My Romance: An Evening with Jim Brickman
It's not the Grammy Awards. It's not the platinum discs. The premier status symbol among New Age-classified musicians is landing the starring role in your own public-television special, and pianist Jim Brickman deservedly joins the short list of artists granted such pledge-attracting exposure. Brickman's two sides--as composer of intelligent, pop-impressionistic instrumental works and as stardusted romantic songwriter--are displayed equally onMy Romance, recorded live in Salt Lake City in March, 2000. Brickman, an amiable host, is in vigorous form here, and his instrumental selections again reveal his uncommon talent for pulling heartstrings from an elevated plane, intertwining lovely melodies with a wistful harmonic flair in ways that satisfy listeners cerebrally and emotionally.David Benoitcontributes to a splendid duet on "Glory," one of the disc's five new pieces. Even so, ardent fans who own all of Brickman's earlier works may view this disc as an attractive souvenir but not an indispensable recording.Donny OsmondandOlivia Newton-John(who cowrote a new ballad, "Change of Heart," with Brickman) appear as guest vocalists, and Brickman himself makes an agreeable vocal debut on "The Love I Found in You," one of two pieces featuringDave Koz. Although "Circles," a new instrumental, is surprisingly mundane, the back-to-back rendering of "Freedom" and "Edgewater," two of his most expressive compositions, is the disc's highlight.--Terry Wood