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Keyboardist Scott Wilkie has retained the youthful appearance of a competitive surfer over decades. After his move from Detroit to Southern California, a real surfer paradise, he began his creative phase with the debut album Boundless (1999), followed by More Than You Know (2000), Home Again: The Solo Piano Sessions (2008), The Wonder of Christmas (2013), All In (2014) and Joy (2015). StudioLIVE is his project for 2017.

Scott performs on this album piano and electric piano and is joined by his friends Dave Hill (guitars), Nathan Brown (bass), Monette Mariono (percussion), and Jeff Olson (drums). Greg Holmes (B3) and Erdis Maxhelaku (cello) are further mentioned musicians. Scott has written and arranged all songs.

The journey begins with NB2000, a marvelous filigree and profound piano piece with fulminating climax and quieter periods. Trendsetting innovative Scott excels on his favorite instrument. On Poolside he celebrates space-filling, expansive and demanding piano attacks perfectly underlined by a synth variation.

The melodious Rivertown keeps in a mood of contemplative clarity. Scott's narrative and introspective composition takes you in the arms, traces the contours of the piano and lets the music flow its own way. Sailcats from his album Boundless (1999) stretches out to a funky style, meets Dave Hill's electric guitar full of distortion effects to finally break out in a sonic eruption.
Sporty is another track from Scott's debut album filled with spiral springs of youthful energy. Home Again is taken from his album The Solo Piano Sessions and also to find on his debut album. With his third approach he gives the melody its freedom and offers with the live version a more powerful presence.

Fruit Sandwich is pure Latin jazz. If you love the percussion work of Lenny Castro, you should take in consideration to buy the original version from More Than You Know. But I have to admit Monette Mariono is a perfect replacement. The nucleus of the piece is however Scott's piano performance. Indescribably virtuosic.

Blues Cruise from his album All In combines all the virtues of a good keyboard player. Virtuosity is the key word. Water Balloons is Scott's showpiece from the time of his musical beginnings. Over more than nine minutes length he goes to the full range of his skills. The romantic Whale Song also reaches his third wave from More Than You Know with saxophonist Eric Marienthal, over The Solo Piano Sessions to this version featuring Erdis Maxhelaku on cello. Final tune is the up-tempo Summer Vacation, something that the world needs now.

Scott has internalized these pieces so perfectly that he masters them without sheet music. Every powerful striking of the keys of this virtuoso on piano finds the perfect note, full of passion and dedication to the delicate, ornate melodic details. On StudioLIVE he can follow his musical preferences, fully committed with heart and soul, living his vision of music.

 

 

 


 

Biography

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 Album Information

Title: StudioLive
Artist: Scott Wilkie
Year: 2017
Length: 01:06:29
 Genre: Smooth Jazz
Label: BeachMusic Studios


Tracks:

1 NB2000 4:57
2 Poolside 5:15
3 Rivertown 6:51
4 Sailcats 6:57
5 Sporty 4:49
6 Home Again 4:20
7 Fruit Sandwich 5:50
8 Blues Cruise 5:27
9 Water Balloons 9:33
10 Whale Song 5:56
11 Summer Vacation 6:28



Further reviews꞉

Home Again: The Solo Piano Sessions

All In

 More Than You Know