It’s been awhile since we’ve had new music from Bill Leslie, but his upcoming album, Paradise, is well-worth the wait! In this time of chaos and confusion, Bill takes us on a musical tour of fourteen of the most peaceful and beautiful places he has visited over the years. From Vermont to Oregon, Italy, Norway, Canada, Scotland and more, Bill found a little bit of Paradise in all of these places and translated it into some of the most blissful music out there. The fourteen tracks include thirteen of Bill’s original compositions plus his arrangement of the classic, “Shenandoah.” Bill plays lead guitar, piano, flutes, Celtic whistles, keyboards and harmonium. Other musicians on the album are Bill Covington (piano), Jennifer Curtis (violin and guitar), Nancy Green (cello) and Melanie Wilsden (oboe).

Paradise begins with “Autumn in Vermont,” a musical homage to “the visual symphony of sugar maples dancing in the breeze of October.” A variety of instruments take turns with the lead, painting pictures in warm colors and gentle tones - an outstanding start! “April in Asheville” was inspired by birds singing among colorful tulips and azaleas blooming at the Biltmore Estate in North Carolina. Piano, cello and oboe lead the way in this beautiful vision. Of course, “Oregon” is my favorite track since I’ve called that state home since 2007! Bill’s music video for the piece gives plenty of visuals that prove why it’s such an exceptional place to visit as well as to live. Flutes, guitar, oboe, piano and strings paint a picture of beauty and majesty. “Lofoton” was inspired by an early-morning rainbow in the Arctic Circle in Norway as well as the rugged terrain and fishing villages in the area. The easy pace of the music, played on a variety of instruments including guitar, Celtic whistles, violin and cello, as well as the sound of sea birds make this an especially relaxing piece. Quoting the liner notes of the CD, “‘Cinque Terre’ is a group of five towns built into the side of a cliff along with olive groves, vineyards and orchards by the Ligurian Sea in northwest Italy.” Cool and just a bit mysterious, it’s a favorite! “Blowing Rock” begins as a gentle piano solo performed by Bill Covington. Strings, oboe and Bill’s Celtic whistle as well as other synth instrumentation give this gentle piece wings to fly - beautiful! Oracoke is an isolated island off the coast of North Carolina, and “Oracoke Winter” is a heartfelt love song dedicated to this place and the way it fully comes to life in the winter months. “Shenandoah” has always been one of my favorite folk melodies and Bill’s arrangement includes piano (Covington), cello, violin, harmonium and Celtic whistle - musical magic! “Banff” is on my bucket list to visit, and Bill’s musical ode to that place moves it up my list several notches! Seeing Mount Hood snow-capped and glistening in the sun is truly breathtaking, as is “High Cascades,” a celebration of the range of peaks that include Mt. Rainier in Washington and Mt. Hood in Oregon. Strings, guitar, flute and keyboards capture the peaceful spirit of that area. The album comes to a serene close with “Hebrides,” a tribute to the haunting beauty of the island chain off the northwest coast of Scotland. Ahhhhhhh….

Paradise is available to download and stream from Amazon as well as streaming sites including Spotify and Pandora. Don’t miss this one! Bill is an avid photographer and has been creating music videos to go with the album. His video for “Oregon” is available in the Album Links.