Jennifer Thomas is a superb piano player and her new release Winter Symphony is exactly that. The beauty of the Winter season and the Holidays come shining through with all the colors and pageantry you would come to expect this time of year.
The focus track “Carol of the Bells,” opens the door to the Holiday with parts of a legendary track that come alive with cascading piano and orchestrations. Classical and New Age music merge with tradition for an entirely new universe of music for a listener to enjoy.
The video provided displays all the emotion and energy you could find in a traditional holiday song except it is done featuring many different and exciting transitions.
Jennifer released her third album and most recent album, Illumination, towards the end of 2012 – which has been nominated and won many numerous awards including nominations for Album of the Year for Reviews New Age, and Classical Crossover UK, and winning “Album of the Year”, and “Artist of the Year” at the 2013 IMC Awards, as well as being a Piano Heaven UK Award winner. The album is the culmination of four years of hard work, practice, study, and growth in her musical style and technique. It includes not only many new original works by Jennifer, but also familiar classics such as Dvorak’s New World Symphony, Satie’s Gymnopedie No. 1, excerpts from Rachmaninoff’s Third Piano Concerto, as well as new classics like OneRepublic’s Secrets, and Mansell’s Requiem For a Dream.
Thomas’ fourth album, “Winter Symphony” will release in November of 2015. This new Christmas album will feature the Ensign Chorus (recorded at Bastyr Cathedral), soprano Felicia Farerre, violinist Taylor Davis, and musicians from The Utah Symphony, Salt Lake City Pops Orchestra, and the Chochin Chamber Orchestra. The orchestration was done by Glen Gabriel. The album includes favorites such as “Silent Night”, “Angels We Have Heard on High”, “Carol of the Bells”, as well as cinematic scores from “Home Alone”, “Edward Scissorhands”, and more.
Jennifer resides in the Seattle area with her husband, Will, and their three sons. Jennifer recently started a video blog on her YouTube channel where you can follow more of her journey as an artist juggling both motherhood and music.
Doug Hammer is a piano player par excellence! After hearing his latest release Christmas Lights it is easy to make a statement like that with conviction.
"Deck The Halls" was one of my key tracks in my review and here is why...The song is a classic that has been around for a very long time and to take it then shape it into something entirely different to make it your own without losing its essence is a task. Hammer did just that.
The rolling piano is comparable to beginning with little ripples in the water then building up to full size waves of sound. Most importantly you will recognize it but with many new twists and turns. That is what makes it so fresh and inviting to your ears.
Doug Hammer delivers the spirit of the Holiday in his own way with "Deck The Halls."
Multi-award winning pianist, composer and producer Doug Hammer has been involved with music since the age of three and began piano lessons at the age of six. He was educated in contemporary, jazz and classical styles of music.
A scholarship graduate of Berklee College of Music in Boston, Doug’s musical world continued to flourish, gaining experience in everything from record production to orchestration and arranging. After Berklee, he opened his own project studio and production company, Dreamworld Productions. His studio and skills have served the needs of many, working on projects for film, web, TV, radio and corporations. He has produced countless artists in a diversity of styles.
After many years of success with his business, Doug started releasing his own music. It has won countless awards and nominations from radio, websites and media. His music is widely popular on internet, satellite and radio stations all over the world. It has received millions of plays on Pandora, Spotify, Music Choice and Whisperings Solo Piano Radio. His album, Solace, is a big hit on Pandora and his double album, Travels, won Album of the Year on Whisperings Solo Piano Radio.
Doug recently released his ninth album, Haiku. It contains fifteen meticulously handcrafted songs, distilled to their essence. He also just released Christmas Lights, featuring seventeen traditional favorites and a new original composition, Christmas Lights. The album debuted on Pandora Premieres and has charted to #3 on Amazon and #8 on iTunes.
Doug continues to tour regularly across the United States. He recently performed at New York’s prestigious Carnegie Hall.
"All The Wonders of This Holiday" can be appreciated for many reasons...miracles, the wonder in a child's eyes, the caring and love that people offer to strangers in desperate need of a warm smile, all of this and more is the true meaning of Christmas.
I heard that warmth and joy in Patty Mattson's voice with "All The Wonders of This Holiday." With some country charm that only this singer can bring forth with her new Holiday album All The Wonders of This Holiday, this track will bring joy to your soul and put a smile in your heart. Patty Mattson is my star this Holiday so no rating is necessary for this one, listen and enjoy! Keith "MuzikMan" Hannaleck
