New Age Music Reviews: Smooth Jazz

Release Date: October 28, 2016

Label: Journey Music Entertainment

Kelly Andrew is a composer, pianist and producer with an innate talent to create picturesque music without the need for vocals. His new album Rendezvous is due to release on October 28, 2016.

The opening and track “Chasing Twilight,” has very pleasing guitar lines combined with Kelly’s ivory keys. The track gets you in the right mood, rhythm and in sync with what the artist is trying accomplish through the music. I loved the way this recording opens the door to a journey of musical pleasures.

I think the value of this album is its ability to gain your undivided attention in short order. Kelly succeeds by offering something different with each successive song. For instance, after a certain pace and mood is set with the opener it changes entirely on the following track “Hand in Hand” by using different instruments to create a worldlier feel than a contemporary instrumental could offer. Although the foundation of this music by and large is contemporary steeped in classical, the artist has the talent to add his own melodies and transitions to give it a life and energy all its own. It flows with continuity and grows as the album progresses.

As I mentioned on our featured track “Rendezvous” on Rate The Tracks, the combination of piano and sax in the track brings a nice mixture of classical, new age and jazz that will delight all kinds of music lovers. And I stand by that. With that thought in mind the appealing and good mood of “Awake in a Dream,” had a similar effect on me. The sound is soothing and serves as some nice chill music - smooth jazz mixed in with ethereal new age piano makes for a great partnership. The title of the track alone is thought provoking and a perfect soundscape for a movie or TV special. Or it can be a soundtrack for your start of the day to focus and center or on the other side at end of the day to unwind. The music is what you make it and this kind of music lets you shape it into something just for you, it is friendly to the spirit and rectifies you like all good music should.

As the album spins along a web of intricacies are formed and you are captured into that web of calm and satisfaction. Music like this makes me grateful, at peace and recharges my supply of energy. Sometimes we all feel like a train going off the tracks, allowing circumstances or other people to push us off course. This music will keep your train on the tracks or at the very least restart the engines that got you there in the first place.

I thought the succession of tracks was interesting and made sense too in regards to the human condition otherwise known as the roller coaster of life at times. The last three tracks being the most prolific.

“Promise,” “Lonely Road” and “Hope” intersect and “Hope” closes out the album offering a positive transition from thoughts that may be clouding your consciousness and keeping you from moving forward. Promise and hope can be a lonely road without the right support and the music initiates those good feelings and thoughts to help you bring you into the light.

Kelly Andrew has taken the canvas of human emotion and painted a picture that turns into a Rembrandt of musical interpretation that you will want to experience more than once. Set up your Rendezvous with Kelly as soon as you can.

5/5 Stars

Key Tracks: Chasing Twilight, Rendezvous

Tracks:
01. Chasing Twilight
02. Hand in Hand
03. Painted Butterfly
04. Awake In A Dream
05. Rendezvous
06. Serenade of the Night Sky
07. Looking Back
08. Promise
09. Lonely Road
10. Hope

Keith “MuzikMan” Hannaleck

October 13, 2016

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Review Provided By New Age Music Reviews