Witness is a gorgeous collection of twelve hymns and “inspirational” songs arranged for solo piano by Cory Reese. Two original pieces and a “sneak preview” vocal from an upcoming album are also included. Reese’s earlier releases showed a lot of promise, but this newest CD is much more mature, and he has at last found an acoustic piano that does his music justice. Bravo, Cory! Still in his twenties, this album shows an artist who is coming into his own and finding his voice. His earlier albums were a bit uneven and recorded with electronic pianos and keyboards. This time the sound quality is excellent, and some of the album reminds me of David Nevue’s work - high praise, indeed! The overall mood of the CD is reflective and serene.

My favorite track is one of the originals, “Looking In.” Introspective and a little dark, there is deep passion in this piece. Reese uses a lot of arpeggiation in the left hand, and it is very effective here with a nice flow and some interesting chord changes. This is obviously a very personal piece played from the depths of the heart. “God Be With You Till We Meet Again” has a similar feeling to it - a bit melancholy, but looking forward. My other favorite is “Now the Day is Over.” It is different from the other selections with more solid chords on the left hand in the first verse, altering the rhythm a bit from the steady flow of broken chords. I also really like “I Am A Child of God, “ a song that feels conversational - like something very personal is being shared. Some of the other titles include “I Know That My Redeemer Lives,” “Nearer My God, To Thee,” and “Abide With Me.” All of the arrangements are effective and the playing is heartfelt and warm. If you are looking for a great collection of hymns played on solo piano, this is a must. Witness is available from coryreese.com and cdbaby.com.