BARBARA HIGBIE: Scenes from Life
Barbara Higbie
Scenes from Life
Self-released
I‘m a long time Higbie fan, from her early days with Windham Hill and the exciting band Montreux, to more recent singer-songwriter fare presented solo and with Teresa Trull. Higbie’s immense talent on piano, violin and vocals always shines through. There are no vocals on this stellar collection of originals, showcasing a variety of genres, from jazz to folk, perfect for anyone who enjoys Keith Jarrett, Vince Guaraldi … or just damn fine musicianship. Her melodic acoustic piano is always at the center of arrangements that include evocative strings, whether is be her violin or cellist Joan Jeanrenaud (Kronos Quartet) who appears on half of the songs.
Some of the pieces are pensive ballads, like “Irreducible.” Others, like “Walking,” have a livelier texture. “West on County D” feels like a singer-songwriter piece, with its reoccurring set of bright chords slightly reminiscent of Marc Cohn’s piano work. There’s a gospel tinge in “Emma and Esi” along with some unique melodic changes. A lot of her pieces are like that. She’ll be motoring along in a familiar structure and then suddenly takes a turn; it’s not jarring, however, it makes you want to stay on this wonderful Higbie ride. There’s a lot of space in the sorrowful “Bella.” It starts simply with her piano. She repeats the same phrases as a cello joins her in a breathtakingly beautiful piece that rises and falls. “VW Bug” is playful and so is “Ewe Tune,” incorporating a West African rhythm. “Michael’s Song” has a minor feel. “Resurrection” leans toward Celtic, like Loreena McKennitt’s best work. The disc ends with “Neptune,” a jazz piece co-wriitten with Katrina Krimsky that moves through several emotions like the movements of a well-played symphony. Krimsky’s piano is complimented with Higbie’s violin. This CD has been in constant rotation on my MP3 player since I got it. I’ll bet it’ll have a special place in your music collection, too. Highly recommended.
— Jamie Anderson