Pianist And Strings Arranger Rick Sparks Returns With A New Recording

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"The idea of night falling on a great city like London intrigued me with the possibilities for musical adventure, " explains pianist/synthesist, composer, arranger and producer Rick Sparks, who titled his fourth album Nightfall London. "I have always loved the Brits: Sherlock Holmes and Baker Street, World War II history, Abbey Road Studio and EMI with The Beatles and George Martin, and, last but not least, the Jaguar XK8 convertible in my garage. Then I saw this photo that showed the tranquil beauty of Big Ben at dusk and it just seemed like a perfect fit for the mood of the album so I used it on the cover."

Sparks calls his recordings "quiet-piano albums" and the music is popular with fans of new age and neo-classical music. Piano is most-often the featured instrument, but Sparks is an adept arranger who uses synthesizer to give his music layers, textures and additional depth. Sparks also colors his music with the sounds of synth and electronic keyboards, individual stringed instruments such as violin, string sections, flutes, chimes and choirs.

More information on Sparks is available at his website (RickSparksMusic.net). His CDs - Nightfall London, Matilda's Flowers, Endless and Christmas Love - and digital download tracks from those recordings are available at online sales sites such as CDbaby, Amazon, iTunes, eMusic and many other outlets. His earlier two recordings received strong airplay and reviews with Endless going into the Top 10 on the prestigious international Zone Music Reporter Top 100 Chart that specifically monitors new age music. "My quiet-music recordings received a huge shot in the arm in the Fall of 2016 when SiriusXM added seven of my songs to their Spa (68) and Escape (69) channels, " states Sparks. "The airplay from such a major outlet was a tremendous encouragement to me."

Rick Sparks' musical influences have been many and diverse: coming from a musical family, getting his B.A. degree in broadcasting from the University of Tennessee, being an FM-radio DJ in the 1970s and 1980s, earning Masters degrees in music and communication and a Ph.D. in communication from the University of Missouri, programming a leading new-age music station (The Cove) on Radionomy, and serving as a college professor. His taste in music also has been varied and includes pop music, jazz and new age. His musical career has included accompanying on-stage legendary artists that include The 5th Dimension's Marilyn McCoo & Billy Davis Jr., gospel great Alvin Slaughter of Brooklyn Tabernacle, and American Idol finalist Phil Stacey.

"The music of Nightfall London was inspired by the strings of the London Philharmonic, the ethereal voices of an English choir and the somber beauty of twilight over Big Ben, " explains Sparks. "Even more specifically, the enduring legacy of Sir George Martin was a constant inspiration to me in my arrangements, especially the string parts. His classical training and stellar musicianship were evident in all he did during his life as a producer and arranger. I admire him tremendously."

Sparks says, "I've gone from composing two original tunes on my Endless album, to seven originals on my Matilda's Flowers recording, to nine of the ten pieces on Nightfall London. I am excited about offering the listener more of myself and my music on this project."

Here, in his own words, are descriptions of each tune on Nightfall London:

1. "Across the River": "While the river might be the Thames, as suggested by the album's cover photo, there is another river which we all must cross at the end of our lives. As a Christian, I am sure that what awaits me on the other side is unimaginable beauty and joy, both the presence of God and my loved ones who made that crossing before me."

2. "Nightfall London": "What became the title song is perfectly captured by the cover photo of the album which shows the somber beauty and stillness of Old London at twilight. This is
the most 'chill' song on the album."

3. "Little Angel": "A simple, lovely piano solo inspired by the headstone of an infant's grave in an old mountain cemetery in Tennessee. The grief and heartache of her parents could only have been endured with the sure knowledge that their baby girl had been instantly transported to heaven and into the arms of Jesus."

4. "First Love": "Tender, innocent joy at the wonder of finding someone other than your family to love and to love you. First love is a truly amazing experience."

5. "Tokyo Rain": "Traditional Japanese music is mysterious and beautiful, just like their culture. I challenged myself to write a piano solo that respected that culture by mostly using the oriental music scale, but without it being a cliché of Japanese music. The lovely night photo of Japanese umbrellas was the perfect backdrop for the CD's liner-notes."

6. "Beyond the Stars": "Another simple song, driven by transcendent chord progressions. I took the song where I thought it should go, both musically and spiritually, which was into the heavenly realms beyond the stars."

7. "In the Bleak Midwinter": "The only cover song, this classic hymn of devotion to the Christ child has been a longtime personal favorite. I love Gustav Holst's gorgeous melody, and tried to give the song the gentle yet transcendent arrangement it deserves. To my ear, the strings and voices add a special sacred feel to the song."

8. "Hearts As One": "A tender love song, this one was written for my lovely wife Sandie. Romantic and gorgeous – the song and her."

9. "Highland Rose": "With my Scots/Irish roots, I've always loved Celtic music. It is simple but emotional, with typically lovely melodies. This is my effort to combine those elements into an original song, complete with fiddle and flute. Those same elements are in the Appalachian mountain music of the U.S., where I grew up, so they are very familiar to me and much loved."

10. "Evening Prayer": "I ended my two previous albums with traditional hymns, but to finish Nightfall London, I wrote my ninth and final original song for the album. The composition serves as an evening prayer of peace and gratitude to the Almighty for blessing my life with the priceless gift of music and the love of friends and family."

Sparks says, "I was raised in east Tennessee in the shadow of the Smoky Mountains, where generations of my family lived. My grandfather played banjo clawhammer-style, my airline-mechanic dad sang and played the guitar, and my mom also sang and played the piano and organ. I started pretty early with piano lessons at age seven. My parents played in church so I got an early education in the spiritual power of music and eventually became a church pianist myself. I grew up with early gospel music influences followed by the pop music I heard on Top 40 radio, and then FM pop-rock when I was a DJ and program director. During those years I learned to play Beach Boys and Chicago songs on the piano. I also have always had a deep admiration for Paul McCartney. Later my musical tastes expanded to include smooth jazz and then, about a decade ago, I became enamored by new age artists such as George Winston and Jim Brickman. When I began my own new age radio channel, I started enjoying artists that include Chris Botti, Kevin Kern, Dominic Miller and Mark Baldwin."

According to Sparks, "My utmost desire as an artist is to create music that feeds the soul, inspires and uplifts. I guess my approach to composing and recording is 'less is more.' I favor songs and arrangements that are relatively simple, but melodic. The power of music to project beauty into the world is so significant."

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