Jean-Michel Blais ~ aubades

One of the season’s loveliest albums was borne out of heartbreak.  An aubade is “a morning love song about lovers separating at dawn.”  Composer Jean-Michel Blais used the end of a relationship to reaffirm his commitment to life.  Known primarily for his piano work,

Jean-Michel Blais & CFCF ~ Cascades

Like a splashing stream of spring water, Cascades is sprightly and cleansing. “Hasselblad 1” greets us with an electronic murmur against the background rustle and creak of household objects, before a piano furtively enters. Our attention captured, the incursions of

ACL 2016: The Happiest Music of the Year

After a year such as this, we could all use some happy music.  But we don’t want silly music; we just want our moods to be lifted so that we can begin to see the good in the world again.  These ten

Jean-Michel Blais ~ II

Just ignore the fact that this bright, endearing set has been named II; it’s the debut album by Montreal-based composer-pianist Jean-Michel Blais.  With so many piano albums being released as of late, this one comes as a breath of fresh air.  Multiple tempos