Holiday/New Age/Classical Review: Jennifer Thomas-Winter Symphony

Release Date: November 20, 2015

Label: Tickled Ivory Music

Website

Jennifer Thomas is a talented multidimensional artist. She is a composer, pianist and violinist with a lot of respect coming from her peers in the industry. With Winter Symphony she takes tradition and several genres and creates a magnificent soundtrack. The album is titled appropriately as it is a shimmering and magical journey. At times certain parts did remind me of Trans-Siberian Orchestra. I knew after hearing the first track that this recording was going to be prolific and moving.

The curtain opens to a spectacular unraveling of sound and color with “Angels We Have Heard On High (feat. The Ensign Chorus),” and the chorus indeed sounds like it was heaven sent.

The brilliance of “Carol of the Bells” opens the door to the Holiday with parts of a legendary track that come alive with cascading piano and orchestrations. Classical and New Age music merge with tradition for an entirely new universe of music for a listener to enjoy.

As an individual that gets inundated with Holiday music every year it becomes harder and harder to get my attention and any particular release to make a lasting impression. I have been fortunate this year to hear several great unconventional recordings that gave me a new perspective and outlook on this special Holiday season.

“Ice Dance” is a musical ballet with the grandeur of orchestrations, a choir and Jennifer’s tinkling and alluring piano strokes. It is quite beautiful…you can envision a lone ice skater joined by others as the song reaches its apex then winds down like a snow globe in your mind gently bringing it back to the singularity of purpose this dance represents.

As mature and distinct as this music is it can most certainly bring to light the child inside all of us. Remember when you were the wide eyed little girl/boy full of the wonder of Christmas morning? It is all here for you to absorb and hold in your heart for as long as you wish or to listen to again and again.

Winter Symphony needs a stage with actors to play out the parts of this engrossing musical story. I would not be surprised to see it all come to life on a stage or on the screen someday soon. If that does not happen I will surprised. There is so much going on in this music, it makes you feel alive and grateful for life and all there is to enjoy. The power of music proves once again that it can heal and change an attitude within minutes. The spirit of humanity and the holidays are alive and breathing in this music, do not miss it!

5/5 Stars

Key Tracks: Carol of the Bells, Angels We Have Heard On High (feat. The Ensign Chorus), Ice Dance

Tracks:
01. Angels We Have Heard On High (feat. The Ensign Chorus)
02. Dance of the Sugar Plum Fairy
03. Carol of the Bells
04. Alleluia (feat. Felicia Farerre & The Ensign Chorus)
05. Ice Dance (feat. The Ensign Chorus)
06. I Saw Three Ships
07. Breath of Heaven
08. Theme from Home Alone (Somewhere in My Memory)
09. What Child Is This (feat. Taylor Davis)
10. Silent Night (feat. The Ensign Chorus)
11. Winter Symphony
12. O Holy Night

Keith “MuzikMan” Hannaleck- New Age Music Reviews Founder

December 22, 2015

Provided By New Age Music Reviews