New Age Instrumental Review: Kathryn Kaye-Solace of Mountains and Clouds

Release Date: June 1, 2019

Label: Indie

Website

Solace of Mountains and Clouds is the fifth release I am covering by the exquisite piano player Kathryn Kaye. It was like visiting an old friend when I gave this new recording my first listen. I received everything I have come to expect from an album created by this exceptional artist, top-notch musicianship, production, and sound.

If those three factors are in place consistently on your recordings there is a very good chance you will garner the praise you deserve and all the respect from your peers in the industry. You can tick off all the boxes in that category for Kathryn as well.

Solace of Mountains and Clouds is a direct reflection of the surroundings of the artist where she lives and creates all of her compositions. The inspiration of mother nature can be found in many different segments of the artistic communities. I must say after several years of listening to instrumental piano and new age music, that the images and music presented most definitely go hand in hand. The production elements are superb thanks to the Imaginary Road Studios and the fine stable of artists that contribute to this and many other recordings. The partnerships created are absolute bliss, with Kathryn’s recording being no exception.

A few of my favorites are “Slow Waltz at Summer's End” and “While The Mountain Sleeps.”  The track titles are as moving as the music. The images created by the titles and music are all at once prolific, calming, spiritual and rhythmic. There is an innate sense of musicality and tones emanating from those talented fingers that touch the ivory keys.

Solace of Mountains and Clouds is the soul of nature mirrored in the music and the colors, atmospheres, and vibrations of this wonderful music. It starts by touching all of your senses then it finds a way to your heart and soul. Any good instrumental music holds that magic but to do it so well and for so long is an incredible achievement and a gift to all that have the pleasure of hearing it.

Keith “MuzikMan” Hannaleck

June 2, 2019
 

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Tracks:
01. Luna's Dream 3:57
02. For Love of Earth and Sky 5:12
03. We'll Be Home Tomorrow 4:13
04. Slow Waltz at Summer's End 4:24
05. Solace of Mountains and Clouds 6:06
06. Mountains Touching Sky 4:10
07. Finally Spring 5:16
08. Warm Sun, Gentle Rain 4:00
09. While the Mountain Sleeps 4:27
10. Stories Told by Trees 4:55

Instrumental New Age Review: Kathryn Kaye-Songs of Changing Light (A Compilation of Piano Solos)

Genre: Instrumental New Age

Release Date: January 1, 2018

Label: Independent

Website

Kathryn Kaye is one of those artists in the New Age genre that is instantly recognizable. If you have any familiarity at all with this type of music you will understand where I am coming from.

I have covered several of her releases and I always anticipate a wonderful listening experience. Over the years she has obliged.

With Songs of Changing Light (A Compilation of Piano Solos) she selects fourteen of her favorite tracks covering the time span from 2011 to 2017.

The natural world that surrounds her gives her divine inspiration to create beautiful music. With this compilation she has stripped away any additional instruments that were on the tracks originally.  This will give each individual listener the opportunity to hear the stand-alone beauty of the ivory keys in all their glory. With the silky touch of Kathryn, you get some of the best examples of her artistry on this CD.

When I hear this music, it sounds to me like it is an extension of the individual delivering the music. Only an enlightened and spiritual person can create such beautiful sounds with one instrument. This woman is one of those with the gift. It flows through her soul to her fingertips, then the magic begins with the manipulation of the piano keys.

Each track is a separate testament to the natural talent of an inspirational artist. This music is very elegant, and ultimately it relaxes your entire body, then the mind will follow. It is a simple recipe for wellness of the body, mind and spirit.

Songs of Changing Light is a must have collection of tracks that any music lover could appreciate. If you do enjoy instrumental piano music, this is a real gem.

5/5 Stars

Keith “MuzikMan” Hannaleck

January 28, 2018

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Tracks: 

01. Winter's Deepest Sleep
02. Summer Afternoon
03. Taos Song
04. Heavy as a Feather
05. A Rose in Winter
06. Distances
07. Dreaming Still
08. A Lark in the Last Light of Day
09. Willow Waltz
10. Adrift in Fading Light
11. So Much Sky
12. There Was a Time
13. Frost
14. Arctic Night
 

Instrumental New Age/Piano Review: Kathryn Kaye-Reflected in a Flowing Stream

Release Date: December 31, 2016

Label: Overland Mountain Music

Website

Kathryn Kaye is continuously creating and recording music. It must be my concept of time but it feels like I just complete a review and then another release awaits my attention once again. That is all good for sure, it is probably the fact that time just escapes me so much faster than when I was a young man. With all that considered I need music to keep the energy of youth inside me and thus it is expressed outwardly to the people around me in a positive way.

While listening, it becomes easy to wax philosophically once I get into the flow of some good instrumental music, especially with talented artist like Ms. Kaye.

Kathryn is a few weeks away from releasing another masterful creation of piano tracks titled Reflected in a Flowing Stream. Once again we see a recording artist making the important connection to our surroundings, more specifically to nature. The sheer beauty of shimmering water gives us the reflections of life and our own image looking back at us. The river serves as the perfect mirror particularly one that looks so calm like on the cover of this CD. It looks like a natural shiny glass window that implores you to consider it as your own way of expressing your deepest thoughts and feelings. Like a sounding board that does not speak back but only observes, the water initiates and completes a process. It calls to your soul and inner spirit.

I do not think you could possibly go wrong with such a group of talent assembled in one studio. Besides Kathryn’s talented fingers at work you get Will Ackerman (guitar) and Tom Eaton (bass, accordion) at the helm producing, engineering and recording and Tony Levin (bass), Jeff Oster (flugelhorn), Jill Haley (English Horn), Eugene Friesen (cello), Jeff Haynes (percussion) and Charlie Bisharat (violin) adding their talents to the mix. It is like an all-star cast that usually comes together at the Imaginary Road Studios. Most of the artists I work with record there and every time a new recording is released it is of the highest quality without exception. Reflected in a Flowing Stream is another one to add to the list.

Kathryn’s piano is very much like a flowing stream. Her music reflects the listener’s personality and mood; it brings it to the surface encouraging a good look at a window to the truth. It is absorbed then bounces off you with positive vibrations and touches everyone within listening distance. Every track offers a different aspect of nature that we each recognize, enjoy and ultimately relate to in our own way. 

Deeply moving and expressive, the piano and every instrument that joins in makes each track a complete experience that can be enjoyed more than once. I would think each time you hear it you may find something different you did not notice before, perhaps a subtle nuance that either makes you feel happy, sad, melancholy or at peace with an internal calmness that can only be achieved by listening and letting the tones and atmospheres of the music take you to each special place the track titles suggests.

Kathryn, you have done it again; Reflected in a Flowing Stream is beauty and perfection all in one package topped off with a big red bow for the Holidays and a great way to start the new year.

5/5 Stars

Tracks:
01. A Lark in the Last Night of Day
02. As Seasons Change )
03. Procession of Moon and Stars
04. The Stillness Before Dawn
05. No Reason Not to Dance
06. Winter’s Deepest Sleep 07.  As Summer Fades to Fall 
08. April Rain
09. A Shower of Summer Nights 
10. Reflected in a Flowing Stream 
11. Arctic Night 
 

Keith “MuzikMan” Hannaleck

December 21, 2016

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New Age Instrumental Review: Kathryn Kaye-There Was A Time

Release Date: February 1, 2016
Label: Independent
Website: http://kathrynkaye-music.com/
Buy Link: http://www.cdbaby.com/cd/kathrynkaye5

Solo piano music can be soothing  and anything Kathryn Kaye records certainly has that effect on you. With There Was A Time she puts together 10 gorgeous tracks of keyboard heaven.

"Learning To Waltz With Clouds" was my introduction to the new release and also featured on our Rate The Tracks site. It made me feel that I could get in sync with the clouds above and move and float right along with them. For my ears this music translates to something more than an auditory experience, it is a form of divinity that calms and centers me and that is exactly what I need on a daily basis.

Tracks two and three carry some sadness with them. “Arise” and “Bittersweet Goodbye” have a certain melancholy atmosphere but in the same instance reflect a beauty and elegance a piano can easily portray if played by the right individual. In this case all of the above applies and they pull you in and keep you as you make your way through the recording.

Much of new age instrumental music I have the pleasure of hearing is directly connected to Mother Nature and this album is definitely one of those fine examples of getting in touch with our life’s essence. “Shadow of a Bird in Flight” is one track that brings you to the great outdoors and can have you imagining yourself walking along a sundrenched trail and seeing the shadows created by the branches of trees and the passing movement of our winged friends. I can appreciate any music that takes me out of my current environment, puts me in touch with another reality, and reminds me of who I am and the true inner spirit of us all. That is the music’s intent and purpose as far as I am concerned yet it can mean something entirely different for another listener and that is the beauty and freedom of what good music can offer

“Spring Snow” is another track that brings into light a season of prolific change and if you are living in an area that takes you through all four seasons, you can easily relate. I know from my own environment that snow in spring is entirely different than the snow that falls in January. This snow has a purpose, as the temperature begins to rise, it slowly melts away bringing the promise of green fields, blooming trees and flowers, giving the once dormant life a nudge to awaken and says hello! So perhaps for each individual this concept can apply to your life, if there is something that needs to change or be renewed this track and the progression of the music take you through that transformation. The flow of life itself and nature is translated through Ms. Kaye’s fingers in the most poignant way.

There Was A Time is a fantastic journey through the meaning of life and our surroundings. If you enjoy any kind of instrumental music for the sheer enjoyment of listening or the ensuing effect it can have on your mind, body and spirit then I highly recommend listening and paying close attention to each track, you will be glad you did.

5/5 Stars

Key Tracks: Learning To Waltz With Clouds, Shadow of a Bird in Flight, Spring Snow

Tracks:
01. Saro Remembered
02. Arise
03. There Was A Time
04. Spring Snow
05. Wind In The Aspen Grove
06. Shadow Of A Bird In Flight
07. Revival
08. Learning To Waltz With Clouds
09. Bittersweet Goodbye
10. Darkening Skies

Keith “MuzikMan” Hannaleck- New Age Music Reviews Founder
February 1, 2016
Review Provided By New Age Music Reviews
 

New Age Instrumental Review: Kathryn Kaye-Patterns of Sun and Shade

Release Date: January 1, 2015

Label: Independent

Website

Kathryn Kaye is a composer, organist and pianist. She has been classically trained but draws from her experiences in jazz, folk music from the Appalachian Mountains where she grew up and crafts music both simple and evocative. Each piece is created with feeling and always leaves me longing for more. The album was recorded at Imaginary Road Studios and was recorded and mastered by Tom Eaton. Contributing artists include Gus Sebring (French horn), Jeff Haynes (percussion), Tony Levin (Chapman stick), Tom Eaton (percussion, accordion, bass), Eugene Friesen (cello), Jill Haley (English horn), Will Ackerman (percussion), Charlie Bisharat (violin) and of course the talented fingers of Kathryn Kaye (piano).

In her newest album, Patterns of Sun and Shade, Kathryn again pulls her imagery from nature and paints an audible picture of landscapes adrift in light and shadow. This album has a lighter feel than her first three, and has a lot of imagery of leaves, forests and trees. Just the kind of place I love to be…

“Elk Creek in the Fall” is the second track on the album and features Gus Sebring (French horn), Jeff Haynes (percussion), Tony Levin (Chapman stick), Tom Eaton (percussion), Kathryn Kaye (piano) and Eugene Friesen (cello). Effervescent, this piece is a tapestry wound together to seamlessly create a vision of backwoods Kentucky and the glorious forests that grace the land. Sweeping piano sequences are paired with the cello, horn, percussive elements and the Chapman evoking a lush composition of harmony and light.

“Willow Waltz” is a tender piece that urges me to close my eyes and walk through the lit path into the forest, surrounded by the majesty of color and the changing seasons. No matter the day, the crisp scent of autumn burns down the back of your throat and the smoky ghost of burning leaves fills the air. It is a time of change. The willow trees are a bountiful and grace filled oasis inside the woods. They bend and sweep, whilst other trees reach for the sky, determined to shed their seasonal colors in a riot of burnt orange and flame yellow. The willows dance under the sky and your fingers intertwine with the long and sinewy branches. Pieces and artists heard on this track include Kathryn Kaye (piano), Jill Haley (English horn), Tony Levin (Chapman stick) and the legendary Will Ackerman on percussion.

“Patterns of Sun and Shade” is the title track to the album. When you look into the trees and squint your eyes, what do you see? Little patterns of light and dark-the shady places and the kiss of sunshine beaming through the leaves. That is the essence of this piece. Light peeks through finely veined leaves illustrated by the skillful playing of Gus Sebring (French horn), Jill Haley (English horn), Tom Eaton (bass) and Kathryn Kaye (piano). 

Since the first time I heard Kathryn Kaye’s work, I fell in love with her vision of nature via sound and substance. Well placed fingers on the keyboard, combined with a love of the natural world and her home in the woods of Kentucky show just like the dappled light through a bevy of leaves. The fellow artists she chooses are her branches and the tree is firmly planted in the ground. This album was soothing and hasn’t stopped playing since I received it and won’t be any time soon. 

5/5 Stars

Key Tracks: Elk Creek in the Fall, Patterns of Sun and Shade, Willow Waltz

Tracks: 
01. Julia's Eyes
02. Elk Creek in the Fall (feat. Gus Sebring, Jeff Haynes, Tony Levin, Tom Eaton & Eugene Friesen)
03. The Hills That Lead Me Home (feat. Jill Haley, Gus Sebring & Tony Levin)
04. Something Like a Dream
05. Festival of Leaves (feat. Tony Levin, Gus Sebring, Jill Haley & Jeff Haynes)
06. Willow Waltz (feat. Will Ackerman, Tony Levin & Jill Haley)
07. Adrift in Fading Light (feat. Charlie Bisharat, Tony Levin & Jeff Haynes)
08. Mom and Pop's Waltz
09. Tiny Sliver of a Moon (feat. Charlie Bisharat & Tom Eaton)
10. Patterns of Sun and Shade (feat. Gus Sebring, Tom Eaton & Jill Haley)
11. Distances
 

DanaWright, Sr. Staff Writer

December 9, 2014

Review Provided By New Age Music Reviews

Track Stream: Kathryn Kaye-Patterns Of Sun And Shade

Kathryn Kaye's music is highly acclaimed by critics and fans alike. The new release Patterns Of Sun And Shade, due out January 1st 2015, is destined to bring more accolades to the artist.

I thought it was appropriate to introduce the beautiful title track to an audience anticipating more of her wonderful sounds of grace articulated through the ivory keys.

Sit back, relax and enjoy "Patterns Of Sun And Shade," it is most certainly a spiritual experience that will lead down the path of enlightenment.

MuzikMan Rating 5/5 

More About Kathryn Kaye:

http://www.kathrynkaye-music.com

Kathryn continues to work with Will Ackerman and several other outstanding musicians, including Tony Levin (bass), Eugene Friesen (cello), Tony Bisharat (violin), Jill Haley (English horn), Jeff Haynes (percussion), and Gus Sebring (French horn). Heavy as a Feather and What the Winter Said, her next two albums, reached #2 and #1 on the Zone Music Reporter charts. Heavy as a Feather was nominated Best Instrumental Piano Album of 2012, and What the Winter Said won Best Holiday Album for 2013. Her fourth album, Patterns of Sun and Shade, will be released January 1, 2015.