Watercolor is a beautiful collection of ten original piano solos by San Francisco Bay Area pianist/composer Mary Fineman. Originally from Maryland, Mary is an award-winning singer/songwriter, composer, pianist and teacher. She has released four albums and a number of singles in a variety of styles. I think this quote from the artist herself says it all: “My music is hard to pigeonhole. Singer-songwriter, neoclassical, orchestral, pop, musical theater, meditative, some of all. But it is definitely accessible, and unabashedly melodic.” Even though the music is varied, the album flows beautifully for focused listening as well as atmospheric background music, revealing something new with each listen. It is interesting to note that the pieces on the album were composed over a timespan of forty years and many began as improvisations. Some have also been arranged for chamber ensemble: “Sometimes a piece begins as solo piano and finds a new identity years later– but this album is where it all began.”

Watercolor begins with the title track, a piece Mary composed at the age of sixteen and then put aside for forty years. It is only 89 seconds long, but is graceful and beautifully reflective. “Shechinah (Take Good Care of Yourself)” is the instrumental version of a song whose title is Hebrew for the Feminine presence of the Divine in the world. Strong yet deeply caring, lyrics really aren’t needed to get the point across. “Savlanut” translates as “Patience,” but the spirit of the music is anything but. The liner notes of the album ask: “What can happen if it simply learns to be with the present moment?” - a question worth pondering! “Riding the B&O” was inspired by a childhood memory of being on a train (The Baltimore and Ohio Railroad), watching the world go by. The steady, repeated pattern on the left hand mimics the steady rhythm of the train while the dreamy, more improvised right hand reflects on the memories of the trip - a favorite! I also really like “Still,” a slower piece with a steady left hand pattern and a very free and expressive right. For me, the left hand feels rather cool and aloof while the right feels open and sincere, holding nothing back - a fascinating contrast! Both “Still” and “I Love You I” are newly-mastered versions of earlier releases. “I Love You I” expresses a wide range of emotions from bright and lively to deeply passionate to somewhat dark. “Dance No. 1 (Homage to Satie)” definitely resembles Satie’s style, but is uniquely Fineman’s own. Slow, open and very free, it’s a beautiful tribute! The album comes to a peaceful close with “January,” a piece that seems to express both the chill of winter and the hope of the start of a new year.

Watercolor makes me wish I had met Mary Fineman when I lived in the Bay Area! She would have been a wonderful addition to my house concert series! Oh well! Watercolor is available to stream and download on Amazon, Bandcamp and Apple Music/iTunes as well as on many streaming platforms including Spotify and Pandora. It is also available on CD from Mary’s website and in high resolution downloads from Blue Coast Music. Don’t miss it!