If you grew up humming songs like "Chim Chim Cheree" and "Winne The Pooh," then you have Richard B and Robert M Sherman to thank. These Disney Legends provided the soundtrack during many a baby boomer's formative years.

Of course, as you grew older, your taste in music changed. Which is why all those albums featuring  the Sherman Bros. music got pushed towards the back in your record collection. To then make room for recordings that featured the music of Bob Dylan and The Beatles.

Well,  as Harry Chapin once sang: " All My Life's a Circle " Which is why it gives me such pleasure to now talk about "Forgotten Dreams." Which is this brand-new CD from Richard Sherman that is clearly aimed at adults.

Now don't expect to hear any tongue-twisting lyrics after you throw this disc into your  car  audio system. For this new Solid Air Records recording is made up entirely of instrumentals. Evocative piano interludes that conjure up - just for a moment or two - this strong emotional response.

You see, there's this skein of melancholy that runs through "Forgotten Dreams." Many of the 15 tracks that James Jensen has assembled for this album have kind of a rueful quality to them. So as you listen to pieces like "Ambition" and "Reflection," you can't help but feel sad. Or - at the very least - a little introspective.

But at the same time, there are tracks on this recording that have great structure and sophistication.  I loved the rhythms of "Big City." And when you hear "Spanish Tile," you can't help but think about all those beautiful Spanish-style homes that you see while driving  around Los Angeles.

That (to my way of thinking, anyway) is one of the more enjoyable aspects of "Forgotten Dreams." How - as you listen to mood pieces like "Rain Street" - you actually conjure up scenes in your mind as to what these musical moments might look like up on the big screen.

I'll say this much: one does come away from listening to this new Solid Air Records recording with a renewed appreciation of Richard M. Sherman's musicianship. By that I mean: I already knew that Richard was a skilled composer. But I had also heard that Sherman (just like Irving Berlin) was supposed to be pretty heavy-handed when it came to the keyboard. So it was kind of a shock to listen to a piece like "Caprice" and then realize how skilled this guy is. The lightness & precision that Richard can bring to his piano playing.

Mind you, if you're looking for that Sherman Brothers energy & bounce that you associate with tunes like "Supercalifragilisticexpialidocious" and "The Wonderful Thing About Tiggers," then you're sure to love "Sunset & Vine." Which is this upbeat & energetic piece that would have been a great Sherman Bros. song if Richard could have just persuaded Robert to write some lyrics.

Disney Legend Richard M. Sherman. Copyright Disney Enterprises, Inc. All rights reserved

What I kind of hope here is that people in the industry will soon discover "Forgotten Dreams" and then reach out to Richard. Perhaps someone at Turner Classic Movies  will listen to this recording and then hire Sherman to come create a new underscore for a classic silent film. Or - better yet - that some choreographer will hear this CD and then be inspired to create this evening of interpretive dance that showcases Richard's emotional and evocative tunes.

Thursday, August 26, 2010

Sherman Magic

  Imagine having Richard Sherman sit down and play a personal piano concert just for you. That sense of intimacy is exactly what you get with Forgotten Dreams, the splendid must-have CD (produced by Grammy Award-winning James Jensen) of haunting piano pieces both composed and played by acclaimed and award-winning composer/lyricist Richard Sherman. If you are a fan of Richard Sherman's music from films, theme parks and TV shows (and who isn't it?) you will love this new recording, a loving collection of 15 pieces Richard has composed as personal reflections, compositions I'm sure he originally wrote for himself and close friends, but that can now be enjoyed by everyone. These intimate musical interludes range from the soulful to the melancholy to the upbeat, each skillfully and expressively played by Richard himself. There's a stylish sophistication to these pieces that are different from the Sherman songs we know so well, though I certainly would not consider any Sherman song lacking in either style or sophistication. (By the way, it is beyond annoying to still encounter people, especially those who should know better, that still insist the Sherman Brothers wrote songs for "kiddie" movies. As anyone who reads this blog surely knows, the Shermans wrote songs for everybody of every age, and no one—least of all Walt Disney—considered the Disney films and other productions to be exclusively or even mainly for "kiddies.") I myself have listened to Forgotten Dreams many times and each time I discover another nuance in between the notes, an additional richness, a new musical emotion. Be sure and add this beautiful musical experience to your musical library—it's available at AcousticMusicResource.com, at Amazon: Forgotten Dreams, and iTunes. As co-producer Bernadette Bowman has said, the "M" in Richard M. Sherman most definitely stands for magic.