Label: Palo Isle Music
"Where Light, Emotion, and Elegant Melodies Converge"
Jennifer DeFrayne returns after an extended absence from recording with Soul Love, a piano-based contemporary classical, new-age-influenced instrumental. Her extraordinary talents at the keys, along with her transitions and complex rhythms, are among the many highlights of the album.
The album features performances by Grammy-winning and internationally recognized artists, including Charlie Bisharat, Eugene Friesen, Michael Manring, Jeff Haynes, Jill Haley, Premik Russell Tubbs, Sara Milonovich, and Fiona Joy Hawkins.
With a stellar lineup like that backing you, I can imagine it was so energizing to record her new project. I would anticipate an equally amazing listen to Soul Love. For me, as a listener, this is a welcome return after covering the 2017 release Sisu.
“Finding You” begins with gentle, flowing, rhythmic notes, accentuated by violin (Charlie Bisharat) and fiddle (Sara Milonovich). It sounds like a love song unfolding before your ears as your senses are aroused with the music. It easily pulls you in. The percussion (Jeff Haynes) and bass (Michael Manring) are also a strong addition. Jennifer’s solo piano music, with its classical foundation and elegance, keeps you enthralled until the last note is played.
“You and I” is a slow burner, with many piano transitions as the violin (Charlie Bisharat) maintains a strong partnership; the addition of the English Horn (Jill Haley) adds another layer, transforming it into a beautiful orchestral track.
“The Ways We Fall” features an electronic wind instrument (Premik Russell Tubbs) and the fiddle (Sara Milonovich). I have heard wind instruments many times before in recordings and really appreciate what they can add to a track. With the soft rhythm of the piano leading the way, the track unfolds like a flower in the morning, taking in the sun, so graceful and beautiful.
“Journey of Love” changes the pace with quicker touches upon the keys before any of the other instruments join in. The focus is intact, love, and its many meanings are beheld by everyone. The distinctiveness of a saxophone sound (Premik Russell Tubbs) adds another layer, while the piano is bright, colorful, and full of optimism.
“The Beauty Within” finds the keys coming in with rapid strokes, then moving into softer, more paced placements. Other instruments once again make their way into the mix, with the oboe (Jill Haley) and cello (Eugene Friesen), along with some wordless vocals from the incredible Fiona Joy Hawkins, giving it a heavenly touch. I found the piano exceptionally strong here, completely enveloping the ensemble into a single, in-sync musical entity.
“Soul Love,” being the title track, is placed just beyond the mid-point of the album. The importance of the title track cannot be understated. Its significance here lies in the impact of the words’ meanings and potential meanings for each listener. This one has a more worldly feel, with hints of Celtic influence in the violin’s sweet notes (Charlie Bisharat). The soul of the music emanates all around as the sounds fill your space. Some soft percussive elements (Jeff Haynes) also arrive, adding another touch of all-encompassing sound. I appreciate the divergence of this track, the step away from classical leanings into another area entirely of rhythm and space not previously explored, with entirely different textures. An epic story of true love.
“Sonoran Blue” moves along nicely, with measured piano notes, as the oboe (Jill Haley) adds its grace and color, joined by the cello (Eugene Friesen). Every additional instrument is the perfect addition to the piano. It always feels like a story being told from the start. And hearing it in full makes it easier to see in your mind’s eye.
“Playing in the Snow” needed to fit the implications of the words, and the piano can do that with the right hands guiding it. Jennifer, as she has throughout this recording, uses the keys to help you imagine the playfulness of those white flakes; whether you are looking through the lens of a child or an adult, the same feelings apply. I could not help but feel a touch of melancholy in those echoing notes flowing through my soul this time, as I reached back to the innocence of childhood and to when my children were small, playing in the snow. Music can be the most powerful time machine. As it happens, many times in these types of compositions, the piano and violin (Charlie Bisharat) make great partners.
“Abby’s Gift” is very rhythmic and flows like a river that knows where it is going. This is completely solo this time with no accompaniment. Jennifer truly owns her music, and this is an example of how that singular instrument can fill a room with sound like no other. Like a gorgeous lullaby, Abby’s gift is fully embraced.
“Caribbean Sunset” needed to be as picturesque as possible to envision a beautiful sunset. This time, the flute (Premik Russell Tubbs) resonates with tones like the waves the piano rides upon. Like the mother ship taking its final voyage of the day, with the sunset behind it, the magic of nature and music coalesces into perfect beauty. Melodic and engaging, with some brief wordless vocals once again (Fiona Joy Hawkins), the picture is painted in your mind and holds there.
“Memories of Them,” with its violin accompaniment (Charlie Bisharat), leans strongly toward the classical foundations of these compositions. The piano is tastefully rhythmic and poignant throughout. The answer and call of the two instruments are the divination of music itself, beautiful. This closes out the album with grace and ultimate beauty, the thread that has run through each track as it moves into the next. I got a chill as this played out, knowing I had just experienced something of deep meaning for the artist, conveyed to me most vividly and artistically.
With Soul Love, Jennifer DeFrayne makes a triumphant return to recorded music, delivering what is sure to be one of the year’s most significant instrumental releases. Listening to this album felt like welcoming back an old friend, each note wrapped around my heart, lingering warmly until the very end.
Keith
“MuzikMan” Hannaleck-NAMR Founder
May 20, 2026