Tim Kucij (pronounced “koochee”), a concert artist since the age of eleven, has put together a fascinating collection of fourteen original piano solos and two covers. There is a variety of playing and composing styles encompassed in this recording, but, for the most part, I would call this a classical collection because of the structure and formality of the pieces and the playing. That doesn’t mean that there aren’t some lighter moments in the music, but this is some serious piano playing!

The CD opens with Kucij’s arrangement of “Over the Rainbow”; the other cover piece is “Rumba” by Frank Sanucci. Some of my favorites include “Reminisce”, a beautiful ballad that could easily be set to lyrics; the nostalgic melody tugs at the heart. The title song has a gently rolling left hand accompanying the wistful melody; the middle section is almost a rock anthem - big and bold with some great pianistics going on; then it ritards, bringing the left hand arpeggios and opening melody back for a quiet close. Great stuff! “The Storm” is a terrific depiction of a wild storm with a crashing bass clef and foreboding treble. Once the storm really gets going, so does Kucij! You will not be able to doze through this one! It’s very dark, heavy, and classical. “Rainbows” is also very classical, but much lighter in mood and spirit. Kucij is an excellent ragtime composer and player, and “The Butterfly Rag” is a joy, reminding me a bit of some of William Bolcom’s wonderful rags from the ‘70’s. “Persistence” is a very powerful piece with themes that are both joyful and mournful, and gives the CD an intense finish.

This is a very strong and interesting CD, and if you like contemporary classical music in a variety of styles, I think you’ll like this one. It is available from amazon.com, cdbaby,com, and iTunes.