One of my favorite things about this blog is reviewing music. And when I find an artist, or a particular piece of music that touches me deeply, I feel so privileged to share it with you. I found that today in a piano player named Chuck Brown, and in particular a piece of music he calls, “Remind Me To Breathe.”
“Remind Me To Breathe,” is the piece of music that caught me. Not grabbed me. That wouldn’t be a right turn of phrase. It caught me like a cradle of tree branches in a gentle breeze. The music told me everything was safe. The world was safe. His soul was safe. But I had to remember to breathe.
That took my breath away because I lost my husband four years ago and I remember, and still do, find myself holding my breath, both physically and emotionally, at the devastating pain of his death. This song spoke to me and told me that I could, and should, remember to breathe. Life is precious and eternal. And that all of life and the understanding of it, was so much bigger than any or all of us.
Adelle Tilton
Classy Classical
"With
so much piano music around, can anyone truly be considered
a pioneer? Sure, especially when it comes to making therapeutic
music that is also incredibly beautiful and spiritually
uplifting. Noting that the earliest recorded use of sound
healing was when David, the young shepherd boy, eased the
ailments of the king of Israel with his harp in 1000 BC,
Brown explains that his restorative music isn't to be played
in public like commercial piano music, but should be enjoyed
as "a time apart from the weirdness of the world."
This refreshing panacea begins with the cheery "Give
Us a Smile, Alicia" and continues into one of the most
lovely instrumentals recorded in recent memory, "Remind
Me to Breathe." Tastefully accented with cello, this
gorgeous tune is more effective than aspirin on headache
when programmed for repeated play. Blue hearts will be perked
up by the graceful "Waltz Flowers," and angry
hearts soothed when they realize "Some Things are Better
Left Unsaid." In fact, there's a piano tune here for
most common emotional ailments. What could be better? INSTRUMENTATION:
piano, electric piano, acoustic guitars, bass, percussion,
cello."
PJ
Birosik
The Monthly Aspectarian
"Close
your eyes and imagine the most beautiful dream....this album
titled "Breathe" is the soundtrack to the fantasy
world of pure peace and relaxation. Chuck Brown and company
have created a luxurious album of instrumental heaven. Composition
is done with excellence throughout the album, whether it
be solely a piano-based song or one with acoustic guitar
and other sounds thrown in. And each track does have a theme
according to its title; a few that grabbed me were 'she's
grown up sad' with it's acoustic intro, 'the world's biggest
fool,' and album opener 'give us a smile, alicia.' Beautifully
done, I actually heard the song telling me a story. Each
piece created here has a unique quality to it, and each
are centered on the usage of imagination."
Daina
Kazmaier
Music Dish
"Pianist Chuck Brown
brings a breezy comfortable feeling to his latest recording,
Breathe. Warm, accessible, and low-key (even when the tempo
is moderate or fast), the seventeen (!) songs on this album
roll forth from the speakers with true good nature. From
a compositional standpoint, songs such as the album opener,
the cheery, "give us a smile, alicia" the reflective
"some things are better left unsaid" and the light-hearted
"plays well with others" (don't you love those
titles? I do!) straddle the pop, jazz, and adult contemporary
genres. In fact, you could say Chuck takes the best parts
of all those genres and mixes them together to make music
that is easy to listen to either directly or while played
in the background. Since the album has seventeen songs on
it, you'd be correct if you assumed some of the cuts are
short in length. But these are not cookie-cutter tunes.
The tone and feeling of the songs vary considerably. "Lights
across the water" is a Winston-ish tone poem, while
the next song, "the world's biggest fool" could
be from a Lanz or Gratz album. However, even noting these
similarities (which I mention purely for the sake of comparison),
Chuck is an original. His playing talent on the keys is
solid and he shows a particularly sharp sense of timing
and rhythm. He knows when to let a phrase linger and when
to push the tempo forward. Joining Chuck on some cuts are
album producer and arranger Michael Alexander Jackson (acoustic
guitars, bass, percussion and synths), Phil Maneri (fretless
bass) and Dan Clark (cello). However, the latter two only
guest on one song each and even Jackson's presence is subdued.
This is mostly a solo piano album with just enough added
musical textures to spice it up a bit. Breathe is a rock-solid
collection of piano instrumentals that makes for a most
enjoyable listening experience. After the first two spins,
I no longer noticed the brevity of some of the songs, as
the album started to play more as a cohesive whole instead
(even with the wide variety of tempos and moods).
Piano fans looking for something more accessible than the
work of George Winston yet with more depth than many adult
contemporary performers will find a lot to enjoy on this
CD. The album's friendliness will charm all but the hardest
of hearts and put a smile on many faces, too, I'll bet."
Bill
Binkelman
Wind & Wire
"There
are times when simplicity works the best, and this album is
a case in point. Chuck Brown is a pianist and Breathe is a
collection of gentle and relaxing instrumentals. The album
begins with the achingly beautiful Give Us A Smile, Alicia,
followed by Remind Us To Breathe, another lovely tune backed
by cello. Indeed, there is a restrained backing by a small
number of musicians on many of the tracks, but it is sometimes
so restrained in the mix at times that it sounds ghostly.
I'm at a loss as to how to categorise the music on this album
- I'm sure many would classify it as 'New Age' or even [God
Forbid!] 'Easy Listening'! But both categories have become
the catch-alls for the most horrible and insidious blandness
in recent years, and this music is certainly not bland. Perhaps
'Contemporary Instrumental' will do... Either way, this album
is designed to relaxe you and reduce those urban stress levels.
One of the other nice touches is that the album is dedicated
to the very ill Dudley Moore, which is a moving gesture from
one musician to another - check out You Never Know, for this
musical tribute."
John Peters
The
Borderland
"Breathe"
is an all piano album with the addition of guitar, percussion,
and cello that will relax you and take your soul to great
places. Soothing in it's touch these highly personal tributes
to the beauty in our lives leaves you feeling whole and
refreshed to take on the world. His dedications include
"Give Us A Smile, Alicia" for a young child and
"You Never Know" for the gifted pianist with PSP,
Dudley Moore. This is music of an inspiring nature which
takes it's listener to places Chuck Brown creates with his
heart. Places I would love to go.....places very special
indeed."
Carole
Galvan
ToTheBone.com
Smooth,
romantic and tender solo piano compositions are offered
in this intimate release by composer/pianist Chuck Brown.
Additional instrumentation (on certain tracks) includes
guitar, bass, cello, percussion and synth, but always in
the foreground are Chuck's sweet piano melodies, leading
the way. Deliciously relaxing, this music is perfect for
a quiet candlelight dinner with your beloved, as background
to a soothing massage, or simply for unwinding after a busy
day.
Rev. Robert
Walmsley
Musical Soundscapes
Like
breathing, once it's going on for a while, you forget the
cd's on. It becomes 2nd nature to the point of relaxation.
If you begin to breathe heavily, you worry about your breathing,
you know it's there. But Chuck's music heals like vitamin
E on a forgotten cut. 17 songs and 52 minutes long, and
very smooth, mostly solo piano music. 'To the Listener:
One of the earliest therapeutic uses of gentle instrumental
music was when the young shepherd boy, David, came and eased
the ailments of the king of Israel with his harp (circa
1000 BC). It's the same for me. Instrumental music is so
often a refreshing touch... a time apart from the weirdness
of the world." That's what this is. Call it new age
if you like, but it's good stuff, well realized, with the
odd guitar or percussion thrown in now and then to lend
variety. I'll be writing books to this stuff. Thanks.
Ben
Ohmart
@N-Zone Magazine
"It's
a wonderful album."
David
Shear
WSIA - Staten
Island, NY
"Friendly piano man
Brown hits a nice laid back adult groove on his new, mostly
solo, piano set. Nice in the background or foreground, this
is sweet takes on sketches and themes that say it precisely
and move on, no noodling. A nice find for adult listeners
on the prowl."
Chris Spector - Midwest Record Recap
"Counting over 125 life-time
compositions as keepers, the one's he'll admit to writing,
17 of them appear on his 2000 mostly solo piano release,
Breathe. Chuck Brown's piano compositions are sweet. Along
with a clear pop sensibility the arrangements are open and
uncluttered. Each seems to be filled with enough air
so as to allow your soul room to get up and walk around--gazing
here and there at will with gratified knowing smiles.
Breathe intersperses
pure solo piano with lovely ensemble pieces, including acoustic
guitar, electric piano, fretless bass, cello and subtle
percussion. While writing music and working as a voice talent
for radio and TV in Columbus, Ohio Brown also endeavors
on a weekly basis with elementary school age kids in a teaching
and mentoring capacity. Due out soon is Brown's
first release for kids with his band The Chuckleberries,
aimed toward grades K-4. We're all looking forward
to this release which will showcase Brown's unique energy
and musical sensibilities."
Greg Ozimek - Music Reviews & More! "A relative newcomer
to local music, Chuck Brown's most recent disc is a collection
of 17 piano pieces, with and without accompaniment. Much
of Breathe could pass as less-ethereal fare on public radio's
syndicated Echoes show. Unobtrusive additions of percussion,
cello, guitar and synthesizers adorn the expressively organic,
loosely composed original songs. Brown's biggest accomplishment,
though, is integrating different styles and forms into his
tunes. He creates a waltz without calling up cheesy cliches
on Waltz Flowers, and keeps his new age songs like Remind
Me to Breathe grounded in reality with a strong acoustic
sounds. Also noticeable in Breathe are hints of jazz and
classical. Though quietly unassuming, Breathe has earned
Chuck Brown some attention of late, most noticeably by ColumbusMusic.com,
which chose to include the album's slightly Mediterranean-flavored
Return to Pamplona on its Super Sampler Vol. I."
Adam
Garratt
Columbus Alive |
