Solo piano beauty from Richard Dillon – THE LAND OF NOD (LULLABIES FOR THE LISTLESS): I get (literally) hundreds of solo piano albums in for review over the course of a year… some of them are superb, others kind of “in-between” and a few will stand the test of time – Richard’s beautiful fifteen-song release gives you songs that will evoke most pleasant memories of your childhood and days past… none does that better (for this reviewer, anyway) than the wonderful 3:30 “Shadows On the Wall“… simple, not overstated or overplayed, and very evocative!
I’m surprised, actually, that I haven’t encountered Richard’s work – perhaps especially so because he’s only 70 miles up the road from me in Seattle… I’ve no doubt that the next time he books for a show in the Puget Sound area, I’ll be there… all that was needed to capture my ears fully was to listen to the 4:21 “Marmalade Skies“… Richard’s chords and use of overtones is very poignant (as in “touching” or “moving”), and will provide both joyful and sad moments for you. That’s probably what’s most striking about this release… Richard plays “off the cuff”, with each and every tune being different… per the promo sheet, he “simply sits down, begins playing, and allows the music to happen.” For this (erstwhile) piano player, those are the best moments; when the music just evolves into something grander than ourselves – and Richard has real skill in that kind of performance!
The “brightest” track on the album, and my own personal favorite, is the splendid opener, “The Land Above the Sky“… for me, this song displayed Richard’s ability and talent in the best light possible, and will make you appreciate his musical gift for months and years to come! This is an album you will really want to keep in your collection for the long-term, and gets a MOST HIGHLY RECOMMENDED from my ears, as well as an “EQ” (energy quotient) rating of 4.99! Get more information, listen to samples from his many albums, and purchase his music at Richard’s CD’s page (and, of course, tell him you read about him here). Rotcod Zzaj #solo #piano #beauty
