Watercolor Sky

Michael Whalen is an accomplished two-time Emmy® Award- winning composer, producer, and recording artist known for his extensive work in the field of contemporary instrumental and music for television. With 44 solo albums to his credit and 1 billion streams on digital platforms, Michael has made significant contributions to the world of music with his emotive melodic compositions and versatile musical skills. Over the years, Michael has composed music for a wide range of projects, including dozens of films, hundreds of television projects, and thousands of advertising projects. His ability to create evocative and atmospheric soundscapes has made him a sought-after composer in the entertainment industry. His album, “Watercolor Sky,” was inspired by the change of seasons and beautiful ever-changing vistas Michael sees from his home on Jamaica Bay in New York City, and as well, his love for the music from Windham Hill Records in the 1980s. As well as Michael on piano, percussion, and electronics, the album features a host of top-notch musical talent: Mark Isham (trumpet and flugelhorn), Michael Manring (bass), Nancy Rumbel (oboe and English horn), Will Ackerman (guitar), and Charlie Bisharat (violin). The album opens with the flowing, fun, and upbeat, “The Endless Summer.” A great melody perfectly captures the vibe of summer everlasting. Having seen many of Michael’s candid sunset pictures online over the last year, I can tell you that “Ode To A Perfect Sunset” says it all. This is soft and gentle as we “watch” the sun slowly melting into the horizon in a burst of awesome colors. Wistful horns on “The Road Not Taken” draw us in further and we are reminded that we have many choices in life. This track has many lovely layers and interestingly intricate textures. Very nice! The percolating title track is certainly a favorite. This is beautifully done, as is every single thing on this album. The piano parts are wonderful here, and I am a huge fan of Charlie Bisharat and his violin. That, plus guitar and bass add a colorful richness to the composition. “Dancing In The Wind” perfectly captures the many things that we may find dancing around the beach at various times. This is a very fun, lively song with that wonderful “feel-good” vibe. Ocean tides are certainly interesting if you think about them, right? “The Flood At High Tide” paints the perfect soundscape of this phenomena. A sweet melody line is accompanied by many other layers of instrumentation, keeping our interest at “high tide” throughout the song. At Michael’s beach, there is winter. “The First Frost” is one of those magical tunes that captures that particular beauty. English horn adds to this exquisiteness. Just lovely. Are you familiar with that certain time of day where everything looks like a special kind of golden hue on a beach? “The Golden Hour” conjures up just that. Everything works perfectly together in this piece and is completely wonderful in all ways. This album, which in my opinion is Michael’s finest work to date, winds up with the soul-soothing, “Winter Beach.” Here, haunting horns speak directly to the soul. Piano – as well as the rest – is lovely and calming. The soft ocean sounds bring tranquility to the psyche. And we are left with a beautiful, colorful album that we don’t want to end.