Sunrise is the twelfth album from pianist/composer Michael Logozar, an artist whose music I've had the pleasure of reviewing since his 2008 debut, Coming Into View. Several of Michael's previous albums have been recorded with felted pianos (pianos with cloth placed between the hammers and strings to soften the percussive effect of the hammers hitting the strings. Variations in the thickness of the cloth create different effects that sometimes include allowing the internal sounds of the piano to come through, too, but those mechanical sounds are not heard in this album.) Several of the twelve pieces on Sunrise were released as solo piano singles earlier this year, but for the album, Michael added live chamber strings (real musicians, not keyboards!) to the felted piano. All twelve of the pieces are original compositions and are smooth, melodic and heartfelt. It's a wonderful album to relax and unwind with and would also be excellent for background music and studying. Give your mind and soul a real treat, though, and experience the music with full attention, letting it ease the stresses of the day away.

Sunrise begins with "Dreaming," and what a pleasant, relaxed dream it is! Piano and cello has always been one of my favorite combinations of musical instruments, and this beautiful piece really shows why - a great start to the album! "Alegria" means "joy" in several languages and the piece with that title expresses the kind of joy that soothes the soul and lifts the spirit. Light and gently flowing, it's a favorite. There is something hypnotic about watching the grains of sand flow from the top to the bottom of an hourglass, and the piece titled "Hourglass" has that same hypnotic quality. The strings stay in the background on this one, letting the piano work its magic. "Veil" is another favorite with its intriguing touch of mystery. The strings play a beautiful counterpoint to the piano's lead and give the piece a very visual feeling that would be perfect in a poignant movie scene. The title track is a lovey expression of the calming peace and promise of the start of a new day as well as the gentle pastel colors of an early-morning sky. "Boundless" picks up the tempo a bit with a swirling motion that expresses joy and and a happy energy. "Skydance" brings images of puffy white clouds moving around the sky at the whim of a breeze - beautiful images and a beautiful piece! "Feuille" is the French word for "leaf" and the piece with that title is another favorite. Played mostly in the upper octaves of the piano, the tempo is very free yet always gentle and graceful, evoking lovely images. "Aurora" usually refers to the Northern or Southern Lights and the colors they create in the sky. The piece with that title expresses wonder and the profound effect that seeing something like that can have on a person. Very light and graceful, it's another favorite (I really like them all!). The album comes to a peaceful close with "Searchlight," a piece tinged with melancholy, but is not without hope. It's a great close to another great album by Michael Logozar!

Sunrise is available on Amazon, Apple Music/iTunes, and various streaming platforms including Pandora and Spotify. Very highly recommended!