Piano Dreams, Vol. 2 is an outstanding collection of twenty original pieces by German composer/pianist Christo P (Christoph Pagel). Originally released in 2011 and re-released in 2015, several of the pieces feature cellist Juliane Opitz, some are solo piano, and some include additional instrumentation. It’s a fascinating sampler of many of the music styles Christo P is proficient in, including classical, jazz, new age, tango, and others. I wasn’t able to find much information online about Christo’s background, but it’s obvious that he’s been playing and composing for a long time to have such a varied repertoire. Most of the pieces are 3-5 minutes long, with one clocking in at just under 6 minutes, so this album is very full (just under 80 minutes, total) and quite a bargain for piano fans. Sometimes with this much music on one album, there is a lot of “filler,” but this album offers both quantity and quality!

I can’t tell you about all of the pieces, but I’ll give you some highlights. Piano Dreams, Vol. 2 begins with “Zugvogel,” a beautiful duet for piano and cello. The classical roots are obvious, but this piece is very much in the present - flowing and graceful, often soaring to the skies. “Cosmo Ludovico” is a lively yet tender piano solo with passages that are sometimes smooth and sometimes more playful. “JazzFunk Impro” is quite different from the first two tracks with percussion, muted trumpet, cello, and piano creating a slinky, spirited jazz combo. “Morning” is a peaceful piano solo that expresses perfect contentment. Rhythmic and upbeat, “Jazz006” is a lively jazz duet that alternates between hot (piano) and cool (cello). “Silent Ambition” (solo) has a strong, elegant melody that expresses so much without any words. I love the flowing grace of “Amelie” (solo) and its slightly mysterious mood. “Sternenhimmel” (solo) again expresses beautiful peaceful feelings as well as the vastness of a night sky.”Piazolla-Ballade” takes on a distinctive Italian flavor with Christo playing melodica as well as piano, along with percussion, and Frank van Essen on violin. Although I think the piece sounds more like Chopin than Bach, “Play Like Bach” is a poignant and haunting piano/cello duet - a favorite. “Wiegnlied” (solo) is a soothing lullaby with a gentle rocking motion and an endless supply of love. “Irischer Reisesegen” is a spirited piano solo that brings this excellent album to a close.

Piano Dreams, Vol. 2 is the first of Christo P’s music I’ve heard, and I’m more than impressed! I look forward to hearing more from this expressive and talented pianist/composer in the near-future and highly recommend this album! It is available from christo-p.com/www.christo-p.com/Intro.html, Amazon and iTunes.