Here are two completely different albums delivered by artist Louis Rosen. Take your pick!
Act One is subtitled “Piano Music From the Theater” and has Rosen composing music for both piano solos and duets, performed by Kimberly Grigsby, Ted Sperling, Joseph Thalken, Barbara Keller, Melissa Shiflett and Peter Lurie. The songs are warm parlor pieces, mixing ragtime, stride and cabaret on pieces like “Typing Variations” and “Suite Stride” while the duets such as “The Talking Dog” and “Into Night” are whimsical charmers. Elegant and stately.
On the other side of the street, Rosen sings, plays acoustic guitar and piano, and delivers material akin to John Prine on his fourteen compositions. He teams with David Mansfield/g-vi-mand, Dave Phillips/b and Sean McDaniel-Gary Seligson/dr along with a string and horn team for a handful of tracks. The tunes themselves are thoughtful reflections and messages, while the gentle guitar strums and picks create a homespun feel on “I’ve Seen This Move” and “Faith In Doubt” His piano is relaxed on “There For You” and the team gets honky Tonkin on “Everything’s For Sale” while he gets intimate on the deep and penetrating “Song For Charlotte.” Vintage singer/songwriter