Welcome

I hope you enjoy your visit to my site – reading, listening, and watching … and come back often.

Menus

Use the menu tabs above to access posts and pages in the Music, Photos, Travel, Writing,  Recipes, or Blog sections. There is an About section with additional information about this blog and me, helpful tips about using the Menu, Sidebar, and Phone, as well as a Contact form.

Music

There is a lot of music available on my site to listen with Spotify and watch related videos on YouTube.

• Greatest Hits – highlights 25 most popular music posts viewed on my blog
• Calendar – index to all music posts, current month, and previous quarters
• Music by Genre – music by genre, such as Piano, Guitar, Country, Celtic, and Pop
• Music by Date – 100 most recent music posts
• Music by Artist – all music posts by post title, typically artist name

Check out my personal playlists.

• My Playlists (10) – favorite piano, guitar, folk, pop, and country music
• My Reel Tapes (26) – playlists from the 60’s and 70’s based on personal tape recordings from FM radio
• Discovery Mix (29) – background music for reading, writing, or focus work

Some alternate Music Players may be used instead of “Spotify” to select highlighted artists or albums.  Additional information is also available about using Spotify.

Photos

The Photo Gallery highlights some of my photos, including a lovely panoramic full Morning Rainbow. My 10 most popular photo posts are listed in Favorite Photos. A Photo 101 Calendar displays all 21 photo blog posts during the Photography 101: A Photo a Day workshop in Nov 2014, organized in calendar format with day of week, date, and theme/title. There’s a Photo Summary that lists all photos in reverse date order.

Travel

Travel posts feature photos from an 8-day Viking Rhine Cruise from Basel, Switzerland to Amsterdam, Netherlands, as well as an extended 2-week Germany Trip with visits to Munich, Salzburg (Austria), Romantic Road (Nördlingen, Dinkelsbühl, Rothenberg ob der Tauber), Leipzig, and Berlin.

Writing

Writing posts includes my Poetry assignments in the Writing 201: Poetry course in Feb 2015. Best Stories features a few articles with stories, short quotes, and thoughts about my grandchildren, children, and parents.

Feedback

I would like to know what you like and what I can do to improve your experience. Comments and likes are encouraged on posts and pages, and general feedback about the web site and suggestions for improvement can be provided on the Contact form.

Joe Bongiorno: Darkness Fades

Listen to solo piano music by Joe Bongiorno on his new (14th) album Darkness Fades. Another wonderful album!

There is a full album MP3 download available at his web site for only $7.49, or you can pay $8.99 to get it from the Amazon web site (with the extra $1.50 going to them). If you want a CD instead (which also includes an MP3 download), you can request it at his web site for $11.95, and you can get him to sign it too (I don’t think you can get a CD from Amazon any more).

Full album sheet music PDF download of sheet music for all 10 songs is available for $18.95; printed spiral-bound song books with sheet music for the entire album is available for $24.95. which also includes a full PDF download, or single individual songs can be downloaded ($4.25-4.95 each), if you just want specific ones.

Album

Darkness Fades (2022) – 11 songs, 48 min

Videos

In This Moment – 5 min 19 sec

Playlist

Joe Bongiorno (Playlist) – 50 songs, 3 hr 49 min

Listen to more of his music at Joe Bongiorno with additional albums, videos, and links.

Photo credit: Darkness Fades @ Amazon (album cover)

Christine Brown: Reminiscent: Solo Piano

Listen to solo piano by Christine Brown on her new album Reminiscient: Solo Piano. I also included my playlist of her songs.

Soothing and peaceful music to reflect on those cherished moments in our lives, and offer hope for the future. I am so happy to release this new collection of original works! Creating this music brings me so much joy and comfort, I hope it provides the same for you.

Christine Brown

Album

Reminiscient: Solo Piano (2022) – 10 songs, 33 min

Playlist

Christine Brown (Playlist) – 50 songs, 3 hr 21 min

Listen to more music by Christine Brown with additional albums, videos, and links.

Photo credit: Reminiscient: Solo Piano @ Amazon (album cover)

Obsidian Flight School

If you like Obsidian for making notes into a powerful knowledge base using a local folder of plain text Markdown files and want to get faster with it, check out Obsidian Flight School. It’s an outstanding product with a self-guided action-oriented approach to learning by doing created by Nick Milo (@nickmilo) at Linking Your Thinking that is designed to improve your skills and speed with Obsidian.

🚀Obsidian Flight School is an educational product—and starter kit. It is designed to make you faster, more skilled, & more confident using the next gen note app called Obsidian.
⚡️ Fly around your notes faster than ever before…at the speed of thought.
– Nick Milo

I participated in the early pre-launch of Flight School over the past several months. Version 1.0 was officially launched today at Product Hunt (https://www.producthunt.com/posts/obsidian-flight-school​).

I strongly recommend you take several steps, in this topic interests you. I have included all the download links and videos here for your convenience. All his videos are fantastic, and you will learn so much! Even if you don’t want to purchase the Obsidian Flight School, you will benefit greatly from his free 6-part Obsidian Beginner’s Guide video series along with the Linking Your Thinking (LYT) Kit.

Obsidian app

Download and install the free Obidian app for macOS, Windows, Linux (AppImage), Linux (Snap), Linux (FlatPak), iOS, or Android (if you don’t already have it).

Obsidian Beginner’s Guide

Watch the free Obsidian Beginner’s Guide series of 6 videos to get familiar with key features.

Linking Your Thinking (LYT) Kit

Download and install his free LYT Kit that provides a zip file with an Obsidian note vault that will help you learn, understand, and enable better digital note-making and “linking your thinking” to improve your own personal knowledgement management (PKM) system.

Obsidian Flight School

Watch the Obsidian Flight School Walkthough video, which provides a great 5-minute overview.

The Walkthrough – 5 min 30 sec

Then buy the Obsidian Flight School on the Product Hunt launch page and you can get a promo code for $25 off for Jan 5-7 only (it’s a $129 product). Install its note vault in your system, and then start flying your own LYT ship around your PKM planet as you advance from a cadet to become a master pilot.

Obsidian for Beginners

Start HERE: How to Use Obsidian for Notes (1/6) – 12 min 27 sec

6 Keys to Markdown (2/6) – 10 min 8 sec

8 Key Settings (3/6) – 7 min 18 sec

Custom Themes (4/6) – 8 min 26 sec

8 Important Hotkeys (5/6) – 7 min 17 sec

Just Start. Now. (6/6) – 3 min 10 sec

This is an extremely worthwhile self-investment so you can learn Obisidian for better note making and linking your thinking (“at the speed of thought”) for an enhanced personal knowledge management (PKM) system. Leaning forward…

Louis Landon: Christmas Music

Listen to Christmas solo piano music by Louis Landon on new new album Calm and Peaceful Christmas Piano. I did a post about his first 2011 Christmas album many years ago, but also thought it might be appropriate to include that along with a more recent one.

Calm and Peaceful Christmas Piano (2021) – 13 songs, 36 min

Peaceful Solo Piano Christmas 2 (2017) – 15 songs, 48 min

Peaceful Christmas – Solo Piano (2011) – 15 songs, 59 min

Photo credit: Amazon album cover

Laura Sullivan: Pieces of Forever

Listen to instrumental piano music from Laura Sullivan on her new album Pieces of Forever. Read a great review by Kathy Parsons at mainlypiano.com.

It has been nominated as Best New Age Album for the 2022 Grammy Awards to be held Jan 22, 2022; she previously won Best New Age Album for her album Love’s River in 2014. You can read more about the album, stories behind the songs, and her parents in the press kit available at her web site.

I also included her 2018 album A Magical Christmas, her Grammy-winning Love’s River album from 2014, and my custom playlist of her other music.

The illusion of time is our obstacle. Life is like a river. The beginning, the middle, and the end are always present, and are in all things, at every moment. We cannot understand the light, without knowing the darkness. In knowing this, may we find comfort, and rest for our sorrow.

My mother was a classically trained pianist, and my father played country guitar and harmonica. In their honor I’ve created this album, delicately intertwining classical piano with Americana ambiance.

Blue Tent Creek was written in memory of my mom reflecting memories of walks behind my parent’s property. Rest Your Sorrow in 3 movements is part of an album titled Pieces of Forever inspired by the lives of both my parents, and to honor them. Creating this has been a journey of great love for me.

We all carry moments we treasure, people in our lives that have passed on but will always be so dear us, and irreplaceable precious memories. These are all eternal. They are pieces of our forever. Please enjoy this relaxing piano guitar and cello music.

YouTube – Laura Sullivan

New Album

Pieces of Forever  (2021) – 11 songs, 36 min

Christmas Album

A Magical Christmas  (2018) – 13 songs, 38 min

Grammy Album

Love’s River  (2014) – 11 songs, 55 min

Playlist

Laura Sullivan (Playlist) – 27 songs, 2 hr 9 min

Videos

A Darker Season – 3 min 31 sec

Farewell Fields – 2 min 50 sec

Blue Tent Creek – 3 min 48 sec

When We Were Happy – 2 min 52 sec

Pieces of Forever (Postlude) – 2 min 49 sec

Rest Your Sorrow, Movement 1 – 3 min 1 sec

See my music post on Laura Sullivan for more albums, videos, and links.

Photo credit: Pieces of Forever @ Amazon (album cover).

Ingrid Michaelson: Songs for the Season

Listen to Christmas music by Ingrid Michaelson on her new album Songs For The Season Deluxe Edition. This is a new version of her earlier 2018 album with 5 additional songs.

Album

Songs for the Season Deluxe Edition – 17 songs, 53 min 2 sec

Enjoy more music from Ingrid Michaelson.

Photo credit: Songs for the Season Deluxe Edition @ Amazon (album cover)

Stephan Moccio: Lionheart

Listen to solo piano music by Stephan Moccio on his new album Lionheart. I also included several albums from last year with Tales of Solace and a Christmas album Winter Poems. Read the nice reviews by Kathy Parsons at mainlypiano.com for both Tales of Solace and Winter Poems.

I also included several single variations including his solo piano version of the mega-hit Wrecking Ball that he wrote for Miley Cyrus. He has collaborated with Celine Dion (“A New Day Has Come”), Sarah Brightman (“What You Never Know”), and Josh Groban (“My Heart Was Home Again”) to name only a very few, and he also composed “I Believe,” the theme of the 2010 Canadian Winter Olympics.

There are also 7 EP volumes that he releases this year, along with several other individual singles, as well as some videos. Enjoy this amazing talent!

New Album

Lionheart (2021) – 21 songs, 52 min

Tales of Solace (2020) – 16 songs, 54 min

Christmas Album

Winter Poems (2020) – 14 songs, 58 min

Singles – Wrecking Ball

Wrecking Ball (Solo Piano Version) (2021) – 1 song, 3 min 24 sec

Wrecking Ball (Piano Version) (2018) – 1 song, 2 min 58 sec

Wrecking Ball (2014) – 1 song, 3 min 19 sec

Wrecking Ball – Miley Cyrus on Bangerz (2013) – 1 song, 3 min 41 sec

Singles – EP volumes

Vol. 1 (2021) – 5 songs, 13 min 27 sec

Vol. 2 (2021) – 4 songs, 8 min 35 sec

Vol. 3 (2021) – 4 songs, 10 min 48 sec

Vol. 4 (2021) – 9 songs, 25 min 17 sec

Vol. 5 (2021) – 11 songs, 24 min 25 sec

Vol. 6 (2021) – 14 songs, 26 min 52 sec

Vol. 7 (2021) – 5 songs, 22 min 2 sec

Singles – Individual

Life (2021) – 1 song, 3 min 36 sec

Tristesse (2021) – 1 song, 2 min 20 sec

Matin (2021) – 1 song, 3 min 3 sec

Adore (2021) – 1 song, 1 min 51 sec

October (2021) – 1 song, 3 min 46 sec

Manolete (2021) – 1 song, 4 min 4 sec

Earned It (Solo Piano) (2021) – 1 song, 4 min 6 sec

Videos

Winter Waltz – on Winter Poems (2020) – 3 min 54 sec

Lumiere – on Winter Poems (2020) – 3 min 54 sec

Whitby – on Winter Poems (2020) – 4 min 11 sec

Sea Change – on Winter Poems (2020) – 3 min 24 sec

Photo credit: Lionheart @ Amazon (album cover)

Joe Bongiorno: A Candlelight Christmas 2

Listen to solo piano Christmas music by Joe Bongiorno on his new album A Candlelight Christmas 2. I also included the first A Candlelight Christmas album from 2010, and created a custom playlist so you play them both together as background music during your Christmas holiday, as well as another playlist of his other music.

You can purchase full album sheet music song books in either spriral-bound printed or PDF download (which is also included with the printed versions). I have included those links below so you can learn to play them all yourself, or just download specific individual songs if you don’t want the full album.

Read the reviews by Kathy Parsons at mainly.piano.com of both the albums and their printed songbooks.

• A Candlelight Christmas 2 (2021): Album and Songbook
• A Candlight Christmas (2010): Album and Songbook

This is fantastic (like all of Joe’s music), and will certainly get you in the holiday mood. Here are a few quotes that describe this new album.

more holiday solo piano in Joe’s peaceful, flowing, signature style including 3 tracks by his wife/pianist Amy Janelle”.

joebongiorno.com (web site)

A little more Christmas music to unwind to…” so that gives you an idea of the spirit and style of the music. Most of the pieces have flowing broken chords on the left hand rather than the more blocked chords found in hymnals and many “sing-along” books. Intended to be played as piano solos, not accompaniments, some liberty has been taken with the traditional timing of a few pieces, but all of them are very easily recognizable and the arrangements are expressive and very beautiful.

A Candlight Christmas 2 CD (on the back)

You will love these even if you don’t celebrate Christmas. Enjoy this gift.

Christmas Albums

A Candlelight Christmas 2 (2021) – 12 songs, 51 min 1 sec

A Candlelight Christmas (2010) – 12 songs, 48 min 59 sec

Playlists

Joe Bongiorno – Christmas Piano (Playlist) – 24 songs, 1 hr 40

Joe Bongiorno (Playlist) – 50 songs, 3 hr 49 min

Song books

• A Candlelight Christmas 2 – spiral-bound ($24.95) or PDF download ($19.95)
• A Candlelight Christmas – spiral-bound ($21.95) or PDF download ($16.95)
• Individual song sheet music – PDF downloads ($4.25 – 4.95 each)

Listen to more of his music at Joe Bongiorno with additional albums, videos, and links.

Photo credit: A Candlelight Christmas 2 @ Amazon (album cover)

Red Rocks 2021 – Joe Bongiorno & Brad Jacobsen

Listen to a recent solo piano concert by Joe Borngiorno and Brad Jacobsen. It was performed live for a Facebook audience above Sedona, Arizona, and features the Kawai ES-920 digital piano. I included the song list from the concert, as well as all the albums that contain them. I love their music and the setting, and thought you might enjoy more of their music too.

Videos

Piano Haven: Red Rocks 2021 – Joe Bongiorno & Brad Jacobsen (Sep 2021) – 1 hr 7 min

Song List

Joe Bongiorno

• Face to Face – Mesmerized (2009)

• Call of the Canyon – Love’s Light (2016)

Brad Jacobsen

• Winter’s Tale – Thirteen Tales (2013)

• Autumn Walk – Road Home (2011)

Joe Bongiorno

• I’ll See You Again – When All is Quiet (2020)

• Come Home to Me – Flight of a Dream (2013)

Brad Jacobsen

• What the Moon Saw – Thirteen Tales (2013)

• Path – Shadowlight (2020)

Joe Bongiorno

• Melancholy Morning – Somewhere Within (2007)

• Darkness Fades (New – Not released yet)

Brad Jacobsen

• In the Pines – In the Pines (2012)

• Abundance – Shadowlight (2020)

Albums

These are the albums that include the songs from this concert.

Mesmerized – Joe Bongiorno (2009) – 12 songs, 53 min

Love’s Light – Joe Bongiorno (Sep 2016) – 13 songs, 59 min

Somewhere Within – Joe Bongiorno (2007) – 11 songs, 53 min

Forever More: The Very Best of (2012) – Joe Bongiorno – 15 songs, 1 hr 11 min

When All is Quiet – Joe Bongiorno (2020) – 10 songs, 45 min

Flight of a Dream – Joe Bongiorno (2013) – 12 songs, 54 min

Symfonia (Orchestrated by Doug Hammer) – Joe Bongiorno (2015) – 10 songs, 46 min

Thirteen Tales – Brad Jacobsen (2013) – 14 songs, 51 min

Shadowlight – Brad Jacobsen (2020) – 10 songs, 42 min

In the Pines – Brad Jacobsen (2012) – 12 songs, 51 min

Road Home – Brad Jacobsen (2011) – 12 songs, 42 min

Listen to more music by Joe Bongiorno or Brad Jacobsen.

Louis Landon: It’s a Good Life

Listen to solo piano music by Louis Landon on his new album It’s a Good Life. I also included several other albums released earlier this year, as well as my playlist of his songs. Read this interesting interview by Kathy Parsons at MainlyPiano.com from the beginning of the year.

Albums

It’s a Good Life (2021) – 13 songs, 39 min

Provocative Piano (2021) – 13 songs, 49 min

Nighttime Piano for Relaxing and Deep Sleep (2021) – 11 songs, 33 min

Playlist

Louis Landon (Playlist) – 70 songs, 5 hr 18 min

Listen to his music at Louis Landon for more of his albums, videos, and links.

Photo credit: It’s a Good Life @ Amazon (album cover)