In my recent glowing writeup on The Fifth Hammer , yet another epic collection by Martin Walker’s enigmatic musical alter ego Art Schop, I heaped praise on the singer/songwriter and philosophy and fiction writer’s obtuse poetic lyrics, dark, moody and spaciously atmospheric aesthetic and sublimely haunting Leonard Cohenish voice while also noting how “with every turn of phrase, he inspires us to Google frantically to expand our knowledge of history, philosophy and historical

The story behind the creation of Richard Dillon’s latest heartfelt, rhythmically eclectic and deeply soulful solo piano based album Fernweh: The Need to Travel  reflects the fascinating and intuitive camaraderie between the artist and another masterful new age piano veteran, Neil Patton.    The two first met some years ago at a Whisperings Solo Piano gathering in L.A. and quickly became great fans and supporters of each other’s music and individual careers. In 2016, Patton tr

The inspiring and empowering culmination of over 50-plus years exploring the wondrous possibilities of his cherished instrument, Derek Wille’s latest solo piano album The Weight of the Sky  is more than simply another melodically compelling, free-flowing and rhythmically eclectic work from a masterful new age artist and composer. From the graceful, dreamily romantic opening piece “Eyes Across a Room” – inspired by the transcendent moment when he first met his wife – through t

Before we immerse in the fascinating mercurial splendors of the Jay D’Amico Trio’s richly expressive, infectiously lyrical album Ginevra: a portrait of little girl blue  – a classically-tinged collection inspired by Da Vinci’s late 1470’s painting Ginevra de' Benci - it makes sense to mention the lavish musical outpouring given over the years to the painter’s most famous work. Everyone knows Nat King Cole’s 1950 classic “Mona Lisa,” but in the current millennium, she’s inspir

While prolific pianist and composer Ed Bazel had released several previous albums and enjoyed a lengthy, multi-faceted career as a performer and entrepreneur, nothing prepared the new age/ambient genre for his emergence to true stardom in the genre when he dropped The London Sessions: Reflections from Studio 2  in 2022. Beyond the dreamlike, feel-good story of a lifelong Beatles fan – who watched them transform the cultural landscape on The Ed Sullivan Show as a wide-eyed sev

In addition to a deep solo discography dating back to 1998, veteran, supremely versatile drummer Chris Wabich has enjoyed a rollicking, multi-genre career that includes stints with the likes of Ludacris, Sting, the Zappa Family, Omar Furik, Stanley Jordan, Mark Murphy, Brian Bromberg and Leonard Cohen. He draws particularly on the poetic influences of Cohen, Furik and Murphy on his inviting and immersive, alternately meditative, easy grooving and wildly intoxicating trio date