Do You Live Do You Love
Danny Wright
2002 / Real Music
45 minutes
Review by Kathy Parsons
Danny Wright’s newest release brings the listener smooth and soothing piano music to calm and refresh. Even more tranquil than Soul Mates, Do You Live Do You Love delivers piano serenity with sweet and gentle melodies that float in the air like the lightest of breezes. I usually find it impossible to keep music in the background, but something about this album keeps if from being intrusive in any way. The pieces are all lovely and very worthy of close listening attention, but after a few minutes, they tend to blend into whatever else is going on, providing a quiet and inviting backdrop. Nine of the eleven tracks are original. The cover tracks are beautiful arrangements of Dvorak’s “Largo” from the New World Symphony, and “The Friendship Theme” from Beaches (DeLerue). The title track is perhaps the most distinctive of the songs, with its bittersweet and searching melody on piano and string washes in the background. I also really like “River’s Edge.” The somewhat melancholy melody suggests soul-searching and looking for answers while gazing into the flowing water of a river. Anyone who has done this by any body of water knows how the rhythms mesmerize and sometimes even caress the mind, bringing a sense of stillness and peace. Several titles such as “Heaven’s Love”, “A Time to Heal”, and “New Hope for Peace” suggest that they may have been written after the 9/11 tragedy with deep thoughtfulness and comfort as their themes. They succeed well in uplifting and bringing solace, as does the album as a whole. You won’t find any pianistic pyrotechnics on Do You Live Do You Love, but if you are looking for musical sunshine or the perfect CD for unwinding and de-stressing, they don’t get much better than this!
July 4, 2002