Album Review by Dyan Garris for New Age CD, New Age Notes Radio, Zone Music Reporter (ZMR), and “Spirit Seeker Magazine”
Pam Asberry has one of the most delicate and precise touches in the world of New Age solo piano today. Simply gorgeous all through, this is 45 minutes of solid peace. – Dyan Garris
Pam Asberry is an award-winning solo pianist and composer whose passion is sharing her music and the stories behind them with listeners everywhere. Pam combines contemporary, New Age and classical styles to create music that is melodic, graceful, peaceful, hypnotic, and gently powerful. Classically trained from the age of seven, Pam holds a master’s degree in piano performance and piano pedagogy.
Her sixth album, “Twelvemonth,” which will be released on April 16, 2021, is a musical journey that takes us through a year. Inspired by Fanny Mendelssohn Hensel’s “Das Jahr” (“The Year”), the album consists of twelve solo piano character pieces representing each month, January through December.
“Snow” is a most wonderful opening to this album. As many people know, there is nothing quite like the blanket of peacefulness that follows a January snowfall. Pam is a master of crafting soundscapes that perfectly convey sonic scenes to the listener through her compositions. That is true talent and artistry. “Snow” is delicate, scintillating, and peaceful, just as it ought to be. This is quite beautiful.
Aaah, the month of romance, February. . .it’s a breath of fresh air in anticipation of the soft glow of spring that is sure to follow the frigid winter. “Romance” is light and airy, flowing, melodic, and graceful, with all the promise of what soon comes next. Love this.
Again, with the “Wind,” Pam perfectly conveys that particular March phenomenon through her composition. This is outstanding. And it should be noted that Pam has one of the most delicate and precise touches in the world of New Age solo piano today. This is evident in this piece, as well as throughout the album.
In April, all in nature begins to awaken. “Awakening” is just lovely with wonderful chord progressions and a tender, gently flowing melody, like a small, soft stream in the springtime.
“Maypole” is a joyful May Day dance. Not “over the top” in any way, this is just perfectly exuberant. June is a month in which many people get married. “Processional” is a kind of march; a wedding march. But it’s more of a smooth, light, melodic, and graciously fluent piece than what we typically think of as a “march.” This is quite relaxing and perfectly elegant.
“Sparklers” is sublimely scintillating, capturing the excitement of July’s firework displays in the United States. Again, there is a supreme grace and natural elegance that is found in every single piece by Pam Asberry.
One of August’s birthstones is peridot, a green gemstone – sometimes referred to as the stone of compassion – that imbues gentle heart-opening and emotional balance to one who wears it. The piece, “Peridot” here was intended by Pam to bring peace and light to all who hear it. I would say she indeed succeeds in that. This is simply gorgeous.
“Lament” is meant to express the melancholy inherent in the end of summer, the beginning of fall, and the inevitable arrival of the change of seasons. So, we mourn for warm days gone by. However, I didn’t find anything particularly melancholy or glum here. Flowing, with that ubiquitous gracefulness that characterizes a Pam Asberry piece, this is tranquil, melodic, and quite enjoyable. Very pretty.
Now we come to spooky October with all its shadows of light and dark. “Shadows” is an interesting song, perfectly paced and played with Pam’s light and velvety touch. Nicely done.
Hymn is “a song of Thanksgiving, celebrated in the United States during the month of November.” As one might expect, this is reverent and contemplative. Also nicely done.
Who are we without hope? The song, “Hope” is an expression of peace, joy, and good tidings we find at Christmastime in the month of December. But hope springs eternal, they say. This is optimistic, calming, and wonderfully beautiful. A great way to float out the “year.”
Listen and Pre-order/order “Twelvemonth” here: https://pamasberry.bandcamp.com/album/twelvemonth
Official artist website: https://pamasberry.com
