Autumn Reverie is the eleventh album that pianist/composer James Michael Stevens has released in 2025 (so far!). A few of those albums are organ music and one is piano with a jazz combo, but that doesn’t make the numbers any less impressive! James has released at least 75 piano albums and 11 organ albums since his 2013 debut album, Images of Sarang. In addition to being an incredibly prolific composer, James Michael Stevens is the Dean of The School of Music at Welch College in Gallatin, Tennessee. A busy guy!

Autumn is always a season of transition - a bridge between summer and winter, back-to-school time, changes from warm sunny days to rain and snow, etc., and those changes can trigger reflective moods that are sometimes tinged with melancholy. The twelve tracks on Autumn Reverie are often dreamy and pensive, making the album perfectly-suited for cozy evenings by the fireplace, watching leaves fall, walking by the ocean, a candle-lit dinner, and so much more.

Autumn Reverie begins with “When I Was Young,” a poignant look back at life’s many memories as well as a heartfelt starting piece! “Autumn Leaves Are Calling” moves at the pace of falling leaves in a gentle breeze - purposeful but in no particular hurry to get anywhere. “Breath of the Morning” is even more relaxed, moving at a slow, easy pace as it tells its story. “Gulf Breeze” is somewhat bolder and more stately. “Shadows and Dreams” is a favorite with its bittersweet mood and touch of mystery. I really like this one a lot! “Smokey Mountain Lake” shimmers in a slow, dreamy style that is soooo smooth and serene - and very beautiful! “On the Waterfront” is another favorite and reminds me of the feeling of watching the movement of a large body of water from a nearby window and being mesmerized by the motion, colors and moods of the scene. Very peaceful and serene, “When Fairies Dream” paints a magical picture of tiny woodland creatures at rest - a hypnotic lullaby for “kids” of any age! I really like the soulful melancholy of “Blue Shore” and the images it brings of sunlight glistening on quiet waves, perhaps as the sun is setting - so very peaceful! “Sunset Lake” continues the serene mood, perhaps inspired by moonlight (rather than sunlight) reflected on the water this time - beautiful! “Wings at Dusk” picks up the tempo just slightly while suggesting images of birds gracefully flying at sunset - perhaps over one of the bodies of water from previous tracks - another favorite! Our Autumn Reverie comes to a tranquil close with “Stars and Silhouette,” suggesting twinkling beauty in a dark night sky.

If you haven’t yet discovered the music of James Michael Stevens, Autumn Reverie is a great place to start. Longtime fans will also find much to enjoy in this music! The album can be streamed and downloaded on Amazon and Apple Music/iTunes and is also available from streaming sites including Spotify and Pandora. Check it out!