Soundscapes

Reviewed By  Janet Mawdesley       March 7, 2018

 

Artist – Deborah Offenhauser   

           Distributor:         

           Released:             2017

           Running Time:    65:50 mins

           Website:    https://deborahoffenhauser.com          

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This is indeed the Music of Deborah Offenhauser; it is eclectic, delightful, totally, enjoyable and an album that can simply be enjoyed for enjoyment sake; no more no less. The work is a compilation of various styles which is evident from the first track, Decidedly Joyful where the piano is underpinned with some serious Sax, a dash or two of flute, and a rhythmic percussion, creating a sort of jazz style but with a tonal influence of perhaps the South Sea Islands or similar, which is refreshing and delicious.

Free Radical is just that – free and radical, combining piano with synth in a mix of tempos which offers another listening experience, almost space like in some aspects and in others, simply  a more formal and structured piece which offers a lovely contrast.

Orchestra graces the notes of Irrational Exuberance which enters on the hoof beat of horses and then moves to the ever enjoyable plucked of violin strings to create a carefree joyfulness. When a cheeky flute is added, with some serious underpinning by the piano, you have got a piece that brings a feeling of exuberance, along with a smile, to the heart; an happy, happy piece.

Evoking a different feeling is Through a Glass Darkly with bird song, the sound of the trees moving softly on the breeze and the slightly more sombre notes of the piano gently crafting a timeless space in which to spend a little time in reflection.

Madrigals and medieval times comes to mind immediately with Air, a totally ‘olde worlde’ piece which is joyful, intriguing and encourages the imagination to visualise the people in their long gowns, performing the very measured dance steps of times long gone. Air is one of the pieces which will soon become one of the favourites amongst the many on the album.

The final piece is the sombre The Wonderful Unfoldment of Blue which when considered in context to the rest of the album is indeed sombre and yet comforting.

The music of Deborah Offenhauser is a little bit of New Age, Jazz, a dash of Blues, Neo-Classical, World and that special something considered as the magic of Deborah Offenhauser.

Offenhausers’ music may be familiar to many who watch the shows ‘Desperate Housewives’, ‘Madam Secretary’, ‘The Big Bang Theory’ and The Weather Channel, all of whom have used her pieces on a regular basis within their programming, which makes this album a little special as her gloriously enjoyable music can be listened to over and over again, as you so choose.