Peter Kater Releases Album ‘Untethered Heart’

August 28, 2025

Multi-Grammy winning Peter Kater weaves together passionate piano and lush orchestral strings, capturing the raw beauty of emotional release and personal transformation. It marks both a culmination and a threshold—a powerful farewell to what was and an open-armed curiosity of what’s to come. With every note, it reflects the liberation found in letting go and the strength discovered in surrender to an Untethered Heart.

2 x Grammy Winning/Multi-Platinum selling Pianist/Composer Peter Kater has been a leading innovator of contemporary instrumental music for 4 decades. He’s received many awards and accolades for his rich and diverse music including 14 Grammy Award nominations and two Grammy wins. He’s released over 70 critically acclaimed recordings and has scored the music for over 100 television and film productions including 11 On & Off-Broadway dramatic plays. From solo piano and contemporary jazz ensembles to full orchestral works his cross-genre music is heard all over the world from the Olympics to Carnegie Hall. And as an avid environmentalist and humanitarian Peter is a proud recipient of the Environment Leadership Award from the United Nations.

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Charu Suri Releases Album ‘Shayan’

August 28, 2025

The Sanskrit word for deep sleep or rest, SHAYAN by Charu Suri taps into the healing potential of ancient evening Indian ragas (modal scales). Each track, performed by legendary and GRAMMY-winning musicians, takes listeners on a calming, healing journey that they can listen to before bedtime. The goal for SHAYAN is to calm the body and mind and restore it to a gentle, natural circadian rhythm before bedtime, without the need for drugs or pharmaceuticals.

Pianist and composer Charu Suri treads fearlessly between genres, pulling global influences that range from the mood-anchoring Indian ragas, Sufi music, to the trio. Her ground-breaking albums, The Book of Ragas, and its sequel, The Book of Ragas vol. 2 have often elicited the response, “I’ve never heard this type of sound before.”

One of the few female composers from India to perform work at Carnegie Hall, Charu has lived in four continents, and writes music that reflects her journey as both a traveler and her training as a classical music piano prodigy. She has been playing the piano since the age of five, and performing since the age of nine, and one of her best memories is winning an international piano competition at the age of 15.

What started purely as an experiment with her “Book of Ragas” has turned into a niche that she is now increasingly becoming known for. Her latest album is RAGAS & WALTZES, a first collaboration between her and Preservation Hall’s jazz drummer, Joe Lastie. Recently she recorded her album, RAGS & RAGAS, with bassist John Patitucci, drummer Joe Lastie, drummer Steve Gadd, and pianist Kobi Arad.

Her last album, RAGAS & WALTZES has received a lot of praise from critics. JAZZIZ Magazine has praised its classic reinvention of the European waltz, and All About Jazz said, “These are all Suri originals, with which she creates a mood that is a mix, tune-by-tune, of longing and solemnity, then of a lilting and uplifting beauty, segueing into tender reverence that shifts gear into a segment of lively swing before drifting back to loving respect. And that swing is surely inspired by New Orleans’ Preservation Hall Jazz Band’s drummer, Joe Lastie, Jr., sitting in the recording session’s drummer’s chair.”

But she is no stranger to the art of the Songbook too (attribute this to her listening to numerous records of Bill Evans and Billie Holiday as a kid). “The New American Songbook” has garnered many awards, including a “Band Single of the Year” crystal trophy for her song, Bluesy, awarded by the International Singer-Songwriters Association (ISSA) in 2021.

Charu has performed at Lincoln Center and other prestigious concert halls around the world, including St. Croix in the U.S. Virgin Islands. She often performs with her band, and sometimes as a soloist. Her work was performed by New Jersey Symphony Orchestra for the first time on May 13, 2024 at NJPAC.

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Fiona Joy Hawkins Releases Album ‘When Shadows Talk’

August 24, 2025

‘When Shadows Talk’ offers musical storytelling that explores inward and outward reflection. Many of the pieces are about my creative process as an artist and bring to life behind-the-scenes workings of what it takes to dig deep enough to find valuable conversations.

I went into a self-imposed lockdown for much of the writing to find my creative centre. This exile allowed me to explore what lies deep beneath the surface and is often passed over or suppressed, both personally and in the context of broader community discussion.

The project threw up many obstacles, starting with the need to find another piano on the first day of recording. My plans were plagued with multiple instrument and venue issues, but fortunately, those involved were committed to helping me bring the project to life. My thanks go to Peter Stevenson (Producer), Michael Luchich (Engineer), Wayne Stuart (Piano Maker) and Tony Prince (Piano Tuner).

As I look back, I can laugh at the comedy in all that went wrong: Three broken strings, a “buzz” in A above middle C (A4) caused by a screwdriver left inside the piano, wood-chopping, lawn-mowing, dog barking, council truck (road works), rain (tin roof), building frame expansion/contraction, power outage (for 2 hours), mic connection issues… and that didn’t include the piano player/composer hitting the wall from exhaustion and frustration!

Despite extensive hold-ups, we did it, and I hope you, as the listener, find a work of beauty that holds something of value.

ARIA nominated Australian classically trained Pianist, Composer and Singer, crossing genres from Neoclassical to New Age, Celtic and Jazz.

‘My greatest hope is that my music makes a difference.’ Fiona Joy Hawkins produces original ethereal music to soothe the soul. It is also a passion to make music videos to tell the stories of our lives and the natural world around us.

Living in rural Australia, Fiona has played at New York’s Carnegie Hall, the New Orleans Jazz Museum, Sydney Opera House, Echoes/NPR Radio, Grammy Museum & concert halls of China. Inspired by Chopin & Mendelssohn. Winner of International awards, including: ‘Grace’ on Grammy-winning album, and ARIA Finalist, IMA Winner.

“Anyone who can write music that transcends genre and moves into the realm of self-examination is a person to follow and enjoy. Wonderful!”  - John M. Crossett, Aural Musings

“For me, she is a modern female Beethoven. I know that is very high praise, but I think many folks will be looking back many years from now, and she will still be current. That is what makes her music stand the test of time. Her albums play smooth, like a good book you just can’t put down, and yet before you know it is over.”  - Dave Wilson AudioAficionado.org.

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David M. Edwards Releases Album ‘Memories of You’

July 1, 2025

“Memories of You” is the fourth album released by David M. Edwards. It includes 15 original piano pieces that take the listener on a journey featuring a wide range of emotions. From the joyous “Swallows in Flight” through the stormy “Tempest,” we travel through a landscape featuring elements of the natural world. Ultimately the journey comes to rest with a nice “Walk in the Park,” and a magical transport to the peaceful scene of “Dolphins Swimming Underwater.” It’s a journey you’ll want to take again and again.

“David M. Edwards is a pianist of great style and fluency… a manifestation of a timeless collection of beautiful solo piano compositions, ones that will linger for a long while within the musical memory… an album of the heart, performed by a musician who is clearly playing from it. … it is eternal and played with the honesty and sublime brilliance you would imagine from a seasoned master.”

– Steve Shepherd, One World Music Radio

David M. Edwards played many different styles of music in his career, including classical, jazz, rock and country (one of his bands was signed to Capitol Records) before finding his own style in New Age piano. His first two albums (released as Dave Edwards) were an eclectic mix of styles drawn from his years as a performer. Following the release of those albums, he felt solo piano was the most natural for him. This led to the release of his third album, “Still the River Flows” in 2019.

After that album was released, he developed a series of serious health issues, including osteoarthritis in his hands, which affected his ability to play the piano or read music. He was unable to play the piano for almost three years. After multiple surgeries and physical therapy, he gradually was able to play and compose music again.

His fourth album, “Memories of You,” is the culmination of his struggle to get back to creating music. While he is still somewhat limited in the amount of time he can spend playing, he plays and records new music as much as possible, and hopes to release several more albums in the coming years.

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‘Ready to Meet You’ by Emma Knights Added to Playlist

May 30, 2025

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Emma Knights is a singer-songwriter whose original pop music blends emotional honesty with strong melodic hooks. With her Honours in Popular Music and a background in classical piano, she brings both heart and technical craft to her songwriting. Influenced by ‘80s icons and ‘90s alt-pop, Emma’s songs explore love, loss, and life’s quiet turning points. Her debut album Anticipate is a thoughtful, catchy collection that showcases her depth as a songwriter and performer. Whether live or recorded, Emma’s music connects with anyone who’s lived a little—and still believes in the power of a great melody and a well-told story.

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Rada Neal Releases Solo Piano Album ’13th Threads’

May 16, 2025

Immerse yourself in the heartfelt world of 13th Threads, a collection of original solo piano pieces composed and performed by Rada Neal. This deeply expressive album offers a journey through the emotional landscapes of memory, love, and serenity—each note a gentle companion for quiet moments of reflection.

Through the universal language of instrumental music, Rada captures the highs and lows of the human experience, allowing listeners from all walks of life to connect with the soul of each melody.

The album concludes with a unique and meditative experience: A series of short musical themes, presented in six sets of six, each offering a few minutes of contemplative calm. These unnamed pieces are designed to center the mind and soothe the spirit, perfect for moments of introspection or mindfulness.

13th Threads is more than an album—it’s a sanctuary of sound, an emotional landscape painted in piano, and an invitation to slow down, breathe deeply, and reconnect with what matters most.

Rada Neal began her life in a refugee camp in Germany, the daughter of two Yugoslavian refugees. Her family survived and her parents realized their dream of moving their family to a safe and prosperous environment, moving to Indiana soon after World War II. Rada’s first piano was given to her family by their neighbors, who were moving and didn’t wish to take their heavy piano with them. Eight men were seen lowering the piano down the stairs into Rada’s family’s basement. Rada was curious about the instrument, and as soon as her mother noticed her interest, piano lessons began.

Fast forward and Rada has graduated from The School of Music @ Indiana University and performed in a concert @ Carnegie Hall, The Grand Ole Opry and the 1987 Super Bowl halftime show. Composing music came later in life. Rada has 13 cds of original compositions and 1 cd of her personal Christmas arrangements. She continues to write, practice and perform for private events. Her music can be heard on all the major streaming platforms.

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Peter Calandra Releases Album ‘Night Mist’

May 16, 2025

Drift into the stillness of twilight with Night Mist — a contemplative, ambient pianocentric album from acclaimed composer and pianist Peter Calandra. Known for his evocative and cinematic style, Calandra invites listeners into a world of gentle melodies, delicate textures, and atmospheric soundscapes.

Each track on Night Mist unfolds like a quiet conversation with the night — introspective, calm, and emotionally resonant. The piano takes center stage, evoking the hush of evening rain, the rustle of leaves, and the distant shimmer of stars.

“Peter Calandra, with an extensive background in Broadway, has an ability to create moments of tranquility and contemplation in today’s frenetic, fast paced world offering listeners a retreat through his music.” (MelodicMag.Com:)

Peter Calandra is a prolific composer and keyboard player. Three of his albums — First Light (2015), The Road Home (2017) and Carpe Noctem (2018) were nominated for ZMR Awards. His jazz funk track, Neptune Beach was a 2023 Hollywood Independent Music Awards Nominee while another jazz based track, Bleecker Street, was the 2023 Clouzine Magazine “Best Jazz Funk” winner. In 2024 his track Mixed Emotions was a Hollywood Independent Music Awards Nominee. In 2025 his track September In Rio was the 2025 Clouzine Magazine Best Brazilian song.

Calandra has scored over 100 films and written over 2000 compositions for television. He has composed the FIFA World Cup Theme for FOX Sports, the Special Olympics World Games and Invictus Games Theme for ESPN and the Kennedy Center Honors from 2015 thru 2020. As a keyboard player he performed in the Broadway productions of Miss Saigon, The Lion King, Les Miserables, The Phantom Of The Opera, and Little Shop Of Horrors. He also performed with the Radio City Music Hall Orchestra, NY Pops Orchestra, Dee Dee Bridgewater, Don Cherry, Aretha Franklin, Allen Ginsberg, Annie Golden, Donna McKechnie, Lillianne Montevecchi, and spent 16 years as the keyboard player in the NYC-based Climax Band, the creative vehicle for artist and musician Larry Rivers.

Currently, Calandra is on the faculty at the Aaron Copland School Of Music at Queens College, CUNY teaching Audio/MIDI, Film Scoring and Music Composition to both graduate and undergraduate students. He is also a Yamaha Endorsed Artist.

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Larkenlyre Releases EP ‘The Dream Within The Dream’

May 12, 2025

When we sleep at night and imagine scenarios that have never taken place, or maybe relive ones that have, we call it a dream. When we stop in the course of our day, and instead of doing something, become wrapped in the thought of a time in the past, or a time to come, we call it a dream. When we think of how it might be if our life or the world were much different than it is now, we call it a dream.

If we feel we don’t belong, or if we have no home at all, we might dream of sanctuary. If we are old, we might dream of childhood. If we struggle to find peace, we might dream of an idyll. If we had loves long ago that are still vivid, we might dream of our loves long past. If we have love now, we might dream of growing old together.

Dogen Zenji one day realizes, “These plum blossoms which I’ve been seeing every day are the udumbara flower, which blooms only once every three thousand years.”

All of this, the arc of the sparrow’s flight, the light on the horizon as the new day begins, the aroma of a cooking breakfast, water flying wildly over a cliff as the spring snows melt, every Shakespeare play, every Sibelius symphony, the moon rising to begin another night, the leaves falling from eighty million trees as they prepare for winter, the discovery of a hundred billion galaxies outside our own, the sound of a piano hammer striking its string, a footprint in the snow, all of it, the dream within the dream.

Matthew Labarge has released seven albums of solo piano music, eight albums of mixed instruments (some as artist name Larkenlyre), and an album of pirate-themed lounge music (as artist name Cane Bay Cabaret). He works tirelessly in a tiny studio in Blacksburg, Virginia to bring you albums that unfold like a novel, are worth listening to carefully, and still yield new insights after many listens.

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Stephen Wallack Releases Album ‘Open’

March 27, 2025

The last couple of years have been an intense period of reflection and gratitude. Reflecting on the chaotic world that we live in, it can be difficult to find the beauty in the lives we each live. My personal journey has been trying to “open” myself up to new ideas, new people, and challenging myself to see life through multiple lenses. We all have gifts to share with the world that make it a better place, but finding that confidence, patience and grace can be easier said than done.

OPEN is my journey to connect with a deeper self-awareness and a greater hope that we can all find that inner peace we so desperately need.

“When I write,” Wallack says, “I picture the music moving to film.”

At age fourteen, Wallack took a leap of faith: he stopped playing the music he was hearing and started playing the music he was imagining. Overflowing with ideas, emotions, and concepts, music became the natural manner Wallack expressed himself. Inspired by the grandiose feelings of George Winston’s music and the rich imagery within film scores, Wallack set out on his path as a writer – a path whose direction became clearer through the help of a friend named Mike McCready.

Mike McCready, better known as the guitarist for iconic ‘90s rock band Pearl Jam, became Wallack’s first guitar teacher, and gave him his first guitar. McCready’s influence led Wallack to expand his musical tastes, and as his sonic preferences widened to include artists like Soundgarden, Tom Petty, and Neil Young, his focus on his craftsmanship became more acute.

“I’m beyond fortunate to have the friendship with [Mike] that I have,” Wallack says. “He really has inspired me to continue pursuing my passion for music.”

During the past five years, Wallack released five full-length albums: “Chapters”, “Stories”, “Reflections”, “Colors”, and “Wondering”. All albums which capture and bring to life moments and memories that have defined and inspired Stephen.

“OPEN” is his sixth solo piano release.

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Monster Taxi Releases Single ‘Pacifica’

March 21, 2025

“From the very first note, Pacifica captivates with a deep, resonant bass-line that pulses straight to your soul. True to its name—Spanish for “peaceful”—the song exudes serenity, inspired by the beauty and mystery of the Oregon coastline. The composition mirrors the rhythm of crashing waves and the stillness of nature, creating a vibe that is both soothing and awe-inspiring.”

– Bill Kelly, Founder of the Winter Music Conference

Pacifica by Monster Taxi – the brainchild of Miami composer, producer, and musician Jason Klein – takes us on a sensory journey where the Oregon coastline’s rocky landscapes and thundering waves connect to become a symphony of natural beauty. A soundtrack that underscores the splendor of the Oregon region’s rocky cliffs, migrating whales, cascading waterfalls, and vibrant ecosystems are reminders of nature’s boundless creativity and enduring power. This mesmerizing piece pays homage to Klein’s travels with his wife to this coastal region and the awe-inspiring sites they witnessed and explored. The Oregon coast left an indelible mark, calling them back to its shores through this song.

Miami-based music producer and keyboard player Jason Klein, aka Monster Taxi, has licensed and created music on several major and indie labels, including Ministry of Sound, Universal, Sony, and Fania, to name a few. His originals and remixes have been played on the radio and have been charted on Billboard, DJ Times, and others. Through BMG Records, he recreated pop and dance versions of disco band Foxy’s Get Off and took masters of Cuban classic artist Beny More, turning his music into current pop and dance. In addition to electronic dance music, Jason (Monster Taxi) is heavily inspired by artists such as Vangelis, Air, Massive Attack, Khruangbin, Radiohead, and Lana Del Rey. He is currently composing several Trip Hop, New Age, Downtempo, and Cinematic songs, of which two, Reflect and Field of Dreams, are in heavy rotation on Sirius XM’s SPA Channel and other radio and streaming programming. He has more than 1.2 million streams on Spotify and over 115 playlists in the chill, new age, trip hop, and deep house genres.

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Tag: piano

Peter Kater Releases Album ‘Untethered Heart’

Charu Suri Releases Album ‘Shayan’

Fiona Joy Hawkins Releases Album ‘When Shadows Talk’

David M. Edwards Releases Album ‘Memories of You’

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‘Ready to Meet You’ by Emma Knights Added to Playlist

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Rada Neal Releases Solo Piano Album ’13th Threads’

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Peter Calandra Releases Album ‘Night Mist’

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Larkenlyre Releases EP ‘The Dream Within The Dream’

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Stephen Wallack Releases Album ‘Open’

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Monster Taxi Releases Single ‘Pacifica’

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