“Seashells in My Pocket” by Pam Asberry
Album review by Dyan Garris for New Age CD.com
The debut solo piano album from Pam Asberry, “Seashells in My Pocket,” is graceful, elegant, and expressive. Each song is its own special treasure in itself and the entire album has an overall easy and enjoyable flow.
Pam owns her own music school in Georgia and has been teaching piano, piano pedagogy, (the study of teaching piano playing skills to individual students), and clarinet, as well as music theory for many years. Pam received her Bachelor of Music Degree and the Master of Music Degree in Piano Performance and Piano Education Arts from Southern Illinois University at Carbondale. She is an Enlightened Piano Radio and Whisperings Solo Piano artist whose music can be found on Spotify, iTunes, and Amazon, and is heard worldwide.
Inspired perhaps by her own sojourns to various beaches and coastlines, “Seashells in My Pocket,” is almost one full hour of peaceful and relaxing listening enjoyment – a musical travelogue of sorts – which begins with the lovely “Cozumel Blue Waters.” Through this endearing musical landscape we are effortlessly drawn right into the ambiance of these clear, warm, azure waters as surely as if we were physically present there. Don’t forget to pick up a seashell while you’re in this musical “vacation space,” because you will want to hang onto it and treasure it just as much as you will appreciate the rest of the songs on this album.
Each song is unpretentiously composed, pleasant, and soothing to the soul. Here we can effectively take a break from our own daily stresses and immerse ourselves instead in this perfectly delightful recording.
“Wishing Stones” on track 2 is light and melodic. Following “Island Cathedral,” with its somewhat hymn-like structure, is the very relaxing “Sleepy Tide” on track 4, which has a comforting lullaby quality that evokes feelings we might have if we were falling asleep to the sounds of a very gentle ocean outside of our window.
Completely tranquil and delightfully transportive, the very beautiful “Moonlight Over Moorea” (Moorea is a French Polynesian island near Tahiti), takes us right there. We can almost see ourselves standing on a pristine beach allowing ourselves to be bathed in the softly glowing moonlight.
“Dunn’s River Falls” is a famous waterfall near Ocho Rios, Jamaica. This flowing and dramatic composition of the same name, perfectly captures the very essence of these multi-tiered, cascading waters. “Palm Trees Sway,” “Mysterious Caverns,” and “Cadillac Mountain Sunset” are other treasures to be discovered, each evoking that “on holiday” feel.
“The Mermaid’s Tears” and “Monterey Morning,” tracks 10 and 11 respectively, are two personal favorites on the album. And in my opinion, “Monterey Morning” is the best piece on the album. It’s passionate and playful with a perfect ebb and flow.
Another favorite is “Ocean Stars” on track 12, which is a little faster paced and whimsical in feel. It’s sparkly and twinkly, perhaps like tiny seashells or starfish washing up to the shore tucked away somewhere inside the pocket of a a gently rolling wave, then waiting to be revealed in the glittering sunlight when the ocean recedes in its timeless dance.
The romantic, nostalgic feeling “Sailing Home” gently ends our “travels.” But only temporarily. An enchanting escape with a warm and comforting atmosphere, this is one album to return to over and over again. Nicely done.
Buy “Seashells in My Pocket” here: https://pamasberry.com/
