Michael Gott

Enjoy the sweet and soothing sounds of Michael Gott's first solo piano project.

The piano has now been in my life for three decades--a lifelong friendship really.  When I first began lessons, we didn't own a piano so I had to walk to our little country church to practice.  I loved sitting in the quiet and peace of the sanctuary and playing whatever came to mind.  I've been composing and improvising since the very beginning.  I'm sure those early songs weren't much, but it pleased me enormously to be playing something that had never been played before.  There is a tremendous freedom in that.

In the last thirty years I have played so many different kinds of music in so many different settings that I could never list them all here.  Opera, jazz, gospel, cheesy piano bar sing-a-longs just to name a few.  Through every stage of my musical journey I have always continued to seek out the quiet room where I could be alone with my thoughts and with a piano.  I have continued to find that sense of freedom and serenity in this music.

This album marks the first time I have allowed someone to join me in my quiet room.   This time the room was the large piano room at Crystal Clear Recording Studios in Dallas.  The person I invited to join me was engineer Kent Stump who has recorded my last four albums.  I had some clear ideas for these pieces but I also gave myself room to explore.  The result, I think and hope, is something organic and beautiful, having structure and form yet open and improvisational.

Now that it's finished I can tell you that this whole project was an experiment.  I wasn't sure these pieces would have any meaning for anyone but myself.  It was only after I had listened to the completed recordings a few times that I knew I wanted to share them.   For those who only know my music from my vocal recordings, this will be a different sort of experience.  I think if you will give this music a chance you will enjoy it.  If I may, I'd like to offer just a bit of instruction for listening.  First, find a quiet room...

        --Michael Gott
            November, 2005