped, of course,
by spot on mixing and mastering of the final product (the recording engineer is
Michael Haas, and the mastering was by Haas and Chad Irschick) but even with
studio wizards, it's the compositions and playing that makes an album special.
As I listened to North
Maple Road a second and third time, I flashed on some of Jim Chappell's
earlier works, most notably Acadia
and Living the Northern Summer (although
each of those feature piano and other instruments). There is the same melodic
flow and lyricism of the main piano lines on Reiman's release as on those
landmark albums (in my opinion). Also, just as Chappell can transition from
bouncy and upbeat to meditative, relaxing, and nostalgic themes and motifs, so
too can Reiman. While some of Chappell's music can veer over into a pop vein, North Maple Road, even at its
lightest/liveliest, retains more of a new age/contemporary instrumental feel
throughout. As a result, listening late at night, as long as the volume is
subdued, will prove as rewarding as daytime playing.
The album's extensive liner notes (which are primarily a huge list of detailed "Thank you's") makes it abundantly clear this project was intensely personal for Reiman and bringing it to fruition was a dream come true of sorts. The personal nature of the artist's music comes through on each note and some song titles speak directly to a particular track's impetus ("You're My Friend," "Walk with Me," and "You'll Always Be Here with Me," for example). A few songs indicate that the artist is also inspired by the beauty of New England, where he was born, such as the delightful and subtly cheery opening song, "Sunrise over Narragansett Bay," or the nostalgic romance that flows through the title track. One of Reiman's strengths is his ability to never cross over into maudlin faux sentimentality, so that even a track like "Push Me Higher Daddy" (which could easily become unbearably saccharine in some artists' hands) stays emotionally restrained but unmistakably laced with a father's love for his child. "Evening Snowfall" hints at introspection and flirts just a bit with a gentle minimalism, but also softly glows like the embers of a slowly dying fire.
The album's extensive liner notes (which are primarily a huge list of detailed "Thank you's") makes it abundantly clear this project was intensely personal for Reiman and bringing it to fruition was a dream come true of sorts. The personal nature of the artist's music comes through on each note and some song titles speak directly to a particular track's impetus ("You're My Friend," "Walk with Me," and "You'll Always Be Here with Me," for example). A few songs indicate that the artist is also inspired by the beauty of New England, where he was born, such as the delightful and subtly cheery opening song, "Sunrise over Narragansett Bay," or the nostalgic romance that flows through the title track. One of Reiman's strengths is his ability to never cross over into maudlin faux sentimentality, so that even a track like "Push Me Higher Daddy" (which could easily become unbearably saccharine in some artists' hands) stays emotionally restrained but unmistakably laced with a father's love for his child. "Evening Snowfall" hints at introspection and flirts just a bit with a gentle minimalism, but also softly glows like the embers of a slowly dying fire.
North Maple Road is available at Amazon, Google Play, iTunes, Spotify, Soundcloud, YouTube and Tidal
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