Mike Nock - Talisman (1978) [Reissue 2014]

Beautiful solo piano from Mike Nock – and a record that grabs us a lot more than we would have expected! Nock's a player who's had so many different great moments, in so many different settings, it's almost easy to overlook a more subtle record like this – yet the album's got a sense of power and majesty that really draws from Mike's previous years, the focuses it forward in a very personal way! Nock plays acoustic piano throughout, but he often blocks out the notes in ways that recall his music on Fender Rhodes – letting some of the most brilliant sounds hang out there magically in air, soon to be followed by another illuminated moment, then another – until the sound builds up with this lyrical power that's really wonderful. Titles include "Diggers' Delite", "Sunrise", "Talisman", "For Cindy", "Curl", and "Walkabout". CD also features bonus tracks "Love Child" and "What's New".