Dustin O’Halloran isn’t as clever as Chilly Gonzales, but he is one of the most elegant living composers of solo piano pieces. O’Halloran’s Piano Solos 1 and Piano Solos 2 are among my favorite records of all time. Melancholic, contemplative, bookish: O’Halloran unapologetically borrows from the nocturnes of 18th century Irish composer John Field, though O’Halloran is far more lyrical.
For the last ten years, O’Halloran has spent much of his time doing work on motion picture scores, though a good deal of that work lacks the solemn, classical bent of his first several solo albums. I am happy to see he has a new record of solo piano work out this Friday. My hopes are quite high for this one.
There are still faint glimmers of civilization left in this barbaric slaughterhouse that was once known as humanity. 