Monday, November 18, 2019

Album Review: Art on the Piano by Holly Jones

Born in Kentucky to a musical family, pianist and composer Holly Jones initially began studying violin at age three and then piano at age eight. Already creating her own compositions by age nine, she eventually outgrew the violin and transitioned to piano whereon she quickly discovered her artistic forte. Aside from her many years of musical training and private study, including at Indiana University, Jones is also a physical therapist, which when combined with her passion for playing the piano, gives her greater insight to understanding the healing power of music.

Spanning approximately 51 minutes total, Art on the Piano is an expressively elegant album of 11 tranquil solo instrumentals. Calmly introduced by the soothing opener, “A Blackberry Sky”, an immediate sense of comfort and gentle optimism washes over the listener, as one might easily imagine the artist closing her eyes while playing this piece; her hands effortlessly moving across the keys in a seemingly thoughtful, unhurried and fluid manner. The aptly-titled “Butterfly” ensues with a delicately sustained piano figure throughout, as this airy and sparkling composition effectively paints a picture of a colorful butterfly lightly fluttering in the golden rays of the sun.

One of my favorite pieces on the album is the title track, “Art on the Piano”, a mysterious number with classical overtones and an overall musing mood. Imparting a deep resonance on the keys amid contemplatively graceful pauses throughout, it evokes ruminative images of the artist playing piano in the quiet solitude of a dimly-lit room.

Continuing to seamlessly alternate between reflective and radiant atmospheres along the way, the album finally reaches the second-to-last piece, “Walk with the Trees”, a seasonal song that bares a thoughtful touch of melancholy, before elatedly wrapping things up with the warmly optimistic “Light on the Water”.

A most highly-recommended album for fans of new age and contemporary solo piano music, I especially love the sophisticated simplicity of Holly Jones’ mellifluous arrangements, as she creates art on the piano – and healing through her fingertips! ~Candice Michelle


For more information, please visit the artist's website. This album is also available at Amazon, iTunes and other retail & streaming platforms.