Sometimes I like getting totally away from my music endeavors. A few days off allows me to come back into it with renewed excitement and fresh creativity.
Tags: Beautiful Music, jim chappell, jim chappell blog, jim chappell piano, new age piano, relaxing music, relaxing piano, solo piano, soothing piano music
My younger brother Tom and his wife finally made it out to visit me in California one summer. I had been living in Marin County just north of San Francisco for several years, and wanted them to see what a different world it was there from my home state Michigan.
I had a few activities planned that I wanted to share. One involved a “nature hike” that I thought would really be memorable that I wanted to do with my brother. I decided it would be great for Tom and I to head out alone for the morning; it had been too many years since we had been able to do anything like that together!
So I drove over to where he was staying and picked him up and said we were going somewhere really cool, but didn’t say exactly where we were going. Off we headed in my car towards Muir Woods, which is a dramatic setting of ancient redwood trees with hiking paths strewn all throughout the forest there.
Depending on the time of year it could be foggy and a bit cold and damp there; which is the way it was as when we arrived to start our hike. We knew the “big trees” were there, but it was a bit frustrating not being able to look up and see just how big they actually were.
About forty five minutes into our walk things began to shift; the fog was starting to lift some and new silhouettes were gradually appearing above us. Then all of a sudden golden-white shafts of sunlight began to burst through from above. The beautiful rays were eventually shooting through the enormous tree branches all around us; it was absolutely mesmerizing!
We were standing there heads tilted upward in total awe like two little kids seeing magic being performed as we took it all in. “What fantastic timing!” I thought, as we smiled at each other..
The rest of the hike was full of sweet natural light showering us with unique, inspiring, visual surprises; like a Sunbeam Serenade.
“Wow…” is all we could both say repeatedly as we drove off from our incredible forest experience; “now that was something!”
Tags: Beautiful Music, jim chappell, jim chappell blog, jim chappell piano, new age piano, relaxing music, relaxing piano music, solo piano, soothing piano music
I enjoy creating, working with arrangements, expressing, and listening to music because I get a chance to travel with it. It always takes me away to a place that is other worldly in a sense, but actually very real for me. That’s the draw I suppose; the freedom my work allows me to experience.
Tags: Beautiful Music, jim chappell, jim chappell blog, jim chappell piano, new age piano, relaxing music, relaxing piano music, solo piano, soothing piano music
I’m in the middle of creating a workshop on musical improvisation; will be sharing it soon:) It’s fun getting all of the info together based on my experiences; the challenge is to have it be practical, understandable, and easy to use..
Tags: Beautiful Music, Improvisation, jim chappell, jim chappell blog, jim chappell piano, new age piano, relaxing music, relaxing piano music, solo piano, soothing piano music
Getting the itch to do more live shows this year; that should be fun:) Maybe not a lot at first, but I’m assuming that will build over time. (I took a break after having a baby- well sort of you could say:)
Will let you know if I’m in your area..
Tags: Beautiful Music, jim chappell, jim chappell blog, jim chappell piano, new age piano, relaxing music, relaxing piano music, solo piano, soothing piano music
I was lucky enough as a kid to have some unspoiled nature around to explore. We lived right across the street from an undeveloped woodland area. I used to sneak off regularly so I could visit what was known as “the creek.”
The “creek” was actually more of an elaborate marshy pond of some sort that flowed via a small stream into the nearby lake. It was full of wildlife: mallard ducks, frogs, large fish, minnows, brilliant orange-colored dragonflies, crayfish, muskrats, tadpoles, little bugs that could run along on top of the water, and various colorful birds that loved frequenting the setting.
I spent many hours there at the water’s edge just taking it all in. It was fascinating and calming for me at the same time. The creek actually became my sanctuary over time. I went regularly to comfort myself, listen, and watch. It was like entering another world for me.
I remember going there one warm summer’s night during a full moon; it was a serene, beautiful, and far more mystical place than in the daytime. My favorite place had changed itself into something even more peaceful and intriguing. It was as if there was a completely different group of creatures playing in the silver hush. And those were the different array of water fairies called sprites, nymphs, selkies, sirens, alvins and whatever else they have been named over time!
Water Spirits will hopefully take you on a little moonlit journey to this very special world I was able to be a part of…
Tags: Beautiful Music, jim chappell, jim chappell blog, jim chappell piano, new age piano, relaxing music, relaxing piano music, soothing piano music
This story behind the song is about a painting that hung on the wall of our living room for most of my childhood. It was one that caught my father’s eye, from I’m not sure where, but before long he was happily whistling some tune (as he often used to do) and measuring the wall to put it up.
I remember sitting and staring fondly at that painting often as I grew up; there was something absolutely magical about it for me. It was peaceful and relaxing, but also exciting and full of life at the same time. Sometimes I used to get so caught up in the mesmerizing imagery I felt like I was actually in the painting myself! There was also a particular innocence to what the painter was trying to say that I must have adored.
I’m not sure who the artist was, but I’ll describe the setting portrayed as best I can: It was centered on a farm yard of some sort with a beautiful, lazy pond in the center of it. In the pond were a small family of ducks; a mother, father, and two babies swishing along close behind. A little boy and his sister were happily chasing each other several feet away; playing what appeared to be a game of “tag.” Next was a puppy attempting to wade into the pond without getting wet to retrieve a stick someone may have casually tossed there?
As a big part of the backdrop there was a brilliant, large recently washed down red barn off to the side. A soft green grassy knoll spread around the water with a butterfly dipping around the puppy’s head to celebrate something or other it was feeling I suppose. Off to the side of all of this was the father with a brown and black handsome smoking pipe resting out of the side of his mouth as he sawed on a piece of wood for some project he had going.
Last but not least were the two bluebirds in the full, bushy green tree on the far side of the yard apparently commenting on the goings on by serenading anyone who cared to listen…
All in all for me this work of art was a simple, fascinating, joyous little slice of life where everything was good, pure, and those involved were rich with what they had and full of contentment.
I’ve used Sweet Country to try and capture the essence of this painting for you.
Tags: Beautiful Music, jim chappell, jim chappell blog, jim chappell piano, new age piano, piano music, relaxing music, relaxing piano, relaxing piano music, soothing piano music
There is a simple beauty I keep being reminded of that touches the more elevated parts of who I am.
Examples would be: I’ve always been fond of sunlight reflecting on the water, of songbirds singing their little hearts out every spring, of the sound of crickets chirping on a warm summer’s evening, of the glorious shapes that billowing clouds take on from time to time…
I’m sure these types of moments contribute constantly to my inspiration to create more music. There’s a lot of free love around when one takes the time to notice it:)
Tags: Beautiful Music, jim chappell, jim chappell blog, jim chappell piano, mood, piano music, relaxing music, relaxing piano music, solo piano
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