Colors Collide is the eleventh album inspired by Jill Haley's experiences in various US National Parks. In April 2021, she was invited to spend two weeks in Arizona's Petrified Forest National Park. Petrified wood is scattered throughout the area and has crystallized over many years into the brilliant hues of minerals. While exploring the park, Jill also discovered some amazing petroglyphs (pictures that were etched into the rock by ancestral inhabitants of the area). The eleven pieces on the album were inspired by the vivid colors of the desert landscape as well as the land, sky, history and geological wonders of the park. Quoting Jill: "All my experiences in the parks provide a special gift and the gift from Petrified Forest was color." Overall, the music on this album is more reflective and subdued than some of Jill's other albums and it's easy to get very pleasantly lost in it as it soothes and creates beautiful images in the mind. I have thoroughly enjoyed all of Jill's albums and her collaborations with other artists, but Colors Collide just might be my favorite yet!

The eleven tracks on the album are each titled with a reference to a color or colors. Jill composed all of the music and plays oboe and English horn on ten tracks; she also plays piano and synth on ten. Jill's husband, David Cullen (guitar and bass), and son, Graham Cullen (cello), appear on several tracks, as does Dawn King-Krown on flutes - a very expressive and "colorful" ensemble!

Colors Collide opens with "Crimson Bands," an elegantly descriptive piece for piano, cello, English horn and synth that sets the peaceful mood of the album. "Sepia Dunes" is a wonderful duet for guitar and English horn that suggests vast open spaces and gentle breezes. "Nizhoni" is the Navajo word for "beautiful," and "Hues of Nizhoni" expresses the special beauty that nature offers if we only take the time to experience it. The piece features alto flute, English horn, piano and chimes and there is a stunning video with the music on YouTube. "Ochre Etchings" also has a YouTube video with the petroglyphs that inspired the music - amazing! "Orange Melts Into Blue" is a favorite and features, piano, English horn and bass - tranquility set to music! I love the contrasting sounds of piano, guitar and oboe together and "Ecru Desert Sands" is a perfect example of why! "Crisp Desert Morn" is the only piano solo on the album and is a treat for the ears as well as the soul! The title track features, piano, guitar and oboe and feels purposeful with a gentle energy moving it forward. "Agate House" refers to a partially reconstructed Puebloan building in the park that was built almost entirely of petrified wood. The eight-room pueblo was built and occupied sometime between 1050 and 1300. The piece with that title is for piano, cello and oboe and is somewhat mysterious yet comfortable (like many homes!). It's the perfect close to an outstanding album!

Colors Collide is available digitally on Amazon now and will be released on CD (Amazon) on August 9th. It is also available on Apple Music/iTunes and streaming sites including Spotify. Very highly recommended!