Matt Bachrach’s debut album is a blend of piano, strings and percussion. Nine is a very promising beginning. Several of the songs are in more of a pop style (“Nine,” “Decristus,” “Paradise Cafe’) with a stronger beat and percussion, and others (“The Audience Is Listening,” the beginning of “Silent Rain”) border on ambient, so this CD is a nice sampling of a variety of approaches. A self-taught pianist, Bachrach has a powerful style and plays with passion.

The title track is obviously strongly influenced by Bruce Hornsby - an interesting homage. “Decristus” has a catchy rhythm, but several of the musical phrases are repeated too many times, becoming a little annoying. “Majestix” is one of the better tracks. A simple melody is played with emotion and grace, with just a light wash of synth strings. I also really like “Shooting Star,” another simple piano melody with an emotional punch. Dark and melancholy, Bachrach wisely keeps the accompaniment to a minimum. “Silent Rain” is a very beautiful piece that begins with the sound of rain and thunder, and becomes a piano solo with a bit more flash than the other pieces, demonstrating Bachrach’s playing chops more than some of the other songs. “Paradise Cafe” is a trip - something completely unexpected to close out the set. With thunderous percussion and a driving beat, this is a great piece to turn up loud in the car with the sunroof open - I found myself hitting “replay” quite a few times just to enjoy the fun again and again.

Samples and sales are available from www.bachrachproductions.com.