Here is a little promotional video for my Pools of Light Solo Piano Songbook (as posted on YouTube), featuring track 9, "With Eyes Closed." The songbook is available from BrianKelly.com and Amazon.
My music has been recently licensed for use in TV and/or video productions by NBA Entertainment, Cycling Fusion, University of Maryland School of Medicine, and Electronic Components Industry Association.
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This year I'll be sharing album projects with you as they progress, starting with my newest contemporary jazz project: "Walk on Fire". It is comprised of 12 instrumental tracks in which I play all of the parts: piano/keyboards, percussion, and sampled instruments. The song formations and arrangements are essentially complete. However, some of these tracks sound a bit "Muzaky" to my ear. So, the next stage in the process will be to record live musicians (playing acoustic instruments: sax, flute, bass, drums) and replace or enhance the sampled tracks. Right now, I'm working on creating music charts (sheet music) for the musicians in preparation for recording sessions.
I invite you to listen, comment, make suggestions, or just enjoy. Tell me what you like or don't like. Suggest song titles or tell me which track should be first… Just go to SoundCloud and, while listening to a track, click on the blue bar below the audio waveform to add your comments/suggestions (see example: right). You'll be prompted to login by using your Facebook account or establishing an account on SoundCloud ~~ easy. I look forward to hearing from you!
Here's a review of my latest songbook from MainlyPiano.com (Kathy Parsons):
"Brian Kelly’s Pools of Light Solo Piano Songbook is a completely revised and expanded edition of the e-book that was published in 2006. Twelve of the thirteen tracks from the album are included (“Sacred Waters” is a percussion interlude that isn’t adaptable to the piano), transcribed by Kelly himself and arranged for solo piano; I helped with the editing. The Pools of Light recording is ensemble, so some of the parts for other instruments have been incorporated into the piano part to make the sheet music sound as close to the original recording as possible. Kelly also wrote four pages of performance notes to help the pianist understand his intentions and to note differences from the recording. Coming from the composer himself, these notes are invaluable!
Brian Kelly is an incredible pianist who is very fluent in jazz stylings, so his music is far from simple and would be beyond beginning and intermediate pianists’ capabilities. Some of the pieces include cadenzas that are complicated and require very nimble fingers. The jazz rhythms are complex (and a lot of fun!) and some of the pieces have difficult key signatures (noted below). Kelly has suggested fingering for some of the thornier passages and expression has been carefully indicated according to the CD. The book is printed on bright white paper with clear, crisp type, and is spiral bound. The spacing within the scores is roomy and easy to read, and the cover is a beautiful print of the album cover artwork on glossy stock, making this a very attractive book! If you are a pianist at an early advanced to advanced playing level, this book is great fun and very satisfying to play! It is available from amazon.com and www.briankelly.com, and I highly recommend it!"
United Airlines now features my piano instrumental track "Calling for Rain" on its in-flight programming. "Angels Breathing" continues receiving airplay on SouthWest, Continental, JetBlue, and Frontier flights.
From composer/pianist Brian Kelly: "Pools of Light Solo Piano Songbook", the companion sheet music book to his acclaimed piano instrumental album, is now available in print edition.
The 88-page songbook is spiral-bound and printed on high quality paper with a glossy cover. This edition has been completely revised and expanded. It includes twelve solo piano transcriptions of music from the album, as well as performance notes and detailed fingering. Price: $25.
Songs: Open Sky * Pools of Light * Cool Blue * Unfolding * Expect a Miracle * Troubadour * Angels Breathing * With Eyes Closed * Home at Last * Calling for Rain * Speak Your Heart * When the Stars Align
Later this year I will complete the production of my next album and will once again utilize the expert services of mastering engineer Michael Romanowski (he mastered my first two albums.) Those of you interested in the audio production process might be interested in seeing this interview with Michael.
Sit back and relax! My music continues to get In-Flight airplay on the following airlines: JetBlue, United, Frontier, SouthWest, and Continental. It's also broadcast regularly on Music Choice, Sirius, and XM Satellite Radio.
A review of my new songbook written by by Kathy Parsons has been posted on MainlyPiano.com: ". . . a sparkling collection of Brian Kelly’s own transcriptions of the eleven original piano solos from his forthcoming CD release, Tomorrow’s Daydream. . . The book itself is really beautiful, with full-color glossy covers (front and back), spiral binding, 80-pound paper, and clear and clean notation. The spacing is roomy and easy to read, and some of the pieces include Brian’s suggested fingerings. The music is fun to play, but it is definitely not for beginners. . . intermediate and advanced players will find plenty to love while getting lost in this music and making it theirs. Recommended!"
Tomorrow's Daydream Solo Piano Songbook is now available on Amazon.com. I mention this because purchasing from Amazon is convenient, especially if you have an Amazon gift card you received for the Holidays or for a birthday.
However, that said…
I would much prefer you purchase the songbook from one of my websites for three reasons:
You'll receive free access to the Members Area on my website where you may listen to the entire album (until the album is released), as well as other music I'm currently working on.
You'll receive discounts on my future songbooks, CDs, and downloads
I receive more money from each sale, which enables me to fund and bring to you more of my music.
Kathy Parsons, influential educator and supporter of contemporary and new age piano music, has posted a review of my new solo piano songbook, Tomorrow's Daydream." Here is the entire review:
Tomorrow's Daydream Solo Piano Songbook is a sparkling collection of Brian Kelly's own transcriptions of the eleven original piano solos from his forthcoming CD release, Tomorrow's Daydream. This folio is a little bit unusual in that the sheet music book is being released before the actual CD has been recorded. Brian's transcriptions and the subsequent editing (by yours truly) were done from a demo recording Brian made with his electronic piano. Since much of Brian's music is jazz-oriented, the final version of the recording will undoubtedly be different from the songbook, but the book represents how Brian felt the songs were best notated and played at the time, and the songs' essence will remain the same. It is important to note that Brian is offering free access to the Members Area on his site to those who buy the book from his site (the book is also available from Amazon, but since Brian has no way of knowing who buys the book from Amazon, he cannot make this offer available to those who purchase it there.) While in the Members Area, people can listen to the whole album as well as other music Brian is working on. This little perk can be a huge help in hearing the tempi of the music and the general style of the pieces.
The book itself is really beautiful, with full-color glossy covers (front and back), spiral binding, 80-pound paper, and clear and clean notation. The spacing is roomy and easy to read, and some of the pieces include Brian's suggested fingerings. The music is fun to play, but it is definitely not for beginners. For example, if you find David Nevue's sheet music challenging, you might want to wait on this one until you get a bit more advanced. Timing is moderately complicated, some of the harmonies are complex, and several pieces are in difficult key signatures. The title song and parts of “Life Stream” are in the key of F# (six sharps), but “All of Thee Above” is in A minor and “Journey Home” is in C (no sharps or flats). A few spots have reaches of more than an octave, but not many. The music is challenging, but late intermediate and advanced players will find plenty to love while getting lost in this music and making it theirs. Recommended!
I'm excited to announce the arrival of my songbook.
11 solo piano pieces, 84 pages (88 if you count the covers ;0), printed, coil-bound, on 80lb. paper, transcribed by the composer.
ISBN: 978-0979422041
For those who buy the songbook: since the album has not been released yet, I'm offering free access to the Members Area on my website where you may listen to the entire album as well as other music I'm currently working on.
The songbooks may also be pre-ordered at Amazon.com. They should be in-stock at Amazon next week. Just be aware that if you buy thru Amazon, you will not get access to my Members Area because Amazon does not reveal to me who the buyers are.
Recording… This spring I hope finally to record the Tomorrow's Daydream album on a real grand piano – in all likelihood, a Fazioli F278.
Two more songbooks… A revised edition of my "Pools Of Light" songbook (currently available only as a pdf file) will be published as a printed, coil-bound songbook. Also in the works is a printed songbook of twelve new solo piano pieces.
The companion sheet music book to my forthcoming solo piano album, Tomorrow's Daydream, is now available for pre-sale. The songbook will be available to ship in January 2011.
• 11 solo piano pieces (for intermediate to advanced players)
• printed (hard copy), spiral bound, glossy cover, 80lb. paper
• 84 pages
Several weeks ago Apple introduced Ping, a social networking feature, into its iTunes music application. It lets you "follow your favorite artists and friends to discover the music they're talking about, listening to, and downloading." If you'd like to check out what I've been listening to … or simply find out what this Ping thing is all about… visit my Ping Artist Page. (If you don't have iTunes, you'll need to download a copy.)
Earlier this year (2010) I had the privilege of recording with Eric Crystal (sax), Evan Francis (flute), David Rokeach (drums), and David Belove (bass). Photos from the recording sessions are posted on my website. View photos
My "Pools of Light" album has been named among "Kathy's Top 40 Favorite CDs for the Decade" (2000-2009). These are listed in alphabetical order by the artists' last names.
Philip Aaberg – Blue West
Philip Aaberg – Live in Montana
Joseph Akins – Spirit Touch
Gabrielle Angelique – Dance With the Stars
Jeff Bjorck – Pure Piano Panoramas
Spencer Brewer – Cinematic
Frederic Delarue – A Mind Like An Ocean
Frederic Delarue – Dolphins: A Message of Love
Ben Dowling & Mark Wagner – The Path of Peace
Michael Dulin – Follow the River
Michael Dulin – Timeless: Classics For a New Age
Ludovico Einaudi – Echoes
Ola Gjeilo – Stone Rose
Wayne Gratz – Two Views
Michael Allen Harrison – Composer/Pianist
Eric Harry – Away, Melancholy Away
Fiona Joy Hawkins – Blue Dream
Fiona Joy Hawkins – Ice: Piano Slightly Chilled
David Hicken – Goddess
Michael Hoppe’ – Requiem
Dax Johnson – The Beauty of Human Error
Peter Kater – Piano Brian Kelly – Pools of Light
Kevin Kern – The Winding Path
David Lanz – Finding Paradise
David Lanz – Painting the Sun
Greg Maroney – Harmony Grove
Greg Maroney – Wind Chimes
Stephen Moccio – Exposure
David Nevue – Overcome
David Nevue – Sweet Dreams and Starlight
Sandy Owen – One Late Hour With a Steinway
George Skaroulis – Second Nature
Robin Spielberg – Memories of Utopia
Robin Spielberg – A New Kind of Love
Jennifer Thomas – Key of Sea
Jave Vek – Live
Wendel Werner – One Sitting
Yanni – Voces (Spanish)
Ralph Zurmuhle – Our Mother
I've just released sheet music for two more songs from my Afterplay album. These are Piano Transcriptions of "New Vision" (track #3) and "Reach For The Stars" (track #10). They're available now on my website as pdf downloads. Go to: http://www.briankelly.com/sheet_music.php
My Afterplay album is eligible for Grammy Award consideration. The Recording Academy considers my Instrumental Album to be more "Pop" than Jazz, in league with artists such as Spyro Gyra, Boney James, Chris Botti… Recording Academy rules prohibit me from specifying which category it is listed in (field and category names and numbers are proprietary). Listen to the album here: www.briankelly.com/music/Afterplay/
The 2009 Just Plain Folks Music Awards Album Winners have been announced. I'm excited and honored to learn that my album, Afterplay, came in 2nd place in the "Best Instrumental Jazz Album" category. The winners are listed here: http://www.jpfolks.com/09albumwinners.html
I've just released sheet music for two songs from my Afterplay album. These are Piano Transcriptions of "Afterplay" (track #6) and "Celtic Fire" (track #8). They're available now on my website as pdf downloads. 7 pages each, price: $4 each ~ recommended for advanced players or those who want insight into my piano technique, improvisational style, and contemporary jazz voicings. Go to: http://www.briankelly.com/sheet-music/
Afterplay, the latest album by Brian Kelly, has been nominated for "Best Instrumental Jazz Album 2009". "Celtic Fire" (track #8 on the album) has been nominated for "Best Instrumental Jazz Song 2009" in the Just Plain Folks Music Awards. See the complete list of nominees.
Sit back and relax! My music continues to get In-Flight airplay on the following airlines: JetBlue, United, Frontier, SouthWest, and Continental. It's also broadcast regularly on Music Choice, Sirius, and XM Satellite Radio.
