KAREN MARIE GARRETT

IT’S ABOUT THE ROSE

Much prose has been written about “the rose” through the centuries, but now pianist and composer Karen Marie Garrett uses the beauty of the flower and what it symbolizes as the inspiration for an album of contemporary instrumental music, IT’S ABOUT THE ROSE.

“A rose has always been a special gift,” explains Garrett.  “We love the beauty and fragrance, although there is a deeper meaning.  A rose can symbolize love, compassion, nature, serenity, and even spirituality.  The rose in a vase on the table reminds me to ‘be present in the moment,’ which is a philosophy of life that I believe in and inspires much of my music.”

Produced by Will Ackerman, the legendary guitarist and founder of Windham Hill Records, IT’S ABOUT THE ROSE is Garrett’s fourth CD and the first to feature all original compositions.

It debuted at #1 on the national New Age Reporter chart.  Ackerman, who has a successful solo career and built Windham Hill Records into one of the most successful independent labels of all time, also has become known as a top producer of contemporary instrumental music (George Winston, Liz Story, Philip Aaberg, Alex de Grassi, Michael Hedges, Scott Cossu).

IT’S ABOUT THE ROSE contains both solo piano pieces as well as arrangements that add one or two other acoustic instruments.  Garrett performs on a Steinway grand piano. Special guests include cellist Eugene Friesen (Paul Winter Consort, David Lanz), violinist Steve Schuch (Night Heron Consort, Aine Minogue), violinist and percussionist Derrik Jordan (Angela Bofill, Will Ackerman), flugel-horn player Jeff Oster (Will Ackerman, Ellis Larkins), bassist T-Bone Wolk (Hall & Oates, Kenny G, Billy Joel) and vocalist Noah Wilding.

Karen’s training and background is in classical music.  Her favorite classical composers are Beethoven, Chopin, Mozart and Schubert.  Other music Garrett has enjoyed over the years includes early rock’n’roll (Elvis Presley, Ray Charles, The Beatles), classic rock (Elton John, Eric Clapton, Billy Joel), the smooth jazz of Kenny G, the soundtrack scores of John Williams, and the new age artists on the Windham Hill label during the Eighties.

Garrett’s first CD, CLASSICAL SERENITY (currently out-of-print), was strictly classical pieces.  Her second album, PENSARE, not only contained material written by Bach, Beethoven, Chopin and Mozart, but also Hollywood film composer Frank Sanucci, whom Karen met during her school years.

“Because of my admiration for Will Ackerman, I sent him PENSARE to listen to and I received positive feedback.  He also encouraged me to try writing my own music which led to my third album.”  Ackerman produced her next project, ALLURE OF SANCTUARY, at both George Lucas’s Skywalker Sound Studios in California and Ackerman’s own Imaginary Road Studios in Vermont.  That project combined eight original compositions with one by Brian Gibson and three pieces by Erik Satie.  The album’s arrangements included solo piano recordings as well as material with Eugene Friesen, Derrik Jordan, Noah Wilding and Jill Haley (English horn).  ALLURE OF SANCTUARY went Top 10 on New Age Reporter’s national airplay chart, and Solo Piano Publications named the CD one of the Top 20 albums of 2005.

"ALLURE OF SANCTUARY was an exciting project for me, but it also made me realize there is so much more that I want to explore musically," Karen explains.  "For IT’S ABOUT THE ROSE I decided to write all of the material, explore different structures, draw deeper on my classical inspirations and bring more emotion to the music."

Garrett, who lives in Olympia, Washington, returned to Imaginary Road Studios in Windham County, Vermont, to record IT’S ABOUT THE ROSE.  The tunes include melodic, structured solo piano pieces ("It’s About the Rose in the Vase on the Table," “Beethoven Chopin and the Rose,” "Impressions" and "Waiting") as well as free-spirited solo piano improvisations ("The Piano Called" and "Daydreams").  "Tally’s Lullaby," a tribute to pets that have passed on, is a hauntingly-lovely piano-cello duet with Eugene Friesen.  "Vinot and the Seabird" (with flugelhorn and vocals) was primarily inspired by Erik Satie, but also has Karen showing other classical influences including Beethoven and Pachabel.  Garrett turned to Mozart and the local coffee shop for the inspiration behind “Café Espresso” which includes bass and percussion.  “Tip Toe Dancer and the Sea Pearl,” that has Garrett’s piano interacting with violin and bass, took its genesis from a moment on the beach when she saw a young child twirling with delight over a treasure found in a tide pool.

Distinguished music critic Bill Binkelman of New Age Reporter has already named IT’S ABOUT THE ROSE to his list of the best dozen new age and adult contemporary recordings of the year (selected from a field of more than 2,800 albums).

Karen, who was born and raised in Vancouver, Washington, started piano lessons at age five.  A few years later she was accepted as a student of the top piano teacher in the area, Carolyn O. James, who was an accredited instructor with the Sherwood Conservatory of Music in Chicago. 

At the time of Karen’s audition, she was the only student selected to study under James and follow the conservatory’s study program.  James took Garrett to see a concert by preeminent classical pianist Van Cliburn and the experience inspired Karen to fully commit herself to her piano studies and practice.  Her family moved her bed and grand piano into a special room on the far side of their house so Karen could practice at any hour of the day.  Her teacher also introduced her to the passionate compositions of modern classical composer Frank Sanucci, who was a friend of James.

Garrett was involved with many music programs during her years of piano study including stage bands, choir accompanist, and solo piano concerts and recitals.  She also performed in front of large audiences at regional music competitions.  In addition, occasionally throughout her career Garrett has given piano instruction.  “I encourage my students to make the music their own.  I’m there simply to open the door for them.”

Karen’s husband died of cancer in 1994.  “I was emotionally distraught and the best way I could find to deal with it was to play the piano.  I took the heartache of loss and poured that emotion into my music.  It made me feel I was doing something constructive and helped me deal with the pain.  The music became my sanctuary.”  Karen moved into a “fairly isolated” small cottage on the dunes near Oysterville, Washington, and placed her piano in the dining room with picture windows facing the ocean.  “It was a very inspirational and spiritual space where I first began to compose my own music,” she remembers.

“I receive my musical inspiration from many sources, but for the most part I simply try to remain open and receptive to what is in front of me, to be present in the moment.  And regardless of what influences me to compose, I write to emotionally connect with the listener.  Recently I read an article that said what I believe is true: ‘Music stirs the soul, captures the imagination and creates an emotional connection’.”

For more information on Karen Marie Garrett, go to her website (www.kgpiano.com).