Michael Samson, A Still Motion

Michael Samson is a musician who has created an all-instrumental piano album based on a philosophy that there is beauty in the paradoxes of the world, and any opposing elements like darkness and light, sadness and happiness, or stillness and movement (he even calls the album A Still Motion to reflect that idea). It is always interesting to find out the inspiration that caused music to be created, especially instrumental music because there are no words to help out. But whether you study these compositions trying to hear the philosophy stuff that influenced this music, or simply listen to the melodies, it all sounds good.

This is piano played "el solo" with no other instruments (or even a second piano part overdubbed). This is pure stuff. I guess it falls into the modern classical category, but it also would be enjoyed by the new age music crowd.

Samson plays forcefully. He knows exactly where he is going with these pieces. On a bunch of the material he starts fairly slow and quiet at the beginning of the tune, but then builds in pace, intensity and complexity, sometimes with a climatic finish. This is most evident on the first composition (the title song of the album) where he really speeds up. But this also happens in "Beyond My Question," "Truth in Beauty" and "When Light Dances."

This is his second album. I never heard his first one, but this one is quite good and should get some attention. It can be purchased at his website (michaelsamson.com) or at the top indie store (CDbaby.com) or the biggest store in the world (amazon.com) and other places.