Lillian
New member
AFTER TRAVELING AROUND THE WORLD THREE TIMES, MARK DUNN STOPPED LONG ENOUGH TO RECORD A SOLO PIANO ALBUM
Mark Dunn is a pianist and composer who does not put out many albums. His latest, Melodic Voyage, is his first one simply spotlighting him as a solo pianist. Dunn’s background includes studying music at Bryn Maur Conservatory of Music and the University of the Arts in Philadelphia, taking lessons from jazz master Jimmy Amadie, and playing with guitarist Kurt Rosenwinkel and drummer Steve Wolfe. Previously over several decades Dunn has released a jazz ensemble album, a record that melded Celtic (his Irish heritage) music with Central American rhythms and styles, and a Brazilian band CD. He also released a single with an African group. Wow! This guy refuses to be pigeon-holed. It will be interesting to hear what he tackles next. What has inspired much of his music are his travels around the world. This guy has been around the globe three times and played music on pretty much every continent -- North America, South America, Central America and the Caribbean, the Mid-East, Asia, India, Europe and Africa. World music sounds permeated his other recordings after the jazz album, but those musical influences are more difficult to spot on his latest recording because it is a solo piano disc. But the bottom-line with a piano album are the questions: Does he write pretty melodies and does he play them enjoyably? The answer is “yes.” If you like original piano music in the genres of new age or contemporary classical, this would be a good one to pick up on.
Mark Dunn is a pianist and composer who does not put out many albums. His latest, Melodic Voyage, is his first one simply spotlighting him as a solo pianist. Dunn’s background includes studying music at Bryn Maur Conservatory of Music and the University of the Arts in Philadelphia, taking lessons from jazz master Jimmy Amadie, and playing with guitarist Kurt Rosenwinkel and drummer Steve Wolfe. Previously over several decades Dunn has released a jazz ensemble album, a record that melded Celtic (his Irish heritage) music with Central American rhythms and styles, and a Brazilian band CD. He also released a single with an African group. Wow! This guy refuses to be pigeon-holed. It will be interesting to hear what he tackles next. What has inspired much of his music are his travels around the world. This guy has been around the globe three times and played music on pretty much every continent -- North America, South America, Central America and the Caribbean, the Mid-East, Asia, India, Europe and Africa. World music sounds permeated his other recordings after the jazz album, but those musical influences are more difficult to spot on his latest recording because it is a solo piano disc. But the bottom-line with a piano album are the questions: Does he write pretty melodies and does he play them enjoyably? The answer is “yes.” If you like original piano music in the genres of new age or contemporary classical, this would be a good one to pick up on.