A Weekend In Marin is a beautiful trip back to some of my old “stomping grounds” on the Northern California Coast (I grew up in Oakland and lived in several East Bay cities before moving to the Central Oregon Coast in 2007). Whenever the city got to be too much, it was such a joy to jump in the car and drive over to Marin County for sea breezes, the redwoods and so much more. Pianist/composer Ed Bazel has captured a lot of those feelings in his latest album which was recorded at Skywalker Sound in Marin County. It contains fifteen original piano-based pieces that also feature Austin Hoke on violin, Laura Epling on cello, and GRAMMY winning guitarist Jim “Kimo” West. Quoting Ed Bazel: “…this album was born from a weekend where serenity, beauty, and inspiration all met in perfect harmony. The calm of the redwoods, the golden light over the bay, and the gentle stillness of Skywalker Sound all found their way into these compositions. May this music accompany your own moments of escape, romance, and peace.”

There are currently gorgeous videos that go with two of the tracks on the album, “Pacific Drive” and “California Sunset.” They really set the mood for the album with stunning footage of traveling up the coast from Southern CA to Marin. I highly recommend checking those out, too (links below)!

A Weekend In Marin begins with the aforementioned “Pacific Drive,” a blissful duet for piano and cello that is as peaceful and relaxed as watching the sun set into the ocean. “Love Letter To The Coast” floats on air with tender sweetness and features piano and violin - a beautiful massage for the mind! Whenever I went to Muir Woods, I expected to see gnomes and fairies dancing among the tees and ferns, and “Moonlight in Muir Woods” just might make that happen! I’m not sure there is a more magnificent place on earth than The Avenue of the Giants, which is a bit north of Marin County and is home to some of the oldest redwood trees in the world. “Romance In the Redwoods” captures some of the wonder of that place - again with piano and cello. “Starlight Waltz” is solo piano magic - gentle and dreamy. “Windswept,” a duet for piano and acoustic guitar, is one of my favorites! “Foggy Morning” is a musical description of walking in dense fog where all colors and edges are blurred and objects disappear into the swirling mists. The strings behind the piano capture the mysterious nature of fog itself. The gently upbeat “Melody To Marin” must have been composed on a morning when sunlight was dancing on the surface of the water or fog was drifting over the Golden Gate Bridge - so soothing and uplifting! Piano and cello make musical magic on “Sunset Over The Bay,” painting pictures in warm musical tones. “California Sunrise” brings Jim “Kimo” West back with a lovely duet for piano and guitar - warm and dreamy with the promise of a new day. The ocean is so expressive of many moods, and “The Tide” finds it at its most peaceful and calm. Both the violin and cello join the piano on this one and bring the album to a serene close.

A Weekend In Marin is the perfect antidote for our hectic lives and offers a beautiful glimpse of one of the most beautiful areas of California. It is available to stream and download on Amazon and Apple Music/iTunes as well as on several streaming services including Bandcamp, Spotify and Pandora. Give it a spin!