About Jim Gibson's Music
At Hickory Cove Music, the question we hear most frequently is, "How did Jim develop his solo piano style? I've never heard anything exactly like it."
Jim's music has been available in the solo piano CD market for about thirteen years, with new recordings added every year. But he's spent decades as an active professional pianist. He's played literally thousands of events of every sort--jazz to classical-- in Atlanta and the Southeast, and in Florence, Italy and Paris.
These years of commercial piano work are important, because performing for a wide range of audiences teaches flexibility and builds useful musical skills. Thus, Jim can shift instantly from style to style, and be masterful in each of them. He knows thousands of songs (bad ones and great ones), and this feeds his creativity as well. He has played hundreds of "jazz gigs" as well as thousands of quiet solo-piano dinners, cocktail parties, and receptions.
This versatility adds to the appeal of his playing, and a deep appreciating for melody is obvious in all his recordings.
What's In a Style?
Jim's style is flowing, different, unique. If you like solo piano music, we know you'll enjoy these recordings. (And, if you're a musician, you'll appreciate the fact that Jim doesn't just play in the 'easy' keys. He moves through them as easily as he meanders through styles, tempos, and musical ideas.)
This is not cocktail music, though it has many of the same characteristics--it's quiet and melodic, and often is built around great compositions by Jerome Kern, or Cole Porter, or Andrew Lloyd Webber . . . or Stephen Foster. Jim manages to add something extra to these instant compositions that sets them apart from "just" cocktail piano.
It's not classical, although it has restraint and structure, and always displays polished technical ability. Often, you'll hear quotes from the classics. You can tell that Jim loves Chopin.
And it's not jazz . . . though it is all completely improvised, created on the spot. Jim's early influences as he started his professional playing career included jazz piano icons Errol Garner, Oscar Peterson and Dave Brubeck. Later, he listened closely to Keith Jarrett and Chick Corea. These influences are identifiable in his playing, but don't dominate.
As one of our customers wrote, "It's just the prettiest music. I listen to it all day and never get tired of it."
We think you'll agree. Please take time to browse the recordings and listen to sound samples. (There are easy download links on each CDs page, too.)
