Christopher James - Grace from Persistence '2019

Tracks list

Composer Christopher James’s album Grace from Persistence, his third as a
solo artist, represents a synthesis of musical genres from jazz and pop to
classical and film music, informed by his many years composing in a variety of
styles for film and television. 

The album was recorded in July and August 2018 in Portland, OR and New York
City, and features more than 30 musicians, including Mr. James on piano, the
Catalyst Quartet, and members of the Oregon Symphony, Orchestra of St.
Luke’s, Orpheus Chamber Orchestra, and Talea Ensemble. 

“My intention as always is to find a connection to people’s hearts
and minds; to paint a musical picture with color and emotion; and, for better or
worse, to unveil a discovery that is not a straight line from point A to point
B. The title comes from an idea that my longtime collaborator Bob Stark
suggested for one of the pieces on the album, and after I recently saw a film
describing Native Americans beliefs about the Saguaro cactus, the title took on
a new resonance for me. Each of these sacred Saguaros is considered to be a
unique individual, surviving on its own despite nature’s extremes. Its
state of grace is achieved through indefatigable determination to defy all odds,
and the existence of this physical and spiritual icon serves as a metaphor for
our persistence in the face of the world’s many challenges.”
(Christopher James) 

Grace from Persistence was preceded by Mr. James’s solo albums House by
the Railroad (2015) and The Sad Waltz (2017). House by the Railroad was inspired
by his family history in Portland, OR, while The Sad Waltz is a collection of
stylistically varied compositions written programmatically for an imagined
visual environment. All three of Mr. James’s solo albums were created in
collaboration with engineer, co-writer, and co-producer Bob Stark, and The Sad
Waltz and Grace from Persistence were both mixed by Grammy Award-winning
engineer Kevin Killen. Prior to his work as a solo artist, Mr. James partnered
with Jeff Leonard under the name Val Gardena, and together they recorded five
albums from 1994 to 2013, including three releases on Mercury Records. 

The album begins with “Awakening,” a piece that borders on being
ambient. Piano, wordless vocals, bass and light percussion plus subtle string
orchestration create a soft and dreamy atmosphere much like the feeling of
gradually waking up on a lazy Saturday morning. “Get On With It” is
completely different. A catchy beat and a jolly, almost whimsical clarinet and
flute duo send this one dancing in a joyful, swirling motion. I really like this
one! “Mother Russia (fantasy based on a theme by Scriabin)” has a
mysterious, melancholy old-timey feeling that could have come from a movie from
the 1940’s - very evocative and elegant. “Beyond the Stars”
has the dramatic but spooky essence of an older scary movie. I think it’s
the bowed and pizzicato strings that give it that feeling. The title track is
somewhat more electronic with a peaceful repeated pattern on the piano with a
gentle melody played on keyboards and electric guitar. Beautiful and very
soothing, it’s another favorite. “Yes and No” picks the tempo
back up with an energetic ensemble work for at least most of the group.
“Neitherworld” returns to a more ambient style, but this time
it’s quite dark. Muted trumpet and piano make a gorgeous combo with light
strings in the background, and bring the album to a quiet close. (Kathy Parsons,
mainlypiano.com) 

Tracklist:
01. Christopher James - Awakening (4:10)
02. Christopher James - Get on with It (3:06)
03. Christopher James - Mother Russia (fantasy based on a theme by Scriabin)
(3:16)
04. Christopher James - Where’s Frederick? (3:32)
05. Christopher James - Beyond the Stars (4:34)
06. Christopher James - Grace from Persistence (3:40)
07. Christopher James - Yes and No (2:34)
08. Christopher James - Weimar Blues (4:28)
09. Christopher James - Cul-de-Sac (4:47)
10. Christopher James - Neitherworld (3:40)

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