Echoes of Childhood follows a story line adapted from William Wordsworth's much loved poem Intimations of Immortality. In the story it says;

"At our birth the soul rises within us ­ trailing clouds of glory. For a brief moment we are the child of joy. But all too soon shades of adulthood close in upon the dreaming child. Now in darkness lost our soul travels through the valley of forgetting and sorrow until the day that echoes of childhood come riding on the freshness wind which sounds the dance and brings with it the innocence brightness of a new born day"

Based upon this story, this 68 minute CD traces the timeless and eternal human journey from innocence found to innocence lost and innocence regained.

As with all of his recordings, Michael's piano artistry displays a remarkable ability to capture the feeling of the moment and carry it through the music. With each note the listener also hears an invitation to join Michael in the call to their own dance in which they may experience a glimpse of the subtle wonders of the world that his music reveals.

Echoes of Childhood features cover art by Judy Archer, Michael's life partner and a fine artist. It was produced by Lance Anderson who also composed and performed the background synthesizer tracks. Echoes was recorded in one sitting on a seven foot Bosendorfer model 225 piano in Michael's home studio in the Spring of 2002.

Reviews

After a very long career with Narada (his "Pianoscapes" was the first recording released by the label in 1984), Michael Jones has established his own label and released his first independent album, "Echoes of Childhood". Jones has been known for his improvised recordings, and I have to admit that some of his earlier work left me a little cold. However, I love this album! A bit more structured and 'composed,' "Echoes" wonderfully balances the freedom of spontaneous creation with. the polish of musical ideas that have been developed a bit before recording. And what an incredible instrument Jones uses to record these musical stories and ideas! The high end of the Bosendorfer absolutely sparkles, and the deep bass resounds with authority. Some of the tracks include subtle synth washes for color, but this is definitely a solo piano album.
The eight tracks range in length from just over four minutes to almost seventeen, allowing the listener to get lost in the music. Some of the compositions are darker than I remember hearing from Jones in the past, which makes me think perhaps Narada was 'type-casting' him a bit. With his own label, Jones is now free to 'paint' with a broader range of colors and textures.

"Echoes of Childhood" is based on a story by William Wordsworth, and "traces the timeless and eternal human journey from innocence found to to innocence lost and innocence regained" (quoted from Jones' website). The album opens with the light and breezy Song of the Wood Thrush, a very gentle piece with a simple melody line and catchy rhythm. Call to the Dance starts out full of energy, and weaves together several musical themes in a rich improvisation that covers a range of emotions, from joy to reflection to melancholy. In Dark Wood Lost is my favorite piece in this collection. Dark, haunting, and very introspective, the passion and sense of searching in this piece go right to the heart. The title track follows, with a strong feeling of hope and inner calm. New Born Day is full of the joy of rebirth, and some of the passages remind me of children laughing. One of the longer improvisations, the piece dances and sparkles with childlike innocence.
Excellent from start to finish, "Echoes of Childhood" will take you on a wonderful journey. Very highly recommended.
— Kathy Parsons "Solo Piano Publications"

Michael Jones has been recording since 1984, but this project represents tradition and experimentation in two very different ways. Musically, it is the high quality minimal piano compositions that we have come to expect from Jones. However, this also represents the inaugural debut on his own label, Pianoscapes. This auspicious move will only benefit jumpstarting the label courtesy of this soon to be classic recording.

Speaking of jumpstarting a label, Michael Jones along with David Lanz previously completed this task about 20 years ago when they were the foundational artists to the then rookie label Narada. And the rest, [as] they say, is history. While Lanz went out to greater commercial success by compromising his sound, Jones has remained true to his improvisational classical roots that are never overbearing. Despite his stripped down approach, the music of Michael Jones is rarely dull.

Though his collaboration with cello player David Darling on the superb album Amber continues to be his finest moment, Echoes Of Childhood holds true to the style and beauty of Michael Jones and comes close to matching his tour de force. In fact, less the compilations and yet including his collaborations, this would represent Michael's 12th recording. And he can be proud to know that this beauty also comes close to reduplicating the flagship debut album Pianoscapes for Narada over eleven albums ago. The latter has just been re-released in its complete form thus the delay on releasing this endeavor.

Musically, this particular project remains consistent and true but the songs fluctuate from short precise compositions to lengthy exploration of improvisation. The latter is best represented by the elegant "Call To The Dance" that clocks in at close to 17 minutes, though you would never know it. Equally as impressive is the "pillow talk" found on "Dream Of The World" that musically appears to fluctuate from sad dreams to dreams of joy. There is also a reprise of this track in an edited short form.

Differing to the above there are the shorter compositions such as the moody "Echoes Of Childhood" and the fluttering opening track "Song Of The Wood Thrush." But the most impressive track is the very accessible and melodious "Summer's End" that even features some very nominal synthesizer orchestration from producer Lance Anderson. A close second is the Kevin Kern-influenced "New Born Day" that also features some sparse orchestration from Anderson. These songs alone are worth the price of admission and may be a direction that Jones may want to consider.

The elegant, sophisticated and contemporary impressionistic approach of Michael Jones continues to live in his simplistic but graceful music. Echoes Of Childhood extends the rich tradition of classy improvisational "pianoscapes" that has become well known as Michael's Music. The only question that remains is whether the birth of this new label will echo this very fine and solid album that we have come to expect from Michael Jones.
I certainly wish him every success.
— Michael Debbage 'Wind and Wire"

Like many people, I own (and buy) too many compact discs. Most are played once (maybe), but a precious few CDs seem to be played over and over, year after year. Michael Jones' "Echoes Of Childhood" is one of those rare CDs that is so well-conceived, so well-performed, and so well-recorded that one playing would never suffice. This isn't piano mastery; it's piano magic. The tip-toe memories of childhood are only part of what this album gives to its listener. Hit the play button, close your eyes, and listen for just a minute and you'll find yourself setting aside all other tasks and duties. For more than an hour, while Michael plays, you'll be transported to that ageless state of childhood, where innocence and wonder create a sense of excitement that makes each day a blessing, not a burden. The booklet with this CD alludes to William Wordsworth, the 19th Century English poet who wrote "Intimations of Immortality." In that work, Wordsworth talks about his own echoes of childhood, lamenting the loss of his youth, the loss of "The things which I have seen I now can see no more." Hit the play button, close your eyes, and listen to this wonderful compact disc for just a minute and you will be blessed in ways that Wordsworth could not: through Michael Jones skilled hands on the keyboard, we can all now "see" once again our childhood. We can recall what it is we loved about those early years in life. We can remember once more what it is we need to draw on, time and time again, whenever the heavy burdens of our maturity need to be lifted by a celebration of childhood energy and enthusiasm. Michael Jones teaches through this album a valuable lesson. We do not have a choice about getting old. But we can always choose to live with the irrepressible spirit of youthfulness.
—Tom Brown from Amamzon.com review

Thank you for the CD! Its already brought me many hours of listening pleasure. There's the old rich exploratory sounds I'm familiar with, and some very exciting new ideas. I absolutely love In Dark Wood Lost - particularly the middle piece. Its very Russian, or eastern European sounding. Its not scary, as I would feel if I were lost in the woods, it makes me feel more like In Dark Woods Found. Very peaceful, thoughtful, looking sadness in the face and not running from it. Melancholy might be a better word, without the "bad" connotations most people think of when they are sad. It just is, isnt' it? Perhaps its exactly what Wordsworth says - a faint shadow of the soul's immensity lying beneath. All our happiness, hope, joy, sadness, sorrow lies there and its awesome. You touched it perfectly.

Much to my surprise, I like the synthesizer addition. It softens the edges, not that they need it, but Lance seems to deepen the music - adds a dimension perhaps, and it just works. Not overdone, just right. In a sense, the synthesizer sets the stage for the piano".
—Wendy

I never believed that it would be possible, but you have once again, created the most beautiful music that I have ever listened to. This new recording is absolutely wonderful and I thank you for it."
—Sandra B.

I love it. I love this work more than any of your others.It feels more grounded and open hearted than any and as I was listening to it today, I felt more in my body than in weeks and smiling and laughing and crying from the inside out.
—Linda C

I bought the CD....I love this music so much! A worthy encore to the Pianoscapes album of so many years ago.
Like Pianoscapes, this music reveals itself to you only slowly. Every time I replay it, I appreciate it more. My favorite tracks are Call to the Dance and the exquisite, achingly beautiful Summer's End. But the other tracks are so good too....I enjoyed the entire CD.
—James P

The story behind Echoes of Childhood.

At our birth the soul rises within us - our life star - trailing clouds of glory. For a brief moment we are the child of joy. We hear the song of the wood thrush calling us to the dance; we see the meadowland and far hills appareled in celestial light and feel the world about us alive with all the freshness of a dream.

But too soon shades of adulthood close in upon the dreaming child and our song ­ our gift at birth ­ is perceived to die away until finally, at childhood¹s end, it fades into the common light.

Now in darkness lost, our soul travels through the valley of forgetting and sorrow, our exterior but a faint shadow of the soul¹s immensity that lies beneath.

Bound by duty, it still remembers a world that is fugitive to its longings now. Yet this desire for reunion burns as an ember deep in the heart waiting for the wind whose breath will bring it to flame.

Then one day echoes of childhood come riding on the fresh wind. The scent of fresh cut grass, the radiance of which was once so bright, sounds the dance again and our soul is awakened to the innocent brightness of a new born day.

And on this day our soul knows a perfect peace, a peace that is intimate with the joys of the world and also with its pain. This peace knows that nothing can bring back the first hour yet finds new strength in a memory of a dream that will not die but lives on in the heart of humankind as a thought too deep for tears.

Adapted from William Wordsworth's Intimations of Immortality from Recollections of Childhood.

Technical notes

Michael Jones - Piano
Produced by Lance Anderson
Mixed by Inaam Haq and Lance Anderson
Mastered by Inaam Haq at Cherry Beach Sound, Toronto Canada
Piano Tuning Bill Carter Pianoshop
Artist Photography V. Tony Hauser
Cover Art "The Bay In Spring" Judy Archer
Design Nancy Nevala www.hinterland.ca
Drawings Deborah Koff-Chapin
Artwork photo Andre Beneteau
Synthesizer orchestration composed and performed by Lance Anderson on an Ensoniq MR 76.KT88 controller
Echoes of Childhood was recorded on a Bosendorfer 225 Grand Piano
All selections composed by Michael Jones
All selections published by Pianoscapes, Inc. (SOCAN)
Recorded in Orillia Ontario Canada, Spring 2002