JIM BRICKMAN
Destiny
(p) (c) 1999 Windham Hill Records
14tks/48mins

The presented here album by Jim Brickman is a good demonstration of how broad is he range of music released by the Windham Hill Records. This company, which is rightly considered one of the pioneers and founders of the new age music, is releasing at the same time a lot of most various music from classics to jazz and pop-music and even literature plays for children. I would characterize the album Destiny as a soft pop with some elements of new age.

Jim Brickman plays various keyboards. The arrangements are enriched with background violins, cellos, guitars and a little bit with wind instruments. Instrumental compositions are alternating with songs. I should say that the instrumental compositions clearly turned out for Brickman better. They contain aroma and refinement, characteristic to Windham Hill. Part Of My Heart and Bittersweet contain that subtle spirit and aesthetics, for which the albums produced by this remarkable company are always notable for.

Still the vocal compositions do not make a strong impression, maybe because they are made in the style of traditional American pop-music (for example, Your Love, where the vocal part is performed by Michelle Wright). In general, feminine vocals by various performers is at present practically in all the compositions (in duet with Brickman or solo). All the compositions are beautiful and melodic, but there is no sense for me to stop on them. One exception, in my view is the bonus track What We Believe In, in which one can hear the vocal of the famous country artist Pam Tillis. Her singing is especially moving and emotional.

So, this is my resume: Destiny is a very nice and pleasant music, which is worthy of being a good background.

Serge Kozlovsky