Nick DeCesare Breaks Into Solo Piano Scene With Melodic, Well-Crafted Tunes

Lillian

New member
Reviewing solo piano music is a tough assignment because it is such a sparse sound. There is not much to describe. But there is a faithful audience for it. There is something warm about the sound of an acoustic piano, and it reaches in and touches the listener deep inside. Nick DeCesare is a solo pianist who is just starting out. The album Openings is his debut, but it is an impressive one. He composed all 13 tunes and they each have strong melodies and are well-played. What can we look for to differentiate him from all the others, especially in the new age genre where most of this lands? He has two strong, active hands (some pianists just do chording accompaniment with their left). He somehow weaves real emotion into his playing. He crafts lovely little melodies. He keeps the pieces short and to the point (most are in the three to four minute range). He varies the tempos with a couple of fairly upbeat ones, a selection of mid-tempo pieces, and quite a few slower, softer numbers. His “Grace Rapids” sort of bobs along like a stick thrown in a stream. He juxtaposes that with a pensive, sad melody like the well-titled “Farewell.” “Rainy Day” is rhythmic and captures the feeling of rain coming down. “In Love” is played with some authority. The album’s prologue and epilogue pieces sound like you walked into a church sanctuary during the pianist’s rehearsal time. This album is probably too quiet to convert fans of jazz, pop or rock, but it should have strong appeal to listeners who appreciate new age or modern classical piano performance.
 
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