CD Review – These Are the Moments, by Michael Dulin

Michael Dulin presents a collection of fifteen piano performances from his six previous albums over the last decade, punctuated by a new bonus track for the occasion of this retrospective.

The prolific, veteran musician delivers stunning renditions of Rachmaninoff, Satie, and Beethoven, alongside which his own compositions stand tall and proud. In fact, the influence of these composers is evident in Dulin’s writing, which features his own unique musical voice.

Dulin also demonstrates his masterful command of various styles, switching effortlessly between solo piano numbers, duets, and trios, giving us a taste of his equal adroitness in classical, new age, and smooth jazz. The new bonus track, the music of which is composed by Dulin, also features lyrics and vocals by Jeania Major, a singing finalist in auditions for Cirque de Soleil. The combination of Major’s voice and Dulin’s keyboard skills is simply exquisite.

This is a fine album for anyone interested in piano-based music with a few different flavors.

--Raj Manoharan