Kori's "Trillium" project is a brilliant coalescence of acoustic and electronic music that carries the listener through an array of cinematic imageries to pure dancing in the aisles. The coast-to-coast roster of amazing artists adds textures and colors to Kori's heartfelt soundscapes.

Kori Carothers is , without question, a brilliant pianist and composer.   What sets her apart, however, is the broad range of styles she utilizes so gracefully.    Kori moves between the worlds of achingly beautiful acoustic piano composition and lavish keyboard production with remarkable ease.    The result is Trillium, a cohesive collection of compositions of stunning breadth and dynamic range, confidently held together by her singular musical voice.

thejourney
   
On her second album, pianist/keyboardist Kori Linae Carothers paints on a more dramatic canvas than on her debut CD, layering synths (mostly strings, chorals and washes) underneath her passionate piano melodies. In this way, the album combines soaring/flowing spacemusic-like electronics with neo-classical/new age piano stylings. While I would’ve enjoyed one or two quieter, more subdued tracks, it’s hard to argue with the deftness and artistry revealed in songs like the opening forgabriel with its sense of rolling melodicism over a bed of hushed synth-chorals. Carothers has abundant technique on the piano so that one can hardly fault her for showcasing her powerful presence and her dexterous abilities.

Some tracks like Winterstorm come close to juxtaposing a softer nuanced texture with a more forceful approach to the piano (meant, no doubt, to convey the ebb and flow of what the title depicts). The titles of planetarydawn might lead you to expect something more akin to Jonn Serrie, and the track does have its synthesizer flavorings, but the meat of the piece is played out on the ivories. Synthesizers do take the lead on the last two songs: Desertcrossings features smooth-as-sand keyboard washes and kalimba-like sampled keyboards. At seven-plus minutes, the song might’ve been well-served by being trimmed a bit (to the five minute range) although admittedly it unfolds nicely over its duration nonetheless, kicking into a higher gear as it nears conclusion with some spicy Middle Eastern musical touches scattered about at the periphery. thehealing closes the CD with breathy lush synth chorals and Liquid Mind-like soft cushions of warm floating ambience. Also of note, being different than the norm here, is the title track on which Carothers is joined by violinist Nancy Davis. This selection has an (appropriate, per the liner notes) nautical feel to it. By the way, the artist-penned liner notes reveal the sources of inspiration for all the songs on the album.

If you enjoy the mixture of piano and synth from artists such as Bernward Koch, Ann Sweeten, and others like them, but you’re looking for a tad more drama and passion injected into the music, thejourney will almost certainly delight you. Technically, the album is well done in the areas of production and engineering (the synths, in particular, are neither buried nor allowed to overwhelm the piano – bonus points for that). From a purely personal perspective, I’d love to hear the artist do an album featuring more electronic music someday, because she excels at it. On the other hand, piano-oriented music is no doubt more accessible to mainstream music fans. One last compliment I’d like to pay is to the art designer Michael Bodily who laid out the graphics and selected the front and back photos, which are both excellent choices. It’s always refreshing to see an indie release that doesn’t necessarily look like it.

   
Rating: Very Good -   
   
   

This is the first CD from electronic keyboard artist Kori Linae Carothers, and (at times) it shows. However, some of the songs also display her knack for crafting accessible melodies and catchy rhythms. Her palette consists mostly of breezy romantic/nostalgic keyboard instrumentals in the same vein as works from Hennie Bekker, Bruce Kurnow, and possibly Suzanne Ciani (from her Hotel Luna era, not her earlier recordings). On some songs, the use of what may be a singular make of keyboard (with its assortment of pre-set sounds) lends an amateurish sound to the music, although not in such a way that it spoiled the appeal of the better compositions on the CD. I am in the minority in this opinion, but in the same way film makers frequently start modestly, taking short cuts in lower budget films, so too must musicians as far as I'm concerned. Open-minded reviewers in film, and in music, can recognize the "diamond" that may lie underneath the surface of coal that merely needs to be polished and refined. I believe Carothers has the makings of a solid musical career, given what is on display here.

The Road Less Traveled starts a bit weakly with the ordinary "Airs" and its sing-songy melody played on digital piano with accompanying pitter-patter percussion. However, the CD deftly turns the corner from "merely okay" to "quite good" starting with track 5, "Asian Wind" on which midtempo sampled hand drums and Gamelan-like percussion textures are counterpointed by cheery flowing keyboards colored with a tint of the Far East. What sells the song is that Carothers does not over-reach her modest keyboard technology. "Reflections," while a more "typical" brand of dramatic new age keyboard music (soft romantic piano with underlying lush synth strings), offers some pleasant drama, although the strings could be cut back even a tad more without losing any of the emotional resonance. Even better is "The Day" on which haunting piano merges with synth strings to form a cohesive whole, sadly flowing like curtains blown by a gentle breeze. "Mountains" is also a success, reminding me of David Friedman's smashing debut release, Moonrise. The mixture of piano, strings, and new age keyboard sounds, with subtle hints of rhythm, makes me wish this was longer than its just-over-two minute duration. The best song on the CD is the title track. Carothers' piano playing shines here, floating merrily (but not sappily) over a bed of warm synth washes, painting a sweet and friendly musical portrait of cruising along a back country lane at a leisurely pace on a sunny day.

Displaying her artistic versatility, Carothers also includes a handful of electronica/chill-out songs, which, while not attention-grabbing, are not too shabby either. "Mystique" shuffles down some dark back alleys, thanks to its minor chord washes and sultry beats (although the solo violin preset tends to detract from the song's appeal at times). "Judgement" (which closes the album) offers up some warm retro "spacy" synth music, albeit amidst somewhat pedestrian rhythms. Yet, the song has a certain retro-futuristic charm, much like SF lounge from the 1950s.

Recording quality itself (levels, presence, stereo separation, and absence of "noise" in the master) is very good. If Carothers upgrades her instrumentation, tweaks her drum/percussion presets, and continues to compose in the style that dominates The Road Less Traveled, she hopefully will garner a lot of attention and respect, because there is no denying she has some certifiable talent. For her first recording out of the block, this is a darn good effort and I, for one, look forward to more music from her.