The Call is Yelena Eckemoff’s second CD release this year and her first recording of original music for acoustic piano ensemble. Eckemoff’s twelfth album is perhaps her most mature and fully-realized music to date. The quartet of musicians is comprised of Eckemoff on piano, Gayle Masarie on cello, Deborah Egekvist on flute and bass flute, and Michael Bolejack on drums. All four musicians have extensive and impressive credentials and play extraordinarily well together. Eckemoff was trained at the Moscow Conservatory and has a very rich background in classical music, jazz, experimental jazz-rock, and composition for various instruments and voice. All of those influences can be found in this music, making it very difficult to classify - a good thing! While not necessarily for the casual listener, Eckemoff’s music is complex enough to satisfy the seasoned classical music lover and accessible enough for those dabbling in art-music. Several of the eighteen pieces are more jazz-oriented than classical, so it’s a fascinating work.

The music for The Call was composed over a one-year period and varies widely in style and approach. Always full of emotion, some of the pieces are dark and mournful while others are joyful and full of energy. My favorite track is the title track, which opens the CD. Effectively conveying a real mix of emotions, this piece is mysterious, triumphant, dreamy, rhythmic, energetic, peaceful, and gorgeous. It swirls and dances, sparkles and glides, marches ahead and reflects back. It’s amazing that one piece of music can say so many things in 4 1/2 minutes without seeming fragmented or disorganized. Brilliant! “Daisy” is a beautiful and deeply-felt piece composed when Eckemoff’s beloved dog died unexpectedly. Full of love, sorrow, and happy memories, it will touch anyone who has experienced this kind of wrenching loss. “Sunny Day In the Woods” has a warm, serene mood and a feeling of freedom. “Suspicion” is another favorite. It begins gently and innocently, but a questioning feeling soon develops and then agitation. The piece builds momentum as the torment increases, pulls back a bit and questions more rationally and hopefully until doubt starts to take over and the intensity returns. This piece tells quite a story! “Forgotten Perfume” is a lovely daydream set to music. “Temptation” is dark and agitated, being pulled in two directions. Very effective! “Garden In May” is warm, graceful, and enchanting. “My Cozy Bed” is, well, cozy! The flute and cello create a dreamlike mood that becomes more intense and dramatic, melting back into the original theme. “Imaginary Lake” closes the CD with a more experimental piece that evokes a lot of visuals - placid water, birds flying, fish jumping, leaves fluttering. At almost eight minutes, it evolves naturally and peacefully - another very beautiful piece!

The Call is quite an achievement for Yelena Eckemoff. She is planning concerts with the ensemble - something to look forward to! The Call is available from amazon.com and cdbaby.com. More info about Yelena and her music is available at www.yelenamusic.com. Highly recommended for the serious music fan.