COMPACT DISC REVIEW

By

Jack Rummel

Blue Sahara

Tom Brier, piano

(No label) CD-110

 Step It Up / Parallelograms / Olivewood Fox Trot / Cookie-Cutter Rag / Evening Mist / No Foolin’ / Cedar Crest / Blue Sahara / Peril In Pantomime / Doghouse Blues / Terra Vertigo / The Stygian Waltzes / A Fable.

            “Prolific” is a term that is often applied to an artist, whether it might be particularly apt or not.  In the case of this artist who has composed somewhere over 200 works for piano and who has just released this CD of 13 pieces, all of which were written during the years  2006-2008 (!), Tom Brier certainly fits the definition.

            Watching his compositional style mature has also been interesting.  While his approach has adhered most closely to that of the early twentieth century ragtimers, what he is writing today is more richly textured, more solidly crafted and, in many cases, more daring and surprising than the promise that was contained in his very first opus, Pine Cone Rag, of 1982 (found on his CD-104, “Pianola”).

            Up to now, Brier has sprinkled a few of his own rags on each of his CDs but has mainly concentrated on using his discerning taste to dig up and record forgotten and overlooked jewels from ragtime’s past.  On this disc, however, he treats us to the many musical styles contained in his personal portfolio.

            As the title implies, Step It Up is an active number, done in the novelty genre.  Parallelograms uses rising parallel chords to introduce a very complex piece, while Olivewood Fox Trot is a romantic and somewhat wistful dance tune.  Cookie-Cutter Rag messes with your mind a bit by taking what sound like snippets from primordial masterworks – but aren’t; Evening Mist is stately and introspective, while No Foolin’ is a dotted-rhythm romp.

            Indulging in more exploration, Cedar Crest is the perfect Stark-like classic rag but is followed by Blue Sahara, an exotic essay in minor tonality, and Peril In Pantomime, a melodramatic study in perpetual motion.  Brier then treats us to Doghouse Blues, a delightful indigo-tinged examination of 12-bar improvisation before jumping headlong into Terra Vertigo, a fast-paced stride number that apologetically steals themes from today’s self-styled “terra verde” composers.  The disc closes with a lovely ¾ time essay, The Stygian Waltzes, co-composed with Neil Blaze, and a 17-minute grand suite of four pieces he has entitled A Fable.

            Fans of his have long requested an all-Brier album and they will surely rush to own it.  Because he calls California home and seldom leaves it, this CD is an excellent opportunity to discover Tom Brier the composer and to learn why his talent has ripened into such a powerful voice in ragtime’s literature.

            Available for $18.00 postpaid from Tom Brier, 3745 Solomon Island Road , West Sacramento , CA 95691 .