Brickman celebrates music & friendship

It looks like Christian Bautista is really on a roll these days. He has a big hit with his new CD Romance Revisited, which is made up entirely of songs written by Jose Mari Chan. Then while checking out the list of selections in Jim Brickman’s latest album Beautiful World, I found Cut 21 titled Never Far Away, and what do you know, the credits say “Featuring Christian Bautista.”

Brickman is a pianist and composer who is known all over the world for his beautiful, relaxing melodies. He usually features a few vocalists in his albums, perhaps to break the monotony of continuous piano playing. Interestingly, this style has resulted in some of his biggest hits like Valentine with Martina Mcbride, The Gift with Collin Raye and Susan Ashton and Hear Me by Michael Bolton. Maybe one or two will be coming from Beautiful World and maybe it will be Christian’s.

Another surprise from Beautiful World is hearing Brickman play songs that he did not write. If I remember right, the only time this happened before was in his Christmas album, which I must add we have great need of during these hectic times. Beautiful World has David and Bacharach’s What The World Needs Now and the Douglas and David-Weiss classic What A Wonderful World. These famous songs, both of which tell of the search for a perfect world are performed by singers from different countries.

What The World Needs Now is a live rendition featuring American Idol finalist Melinda Doolittle, Cuban soul star Jon Secada, balladeer Mark Masri from Canada, Anne Cochran from the U.S. of A. and Orla Fallon of Celtic Woman from Ireland. Secada sings What A Wonderful World in English and Spanish. And not to forget, there is also Christian who is Filipino.

This racial variety celebrates the music and friendship concept of the album. With the music and the performances featured, Brickman wants to show that different people from all over the world can find love and unity through music, especially one as charming and as easy on the ears as the kind he makes.

Brickman also took this celebrating music and friendship call into account while composing new materials for this CD. Take a look at his titles for topics that range from the bucolic to the exotic or simply that denote dreams of far off places. You will also notice as you listen that the melodies go with the themes. Think playful for Carnivale or flowing for Rivers Edge.

Beautiful World also has Beautiful World (We’re All Here) featuring Adam Crossley; Simple Gifts; Countryside; Rainbow Sky; Harvest; Free To Fly; Wedding Bells; Romance On The Seine; Fallen Snow; In The Mountain Air; Lotus Blossom; On My Way; Noche Pacifica; Island Paradise; My Land featuring Fallon again; and Ocean’s Apart.

As always, Brickman’s playing is impeccable. It is pretty instrumental music to relax to. Nothing shakes or shocks and we can really be thankful to Jim for providing us with such moments.

Brickman’s Christmas music also provides a nice touch for the coming Holidays. Put his The Hymns and Carols of Christmas on the machine and almost instantly, the pace of time slows down, you find more smiles than harried looks around you and your heartbeat resumes its regular beat. A great de-stresser, it helps listeners get the message of peace and goodwill that Christmas is always meant to be. Allow me to also remind you that the producer of the CD is a Filipino. Ito Rapadas formerly of the boy group Neocolors took charge of the production. That must be the reason why this one touches the Pinoy’s heart more than any Brickman recording.

Of course heading the line-up is The Gift performed by John Trones. The rest are mostly traditional stuff like Carol of the Bells, Gloria, O Come All Ye Faithful, All Through the Night, Noel, God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen, Holy Holy Holy with David Klinkenberg, We Three Kings of Orient Are, Joy to The World, Upon a Midnight Clear, Hark! The Herald Angels Sing, Angels Blessing, The Holy and the Ivy and Away in a Manger. Christmas Is, another Brickman composition is featured in two versions, one by Mark Masri and the other by local songbird Regine Velasquez.