Acceptance

Reviewed By  Janet Mawdesley       November 19, 2018

 

Artist – Sherry Finzer   

           Distributor:         

           Released:             October 2018

           Running Time:    66:31secs

           Website:    https://heartdancerecords.bandcamp.com          

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On this digital only release from the talented Sherry Finer, she offers a little of the very personal side of her life, her journey towards acceptance as a way of life, a way of understanding that life’s journey is filled with many things; some wonderful and some horrific, but the way forward to peace is through acceptance, a conclusion that is often hard won.

This solo flute album Acceptance, is her first solo releases since 2014 Sanctuary III: Beyond the Dream and once again presents her incredible skill with the flute, as the pieces, some new and some much loved, are presented in a style that is without doubt, her own.

Ode to John is a classical introduction of perfect bliss based on Samuel Barber’s Adagio For Strings, dedicated to John Merrill, an elderly man who reached out to thank her for the beautiful music that made his treatment for cancer so much more tolerable.

Darin Mahony and son Nick Finzer join her with a subtle blending of gently played guitar and trombone, with the occasional sound of keyboard softly highlighting a small space in time on The Moment of Acceptance, a very delicate mix that simply floats on the ether. Nick also plays a slow jazz/blues style trombone on Awakening Breath to create a wonderful sound of flute and trombone weaving seamlessly in, through and about each other. Gloriously different and absolutely lovely.

In the Light of Darkness is an uplifting piece; a light and enchanting duet with Darin Mahony, having originally been released as single, written for dear friends on the tragic loss of their child through childbirth.

Single haunting notes of the flute, nudged to one side by the deep, mellow notes of the trombone, form a dainty mother and son duet in Love Wins, a piece written by Nick Finzer which offers contemplation with instruments seldom heard working together, each standing alone and yet coming together to form a whole. Beautiful.

Changing directions once again is Never Far, introducing the soft sounds of the synth to create a rich depth to the song dedicated to her husband Chuck Finzer, which leads nicely into the final piece Breathe, which is 22 minutes long, pure flute and absolutely perfect for reflection.

Breathe encourages a non-judgemental look back over time and the years, reflecting on the pathway followed, creating a small, delicate moment to accept the past for what it has been, to contemplate lessons learned, life’s journey thus far and the journey full of rich understanding yet to be discovered.

This is a delicate, soulful and gentle work based on many of life’s twists and turns, all coming with their own life lessons and emotions. Not a work to be taken lightly Acceptance is powerful, perfect and gently appealing.

“God grant me the serenity to accept the things I cannot change, the courage to change the things I can, and the wisdom to know the difference.” – Reinhold Niebuhr