A Delicate Balance [Single]

Lisa Downing | Format: Audio CD

Product Details

• Audio CD (November 10, 2009)
• Number of Discs: 1
• Format: Single
• Label: Vision Quest Entertainment
• ASIN: B0032IY7VK
• In-Print Editions: MP3 Download
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (4 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #284,202 in Music (See Top 100 in Music)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Review from NewAgeMusicWorld.Com / NewAgeMusic.nu, November 11, 2010

By 

John P. Olsen / Review Publicist (United States) - See all my reviews

This review is from: A Delicate Balance (MP3 Download)

When searching by computer for talented artists in your favorite genre, a couple of simple search terms might quickly get you good results. If not, you can try searching the many recording labels to help you find talented artists, or at least point you in the right direction.

Lisa Downing is one name to search for, and Vision Quest Entertainment is another search term you can try. With either search result, Lisa Downing's name will appear since this business was originally her own record label and now a combined talent agency doing business as Vision Quest Entertainment which represents well over 1200 musicians in Colorado.

Now that we know Lisa Downing as a businesswoman, let me tell you about her busy career as composer, recording artists, and concert pianist. Lisa performs in many concert venues including corporate and private events, along with conducting workshops and concerts with Liz Story and Joseph Akins, among many additional reputable artists. Teaching piano along with her academic studies, Lisa attended the University of Colorado at Denver and Metropolitan State College to study music and piano performance. Graduating with a degree in Traditional and Nontraditional Music with Keyboard Emphasis in 1982, her educational pursuits appear to be nicely balanced too.

A Delicate Balance is her 2010 Solo Piano, New Age, Neo Classical release, in an album title that is pretty well equal to her business and creative endeavors as a Solo Pianist. What's interesting about the inside cover of this CD is the special written diary about the thoughts behind each song's composition which uniquely portrays Lisa's intimate expressions during some rather personal moments in her life.

I did enjoy reading her diary of songs while listening and preparing for this review of A Delicate Balance since it meticulously brought her personal recounting for each composition into the picture, giving her piano melodies a conclusively heartfelt and well spoken reflection. Without giving away all of the diary secrets, many songs like The Gift, reflect a wonderful positive expression by the classical phrasing leading to the uplifting feel given by full register piano runs. This song aligned in a moderate tempo made me think of the intrinsic treasures a gift giver feels and the unexpected joyful surprises a recipient receives.

The song Lost nicely portrays the first quiet moments in piano composition before well placed notes makes one realize that someone dear has lost their way, leading to deeper moments of pause and curiosity by her intonation. After bolder dynamic chords suggest a winding road of lost hope, an upbeat conclusive ending happily points to a more familiar direction, ending with a more moderate calming tone of security. Indecision is a faster moving piece where treble runs are shown like racing thoughts of indecisiveness, and lower register chords lean towards equal balance in an affirmative way, reflecting the decisive moments in life that are pretty much universal to everyone.

No Matter What I Do involves a special dedication and meaning to Lisa and does reflect this by quieter phrases giving way to pause, leading to a wider path, where positive chords suggest a new resolve in this scenario, ending in a more relaxed contemplation. Lisa Downing's prior albums Think On These Things is much like her current personal melodies with well timed moments of reflection, and her Holiday CD Christmas for Two are traditional holiday arrangements you will easily recognize and are easy to find CDs.

A Delicate Balance is a fine Solo Piano album with the personal Lisa Downing expressive touch. Reading her song diary while listening to her latest musical gift about finding many delicate lines during the search for perfect balance is sure to please everyone, provided they take the time to search and then find this talented artist for themselves.

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars The RajMan Review, August 31, 2010

By 

Raj Manoharan "RajMan" (New York Metropolitan Area) - See all my reviews

This review is from: A Delicate Balance (Audio CD)

Lisa Downing's third solo piano album, A Delicate Balance, is inspired mostly by her son, and this is evident by the passion with which she has infused her new CD.

Downing has channeled this passion into a wide range of emotions. The variety of moods runs the gamut from inner reflection and quiet contentment to confident determination and exuberant joy. Downing conveys all of this with engaging arrangements, lyrical melodies, and rapturous chords.

Two standout tracks on the album are "Indecision" and "No Matter What I Do." Downing has been compared to Liz Story and Peter Kater and rightly so. With these two tracks, the adventurous and quirky spirit of Bruce Hornsby can also be detected.

Downing definitely has musical chops. Apparently, in addition to recording and touring, she is available for private engagements. If this CD is any indication, no one could go wrong booking her for anything from weddings to anniversaries and other social and corporate events.

A Delicate Balance is definitely recommended for connoisseurs of solo piano music and anyone interested in hiring a professional and accomplished musician.

5.0 out of 5 stars Especially recommended as a gift to anyone who enjoys listening to lilting piano, July 16, 2010

By 

Midwest Book Review (Oregon, WI USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: A Delicate Balance (Audio CD)

A Delicate Balance is the third album by expert piano soloist and piano teacher Lisa Downing. The gentle, flowing, exquisitely beautiful music encapsulates the theme of balance in mind, body, soul, and nature. Downing's wonderfully evocative music is soothing, lovely, and far-reaching. A Delicate Balance is especially recommended as a gift to anyone who enjoys listening to lilting piano. The tracks are "The Gift" (2:25), "The Bedtime Song" (3:42), "Make Believe" (3:56), "Lost" (3:35), "Indecision" (2:37), "A Delicate Balance" (4:16), "No Matter What I Do" (3:59), "Slow Dancing" (3:29), "Song for Emma" (3:51), "Diaphanous Breeze" (3:39), "Night Games" (3:04), and "Speaker/Listener" (3:20).