Composer/pianist Evan Wish has had a long and varied career in the music industry, which includes extensive concert performances and composing assignments in Canada, the US, and Europe. He spent quite a bit of time in France in the mid-90’s, and a French influence can be heard in some of his compositions. Co-produced and engineered by Peter Granet, Lullaby of Love is an audiophile recording, a live performance that went straight to the digital recorder, bypassing the recording console. The result is a pure, clean piano sound without reverb or equalization. Classically-trained as a young person, Wish has been required to compose in virtually every style of music in the course of his later training and professional work, so he brings a wealth of experience to his original music. Wish writes, “I believe that feelings put into every note when performing are magical when consistently done. This is what I strive for; to take that into my performance every time I play, then you as the listener can hear the magic and I too will feel it all over again.”

The title track is one of my favorites on this album. Lyrical and flowing with a waltz tempo and a slightly bittersweet mood, this is a beautiful, passionate piece. “Lovers Dream” is also exceptional, and is one of the pieces with a strong French feeling. Full of emotion and a sense of tragedy, it is impossible to not be drawn into this piece. “See a Shooting Star” is a bit more upbeat, although it has an air of mystery. “Out of Love Came Love” is a nine-minute piece that has a warm, leisurely flow the exudes contentment and peace. “I Feel a Change” is on the dark side, and seems to be asking questions, searching for answers. “The Man I Am” has a somewhat Russian feeling that is darkly passionate and quite elegant. I laughed when I saw the title for “Melodramatic in Fmi,” as it’s a bit over the top in “melodrama.” Again quite dark and French, it really pushes hard on the ol’ heartstrings. “Hush” is much softer and more intimate, gently soothing. “I Know There Are Rainbows” is light and almost wistful - dreamy and optimistic.

As you can see, there is a variety of styles and moods in the music of Lullaby of Love. A most-impressive debut from Evan Wish, I look forward to watching his career grow and reach a new audience. The CD is available from cdbaby.com, and samples of all of the tracks are there as well. Good stuff!