Simple, sweet, serene and yet seductive, the music of Brian Crain is the perfect synonym for the word romance.
Built around soothing melodic piano instrumentation colored with just the right balance of string arrangements
the music is more than just memorable. MICHAEL DEBBAGE, WIND AND WIRE MAGAZINE

The Emotion of Melody
RJ Lannan New Age Reporter

In the central valley region of Italy known as Tuscany there is a medieval town called Siena. Famed for its Gothic architecture and picturesque countryside it is the home of castles, cathedrals and color. Burnt sienna artist’s paint is made from the clay there. Music is made from the inspirations there. Brian Crain must have had a lovely visit there for his new album Sienna is full of lush pastoral tunes that soothe the mind like a sky full of stars on a moonless night and that are more calming than floating on a mountain lake in summer.

Brian Crain’s music is contemplative solo piano with a spattering of background atmosphere. The composer uses 88 black and white keys to paint colorful sonorant portraits of family and brilliant pictures of life and landscapes.

Born in Hollywood, California, Brian began whistling a happy tune at the tender age of five, literally. He ignored music until ten years old when he took piano lessons, but that was short lived as his latest diversion was baseball. In his teens he gave composing little attention and began editing film music. He created innovative techniques that became industry standards. But he kept on whistling. Around twenty, using self-guided practice and improvisation, he taught himself the piano. Baseball fell to the wayside as dreams often do, but his musical talent emerged and he began composing in earnest. With encouragement form his family he began recording his works and eventually a career was born. Good for us.

The first cut, Song For Sienna, has a music box quality to it and it is no surprise as this is Brian’s gift to his young daughter and not the town in Italy. If ever there was music written for a sunny summer day in the park, this is it. You stroll under the shade trees, ride the carousel, or float along in a swan boat on the meandering river as the day slowly slips into night. Hold my hand, dear.

On a dark and stormy night you stand by the window and stare off into the horizon. The rain patters on the roof and in an instant the angry gray clouds have covered the moon. Life will never be the same. Eclipse of the Moon is a very touching song that tells a tale of love found and love lost. Can you ever recapture the moment? Brian’s sensitive tune partners piano and string background in a tryst of torn emotions and unanswered questions.

Midnight Blue is a song with classical properties that have been enriched by Crain’s sophisticated melody. It is the difference between looking at an old sepia photograph versus a colorful van Gogh. Like the painting Starry, Starry Night you can hear the stars drift across the sky while life slows down, then stops on the earth below. This is one of Crain’s better solo compositions.

Tears in the Fountain is as sad as anything Polish composer Henryk Goreki has ever produced, but the tune is hauntingly beautiful in its simplicity and positively languid in its flow. Like tears from the eyes of child, the notes slowly cascade and every transparent, salty drop is a burn mark on your soul. This is without a doubt my favorite song on the album and do not be surprised if after hearing it you find you have added a few tears into your own fountain.

Appropriate to the end of Sienna is After Sunset. It has a quiet sense of dignity and a sadness to it that is one of farewell. It is as if Crain knows he might never return to Siena, so this is his tribute and his goodbye to a magnificent chapter in man’s history. On its pages are remarkable color, animated pageantry, and incredible sonant beauty.

Brian Crain melds a good mixture of solo and instrumental pieces on Sienna that can be enjoyed at any time of the day. Brian is currently working up to his next tour in Southeast Asia. Hopefully, he will include some tours in the U. S. soon where his music is becoming much appreciated. I will be the first in line for a ticket.

Review by Kathy Parsons Solo Piano Publications

Brian Crain’s latest release, “Sienna,” is his most beautiful and impressive album yet. Named for and dedicated to his daughter, Reagan Sienna Crain, the music is flowing, melodic piano with synth accompaniment. Inspired by the simple things in life, Crain also found inspiration for this new music during a recent trip to Italy. He sought to capture the simple warmth and beauty of that country, and did a very elegant job of it. The melodies themselves are not complicated, but the strength of the emotion and sincerity in the music communicates so well, taking the listener to a peaceful place for renewal and spiritual refreshment. All of the tracks on “Sienna” are quiet and introspective, giving a consistent mood for background music, but each selection is individual enough to keep the active listener engaged and intrigued. This would be a wonderful album to go to sleep to, but I cannot recommend it for a wake-up alarm - you’ll never make it!

“Song for Sienna” opens the CD with a lovely little waltz full of contentment and innocence. Starting as a simple piano melody, the piece evolves with each repeat until it becomes fully orchestrated. There are shades of some of Yanni’s piano pieces here, but I mention that only for reference. “Lavender Hills” is gentle and delicate - mostly piano and synth strings. Normally, synth strings drive me up the wall, but they don’t on Crain’s recordings. I don’t know if it’s his technique or his equipment, but they add a subtle warmth to Crain’s music that is very agreeable. “Crimson Sky” is a beauty with an arpeggiated left hand and a bittersweet melody in the right. Very visual and evocative, this would easily lend itself to a movie soundtrack. “Eclipse of the Moon” is my favorite track. It is very gentle with a rolling left hand and a melody that is profound in its simplicity. The orchestration adds power, but never detracts from the gentleness of the theme. I have to get the sheet music for this one! “Midnight Blue” is an introspective piece that could be a late-night soliloquy - a bit somber and questioning. “Tears in the Fountain” seems inspired by a Chopin Prelude with its deep sadness and and uncluttered lines. There isn’t a weak track on this CD. The pieces are at once very polished and yet seem spontaneous in their openness and honesty.

“Sienna” is currently available only from www.briancrain.com. Samples are also available on his site, as are free sheet music downloads. Very highly recommended!

Review by Michael Debbage Wind and Wire Magazine

One of the benefits of reviewing is that you are exposed to artists that you may have never heard of. And every now and then they turn out to be a hidden treasure. Brian Crain is one of those gems. Simple, sweet, serene and yet seductive, the music of Brian Crane is the perfect synonym for the word romance. Built around soothing melodic piano instrumentation colored with just the right balance of synthesized string arrangements the music is more than just memorable.

Crain is a native Californian who has released a total of 8 albums that also include a live and Christmas project. His website states that he has sold over 100,000 copies, which would not surprise me considering the level of quality heard here. Unfortunately, the way the music business is set up many viable musical outlets such as gift stores are not monitored by Soundscan. In fact, the reason that I found out about this artist was courtesy of a fellow reviewer's website. Yes, the Internet can be a wonderful place.

Apparently this disc was recorded around the inspiration of a trip to Italy and there is no doubting the compositions mirror the beauty of the country. Comparable is the level of workmanship with Crain completing all the composing, producing and even the artwork on the front cover. Okay, so the latter is not inspirational but quite the contrary when it comes to the moving musical experience.

Most of the songs fall in the vernacular of Yanni's "unplugged" project In My Time that was released back in 1993. With a total of 13 tracks, they average around 3 to 4 minutes each, largely revolving around an inspiring chorus. Though the greater focus is pure piano instrumentation, the songs are countered and colored with keyboard based string arrangements giving it a quartet quality.

Strangely, Crain avoids the perils of making the string arrangements sound manufactured and is even successful in creating some grand orchestration. This is best found on "Crimson Sky," which opens with some very mild ivory tinkering. But do not let the introduction fool you as Crain builds progressively with repeated visits to the chorus adding mild string arrangements and eventually bold orchestration without overwhelming the listener. We even hear hints of percussion though this is largely avoided throughout the project allowing Crain to focus more on the serene than the bombastic.

Equally as dramatic is "The Garden Gate," which follows a similar progression as does "Eclipse Of The Moon." However, even during the more peaceful moments, the reflective approach is just as inspiring. Best example of such is "The Secret Letter" that has a more classical approach along with a very effective use of minor chords bringing to mind fellow pianist Craig Urquhart. Or perhaps the melancholy "After Sunset" that concludes the album. Otherwise, the songs fall somewhere in between, such as the waltzing opening track "Song For Sienna," "Midnight Blue," or the inspirational "At First Light" which reflects the stirrings of a new day.

I was fortunate enough to receive two other CDs from Brian Crain which were A Simple Life and Inside The Melody. These projects confirm that Crain is a viable artist very capable of consistent compositions that are both moving and reflective. However, of the three I have heard, Sienna is no doubt his most adventurous project to date. Via Italia!