Listen to relaxing music that I recently discovered and wanted to share with you. It’s a great 4-hour background playlist for reading, writing, or focus work. Enjoy!
Playlist
Relaxing Discovery Mix – 80 songs, 4 hr
instrumental
Luca D’Alberto
Listen to neo-classical music by Italian composer and multi-instrumentalist Luca D’Alberto on his debut album, which he composed, arranged and played. The violin, viola, violectra, cello and piano create “sonically opulent vivid, wonder-evoking pieces conveying wintry, widescreen panoramas and a propulsive arpeggio-fueled energy.”
New Album
Endless (2017) – 9 songs, 38 min
Singles
Her Dreams (Richard Dorfmeister & Stefan Obermaier Remix) (2017) – 1 song, 5 min 45 sec
Wait for Me (Marquis Hawkins Remix) (2017) – 1 song, 7 min 11 sec
Videos
Endless (2017) – 4 min 28 sec
Wait for Me (2017) – 4 min 13 sec
Yellow Moon (2017) – 5 min 46 sec
Her Dreams – Live at Silent Green in Berlin (2017) – 10 min 48 sec
Blessed Messenger – Live practice at home (2017) – 4 min 2 sec
Links
These are links to his website, social media, and general information.
These are links to artist pages at popular music players and music stores.
Photo credit: Endless @ Amazon (album cover).
Fabrizio Paterlini: Secret Book
Listen to instrumental piano music by Italian contemporary music composer and pianist Fabrizio Paterlini on his new album that was recently released.
New Album
Enjoy his new album.
Secret Book (2017) – 14 songs, 50 min
Videos
Here is a video from the new album.
Narrow is the Way on Secret Book (2017) – 2 min 36 sec
Playlist
Listen to this custom playlist with his music that he personally selected.
Best of Fabrizio Paterlini (Playlist) – 30 songs, 1 hr 39 min
See my music post on Fabrizio Paterlini for albums, videos, and links.
Photo credit: Secret Book @ Amazon (album cover).
Laura Sullivan: Healing Music for Meditation and Well Being
Listen to relaxing instrumental music by Laura Sullivan on her new album that was released today.
It’s the #1 album on Amazon Hot New Releases in New Age. Her Claire De Lune arrangement has now been listened to more than 1.2 million times on Spotify. You can download 11 relaxing songs for free (with your email address).
New Album
Enjoy her new album.
Healing Music for Meditation and Well Being (2017) – 4 songs, 1 hr 2 min
Playlist
Listen to my playlist with favorites of her music, including Porch Swing Night Romance, Tongass islands, Pachelbel for the Potomac, Blessed, and Claire de Lune.
Laura Sullivan (Playlist) – 27 songs, 2 hr 9 min
See my music post on Laura Sullivan for albums, videos, and links.
Photo credit: Healing Music for Meditation and Well Being @ Amazon (album cover).
Jennifer DeFrayne: Sisu
Listen to instrumental piano music by Jennifer DeFrayne on her new (2nd) album Sisu.
It embraces the spirit of the Finnish term Sisu, exploring its many characteristics as it takes you on a beautiful sonic excursion, with Jennifer on piano accompanied by these stellar musicians: Jeff Haynes (percussion), Premik Russell Tubbs (sax and EWI), Michael Manring (fretless bass), Jill Haley (english horn & oboe), Sara Milonovich (violin & vocals), Jeff Pearce (ambient guitar), and Jeff Oster (flugelhorn).
This album is dedicated to her heritage as a Finnish-American from Michigan’s Upper Peninsula, during this year’s Finland 100 centenary celebration of independence. You can read more about her background, Finnish “sisu”, and this album on her web site.
Sisu is a universal capacity which we all share: perseverance, courage, endurance, determination, grit, fortitude, bravery, spirit, resilience, inner strength and more. Jennifer has this to say about how the songs on the album came about:
Each song embraces the spirit of sisu, and reflects its many characteristics. I am so thankful to all of these musicians who contributed their amazing talents creating the layers of beauty, clarity, and emotion to the music making it everything I envisioned, and more!
There are nice reviews of the album by Kathy Parsons at MainlyPiano.com, Rotcod Zzaj at Contemporary Fusion Reviews, as well a press release by Beth Hilton at PRWeb.
New Album
Sisu (2017) – 12 songs, 58 min
Video
Watch unique Finnish photography while listening to samples of all tracks in the new album.
Sisu Album Preview (2017) – 7 min 42 sec
See my Jennifer DeFrayne music post with her albums, videos, and links. This new album has been included there as well.
Photo credit: Sisu @ Amazon (album cover)
Lynn Yew Evers
Listen to instrumental piano music by Lynn Yew Evers on her latest album Elysian. There are nice reviews by Kathy Parsons at MainlyPiano.com of both albums, Elysian and Dawn of Peace.
Albums
These are her albums.
Elysian (2016) – 13 songs, 53 min
Dawn of Peace (2012) – 11 songs, 53 min
Single
Here is a single.
Without Words (2015) – 1 song, 3 min 53 sec
Videos
Here are some videos from her albums.
Elysian on Elysian (2016) – 4 min 37 sec
Without Words on Without Words (2015) – 3 min 54 sec
Unspoken Tale on Dawn of Peace (2012) – 5 min 10 sec
Lyrical Mood on Dawn of Peace (2012) – 5 min 32 sec
A Fleeting Moment on Dawn of Peace (2012) – 4 min 44 sec
Links
These are links to her website, social media, and general information.
These are links to artist pages at popular music players and music stores.
Photo credit: Elysian @ Amazon (album cover)
Janice Lacy Project
Listen to instrumental piano music by Janice Lacy Project from Los Angeles on their debut album Sanctuary for the Soul.
Fronted by pianist/composer Janice Lacy, the other Project members are Rob Mullins (piano and keyboards), Jeness (cello), Larry Antonino (bass), and Tony Braunagel (drums and percussion) – all artists in their own right. All fourteen tracks on the album were composed by Lacy, motivated by this goal:
I want my music to serve as a sanctuary, a refuge, a place of safety, peace, healing and joy, where listeners can go when they need to escape from the pressures and stress of the world around them.
There’s a nice review by Kathy Parsons at MainPiano.com.
Album
Enjoy their debut album.
Sanctuary for the Soul (2016) – 14 songs, 47 min
Links
These are links to her website, social media, music players, and music stores.
Photo credit: Sanctuary for the Soul @ Amazon (album cover)
Marika Takeuchi
Listen to instrumental piano music by Marika Takeuchi on her latest (4th) album Colors in the Diary.
She was originally from Japan and now lives in Boston. This album is produced by the Grammy-winning producer Will Ackerman and features the world-class cellist Eugene Friesen and violinist Si-Jing Huang.
Albums
These are her albums.
Colors in the Diary (2016) – 12 songs, 47 min
Rain Stories (2014) – 11 songs, 32 min
Impressions (2013) – 10 songs, 26 min
Night Dream (2011) – 6 songs, 14 min
Single
Marika Takeuchi was asked to specifically compose and perform a song for this movie, and she came up with this remarkable music and released it as a single. This time-lapse film by landscape photographer Terje Sørgjerd (TSOPhotography) from Oslo, Norway has over 4.5 million views on Vimeo.
“The Arctic Light” is a natural phenomenon occurring 2-4 weeks before you can see the Midnight Sun. The sunset and sunrise are connected in one magnificent show of color and light lasting from 8 to 12 hours. The sun is barely going below the horizon before coming up again.
This was created between Apr 11 and May 10, 2011 in the Arctic on the archipelago Lofoten in Norway. He captured some amazing sunrises such as the one at 1:06 where you see a single scene from day to night to day, which is from 9pm to 7am (think about that for a minute – 10 hours with light like that).
The Arctic Light on The Arctic Light (2011) – 3 min 22 sec
Videos
Here are some videos from her albums.
Morning Light on Colors in the Diary (2016) – 3 min 21 sec
Koyo on Rain Stories (2014) – Live in Tokyo (2016) – 3 min 51 sec
Lost in Darkness on Rain Stories (2014) – Live in Tokyo (2016) – 3 min 51 sec
Green Field on Colors in the Diary (2014) – Live at JZ Brat Sound in Tokyo (2016) – 2 min 34 sec
Links
These are links to his website and social media.
These are links to artist pages at popular music players and music stores.
Photo credit: Colors in the Diary @ Amazon (album cover)
Stanton Lanier: Climb to the Sky
Listen to instrumental piano music by Stanton Lanier on his new (10th) album Climb to the Sky.
Album
You can listen to this new album on Spotify.
Climb to the Sky (2016) – 12 songs, 56 min
Videos
Here are a few videos for songs on the album, along with his background quotes.
Climb the Sky on Climb the Sky (2016) – 4 min 51 sec
I loved climbing trees as a boy. Filmed at 6,000 feet, I hope you will hear and see the joy and wonder of child-like faith. Inspired by Psalm 139 this 10th Album title song was born from verses 7-8, “Is there anyplace I can go to avoid your Spirit? to be out of your sight? If I climb to the sky, you’re there! If I go underground, you’re there!”
Breathe on Climb the Sky (2016) – 4 min 46 sec
“Breathe” was inspired by a common desire we all share…the need to slow down, to be still, and to catch our breath in the midst of a busy life. I hope you love the breathtaking, long mountain views as I perform from a high lookout on the edge of a lush forest. “I bless God every chance I get; my lungs expand with his praise. I live and breathe God. You’ve always given me breathing room, a place to get away from it all.” (Psalm 34:1-2 and 61:3, The Message).
Dawn and Dusk Take Turns Calling on Climb the Sky (2016) – 4 min 54 sec
Filmed at dusk in a south Georgia pecan tree grove, this track from the new album “Climb to the Sky” conveys how sunrises and sunsets take turns calling “come and worship” (Psalm 65:8). May the peace and calm assurance of this invitation bring you hope today.
To listen to more of his music, see my original music post on Stanton Lanier. This new album has been added, along with an updated playlist.
Photo credit: Climb to the Sky @ Amazon (album cover).
Kathryn Kaye: Reflected in a Flowing Stream
Listen to instrumental piano music by Kathryn Kaye on her new (6th) album Reflected in a Flowing Stream. The album was recorded at Imaginary Road Studios by Will Ackerman (guitar) and Tom Eaton (bass and accordion) with Eugene Friesen (cello), Tony Levin (bass), Jeff Oster (flugelhorn), Jill Haley (English horn), Charlie Bisharat (violin), and Jeff Haynes (percussion).
There’s a nice review of the album by Kathy Parsons at MainlyPiano.com, as well as Bill Binkleman at Zone Music Reporter. Last year, her previous album Patterns of Sun and Shade won the award for Best Piano Album with Instrumentation for 2015 from Zone Music Reporter (ZMR) which tracks album play on the radio and Internet. All of her first four albums were nominated for ZMR awards, and she previously was the winner for Best Holiday Album of 2013 for What the Winter Said.
Reflected in a Flowing Stream (2017) – 11 songs, 54 min
The Bricklayer’s Beautiful Daughter on What the Winter Said (2013) – 4 min 21 sec
This is her earlier piano arrangement with French horn (Gus Sebring) of one of my favorite solo guitar songs by Will Ackerman (Windham Hill founder).
Playlist
If you want to hear more of her wonderful music, listen to my playlist of her songs.
Kathryn Kaye (Playlist) – 68 songs, 5 hr
See my Kathryn Kaye music post with her albums, videos, and links. This new album has been included there as well, along with my updated playlist.
Photo credit: Reflected in a Flowing Stream @ Amazon (album cover)