Pianist James McGowan puts together a musical program focusing on a personal pilgrimage from despair to hope on this 16 song album. Through the spoken readings of Jamaal Amir Akbari, the reflective tale mixes classical tones from the string section of Cendrine Despax-Jean Despax/vi, Maxime Despax-Olivier Philippe-Auguste-va, Valerie Despax-Cal McGowan/cel, a jazzy horn section of Petr Cancura-Mike Tremblay/ts, Mark Ferguson/tb and a rhythm team of Alex Moxon/g, JeanPhilippe Lapensee/b and Jamie Holmes/dr. There a handful of spoken “Imagine” poems with string and or jazz support, keeping the story together, with the songs themselves ranging from the Bartokian “Grief and despair” to a funky “Rime To Rise” featuring Cancura’s tenor grinding it out around the hip horns. Mix of impressionist cello and piano give solace on “Inner Peace” with Moxon give some rockish guitar on the melodic “Augmented Reality”. None of the juxtapositions feel forced, and the music feels comfortable guiding you through the pilgrim’s progress.