Desert Meets Ocean is one of the most delightfully unexpected albums of the year, as it combines for the first time, the immense talents of solo pianist Michael Martinez and flautist Sherry Finzer in a body of work that enchants.
Martinez felt inspired to write flute into his latest series of compositions. To bring his work to reality he approached Sherry Finzer to collaborate with him; the rest is history, as it is to be said that this could be considered as some of their finest work. This is his first collaboration with Sherry Finzer as he writes primarily works for solo performance and hopefully it will not be the last.
At the recording session in Arizona, full of nerves, with little expectation, he wondered how Desert Meets Ocean would evolve but under the skilled fingers of Finzer his work came alive. The Joy in You is a short, lively, joy-filled piece and one which when Martinez heard the flute dancing over his composition, it simply ‘knocked him out.’
The ocean is often the inspiration for Michael Martinez works. The dreamy and mellow Ocean Dreaming captures that mediative ambience of the ocean on a day when perhaps the skies are grey, the water movement is slow, thoughtful, almost tranquil, an acceptance of what is and what could be within reach.
Sherry Finzer is renowned for her healing and meditative compositions that are filled with spirituality. In Sedona, the deeply spiritual elements that are found in the desert have been artfully translated into healing songs in a delightful dance of flute and piano.
Intricate and reflective the rich textures of When Dessert Meets Ocean unfold in a carefully constructed melody allowing the majesty of desert and ocean to be compared; their similarities gently observed, their timeless elements of nature combined in one perfect composition.
Intimate emotion charms with the delicate Sweet Embrace; soft, slow, tranquil, and romantic, is a song straight from the heart that transcends the everyday life for just a moment, but what a moment.
The final piece Longing carries this theme further with a soft, slow melancholy hinting at things unsaid, filled with hope for things to come as Martinez and Finzer conclude what is a collection that evolves with a graceful elegance.
Website                   https://heartdancerecords.bandcamp.com/album/desert-meets-ocean
Distributor        Heartdance Records/Bandcamp
Artists           Micheal Martinez and Sherry Finzer
Review By Janet Mawdesley
