Style: Inspirational instrumental piano; compare to John Tesh, Ferrante & Teicher, Jim Brickman
Top tracks: “Carol of the Bellz,” “Londonderry Falls” “Ode to Joy”
Jones’ latest collection of inspirational piano originals includes duets with Scanlan, the 2011 Miss America, whose show-stopping performance of Jones’ unconventional “White Water Chopped Sticks” helped win her the crown. Impressionistic in approach, Jones paints moods of rest (“Rachel’s Lullaby”), risk-taking (“Unchartered Waters”), and autumn with the “Moonlight Sonata”-esque undercurrents of “October,” as well as derivatives of Americana favorites like “Ode to Joy” and “Londonderry Falls”—Jones’ take on “O Danny Boy.” Scanlan’s programmed-inspo vocal cut (“After All”) is incongruent with the rest of the recording, and the songs suffer from sameness. But Jones’ performances are professional and heartfelt.
Copyright © 2012 Christianity Today. Click for reprint information.