Kathryn Kaye

This album is the sixth release of Kathryn Kaye. She grew up in the Appalachian Mountains of southeast Kentucky and began playing at the tender age of four. After college, she studied in Germany to further her musical training that creates her varied musical background. Her musical talent has been influenced by folk songs, hymns, and experiences as a professional solo performer in Germany and the United States. Kathryn has a melodic and gentle composing style that makes the piano sing and easily engages the listener. Classical elements are interwoven throughout the album further adding to its magical appeal. Reflected In a Flowing Stream was recorded at Imaginary Road Studios and produced by Will Ackerman. The album was mixed and mastered by Tom Eaton and boasts several of the fantastic musicians who frequent recordings of Imaginary Road Studios.

 

A Lark In the Last Light of Day begins the musical journey. This song is one of two pianos solos on the album. The beautiful slow moving intro captured my attention right away. With each gentle pause I found myself pausing with relaxation and expectation of faster movement that came quickly. I love the contrast of both still and faster movement. Simply delightful. The Stillness Before Dawn was my next favorite on the album. It begins with a gentle and graceful piano solo. Jill Haley is featured on English horn on this piece which adds to the already charming melody. This delightful piece then ends with a gentle and mesmerizing piano solo. Love it! My next favorite was April Rain. This is the second solo piano piece on the album and with a more classical feel. The steady rhythmic flow of the song reminded me of steadily falling rain in spring. The melody creates a beautiful picture of brighter possibilities of new life in spring at the hands of this lyrical pianist. It became a favorite on the album.

 

A Shower of Summer Nights features the welcoming trio of piano, accordion and violin. I found the accordion to be non-intrusive with each instrument adding to the overall melodic blend of the piece. The violin takes this piece into our hearts soaring into the sky of a summer night. I really loved this piece. Its gorgeous! The title track Reflected In a Flowing Stream features a trio of piano, English horn and cello. The melody accurately reflects the word picture the title implies. The cello and English horn showcase a captivating blend of musical bliss. The theme is like a steady stream of notes with a gentle crescendo flowing in a trio of reverie. I loved it! This beautiful album closes with Artic Night. This piece had more of a haunting resonance to me with the cello and bass adding to the mysterious feel of the song and highlighting the ending. Artic Night ended up being my absolute favorite on the album. Its stunning and I loved the darker tones of this piano poem. The album is enchanting and showcases a gentle and perceptive master at the piano. I highly recommend Reflected In a Flowing Stream.