Contemporary Classical Instrumental/New Age Review: Tim Neumark-24 Improvs

Release Date: June 24, 2022

Label: Independent

Website

(The cover photo for 24 Improvs is licensed by akg-images. The original photo is the property of the National Museum - Czech Museum of Music and can be seen on display at the Antonin Dvorak Museum in Prague.)

Tim Neumark is an exceptional musician and piano player. I have heard a lot of his music over the years. 24 Improvs is the sixth album in his comprehensive catalog that I enjoy listening to and covering for review. In essence a double album. If it were on vinyl, it would be at the very least 3 LPs. So, a lot of music!

To single out any track of this music is challenging for several reasons; it's all good, all instrumental, and most importantly, each one offers the variances of improvisations that showcase this artist's capabilities. If there were vocals on half the tracks, there would be a defining line. There is no separation between the type of music, but you must know this is all excellent and tremendous piano virtuosity.

Tim embodies solo piano performances with a solid classical base and a steady undercurrent of a new age to enhance it. The music sets you at ease, removes all barriers in the subconscious mind, and allows a listener to feel the flow of the music. Without the distraction of neurons firing away inside your head after a busy day, you get the opportunity to let it calm down and appreciate everything you are hearing.

About halfway through, you are surprised how quickly it all passed. You understand why it seems so fleeting if you absorb the music as I do. It all comes about due to an intense feeling of enjoyment, healing, and any range of emotions that flips that internal switch. The time factor is essentially meaningless as the music fills your soul. All good music accomplishes this. However, when you hear piano alone, you can listen to all the different parts of the composition differently, basically unencumbered by any other instruments or sounds that can populate a more complex new-age instrumental album. Not to take away from the other more involved projects I have covered and enjoyed. The main point here is that this is a clinic on how to present various improvisations on a piano. 

24 Improvs is precisely that and much more if you can listen to it all at face value. If you are looking for the brilliance of simplicity brought to you by the ivory keys, this will be your bliss.

Keith “MuzikMan” Hannaleck-New Age Music Reviews Founder

June 26, 2022

Tracks:

01. Improv in C Major (Gentle Stream)

02. Improv in C Minor

03. Improv in G Major

04. Improv in G Minor

05. Improv in D Major

06. Improv in D Minor

07. Improv in A Major

08. Improv in A Minor (An Interlude)

09. Improv in E Major

10. Improv in E Minor

11. Improv Over One Chord (Social Distancing in B Major)

12. Improv in B Minor

13. November Improv

14. Improv in F-Sharp Minor

15. Improv in D-Flat Major

16. Improv in C-Sharp Minor (Numb)

17. Improv in A-Flat Major (The End of the Road)

18. Improv in G-Sharp Minor (Isolation)

19. Improv in E-Flat Major (Stay Here With Me)

20. Improv in E-Flat Minor

21. Eternity (Improv in B-Flat Major)

22. Improv in B-Flat Minor

23. Improv in F Major (Sunday Evening)

24. Improv in F Minor