Enchantment is the latest collaborative album by pianist/composer Fiona Joy Hawkins and violinist/composer Rebecca Daniel. Recorded at Blue Coast Records in the San Francisco Bay Area, the nine original tracks pay homage to the great Impressionist painters and composers. Some of the titles suggest the artists that inspired them and one track is an arrangement for piano and violin of Erik Satie's most famous piece, "Gymnopedie #3." The album was recorded live in the studio and was produced, mastered and engineered by Cookie Marenco, Blue Coast's founder. Marenco is well-known for her audiophile recordings that utilize E.S.E. (Extended Sound Environment) to capture performances that make the listener feel as if they are in the same room as the artists. The sound quality of Enchantment is remarkable - even without top-of-the-line play-back equipment. I have been a big fan of Fiona's music for at least twenty years and she played a couple of house concerts here, so new music from her is always a treat. Her collaborations with Rebecca Daniel add another dimension to her music that I really like! The tracks were co-composed by both artists except as noted below.

Enchantment begins with the title track, a warm and sunny piece that combines a lively piano with a quieter violin and sets the mood of the album. "Mountains Ablaze" was composed by Rebecca Daniel and is a favorite. Darker and more mysterious, it has a compelling emotional quality throughout its evolving and intensifying themes. "Midnight Sky" is more "impressionistic," suggesting images and tonal colors that are on the darker side (in keeping with the theme/title!) - I really like this one, too! "Water Lilies" is a tribute to Claude Monet's famous series of paintings and suggests the gentle movement of lilies floating on rippling water as sunlight dances gracefully around them - very soothing and hypnotic. Rebecca composed "Uncertainty," a very poignant and passionate piece that really lets her and her violin shine - gorgeous and deeply affecting. "The Gift" is a piano solo composed and performed by Fiona that clearly indicates how much emotion and heart she puts into her music - another favorite! "Gymnopedie" is an arrangement of Erik Satie's "Gymnopedie #3" (there are six!). It's been one of my favorite classical pieces for many years, and this version is hauntingly beautiful. "The Curse" is and yet another favorite (can you tell I really like this album???). It begins as a mysterious, almost tragic, piano solo and as the violin enters, the music becomes increasingly darker and more intense - I'd love to see and hear this one played live in concert! "Sarah's Theme" brings the album to a serene close with warmth, tenderness and grace - the perfect ending to an outstanding album!

Enchantment is available as a CD and/or download from Blue Coast Records, to stream or download from Amazon and Apple Music/iTunes, and on many streaming sites including Spotify. Very highly recommended!