Artifacts
Navona, 2023
8/10
The unconventional composer Jeffrey Hall brings us 7 pieces penned between 1976 and late 2019, and they’re fleshed out by the very capable hands of Steven Beck, whose piano skills are quite absorbing.
“Artifact I” opens the listen with the light and atmospheric keys making for a very stirring climate, and “Artifact II” follows with the mesmerizing progressions unfolding with melodic and warm gestures.
In the middle, the gorgeous intimacy of “Artifact IV” emits a very poetic demeanor, while “Artifact V” finds a more mysterious place to reside, where so much beauty is present in the dreaminess. The final track, “Fall Spell”, is equally radiant, where a reflective tone and emotive presence won’t go unappreciated.
A largely minimal affair, the balancing of communicative functionality and aesthetics is handled with a meticulousness that illuminates Hall’s vision and Beck’s profound piano playing.
Travels well with: Frank Felice- The Beauty Of Innuendos; Michael Nix- Aperçu: New Classic Banjo Project