Bill King - Gloryland (Tales From the South)

Acclaimed pianist, composer, photographer, musical director and producer - what more can you say about Bill King? You can say this new CD is his best recorded offering yet.
Pulling from his southern roots (King is actually American, but settled here in Canada) this CD is dedicated to his family and their heritage.

Bill King is respectful of his long line of Southern history. "Gloryland traces the roots of our family from the Ohio River, all the way down to Tennessee where my Dad was born, and the hills of Kentucky over through to Pennsylvania and to other parts of the South. This is where we spent our childhood, and the trips we made, visiting relatives and friends, and everything of that nature. The sound at that time was the Grand Old Opry, it was also Folk, Roots, Blues, some Jazz and a mixture of everything, a bit of 'mountain music', violins, fiddles, but that was all absorbed in this type of music."

Without going track by track (you have to listen to the whole CD to experience the musical journey) it is Bill King at his best. 'The Devil Has 666 Fingers', 'Gloryland' and 'One Blues Dress Hanging in the Wind' are my personal favourites. It is hard to chose favourites, though, as it really is a CD that should be experienced from beginning to end.

"Gloryland is sort of a pastoral look at a time that doesn't exist anymore. When the land was fairly still and the tall grass would grow around you,walking around you could almost hear sound from the grounds whisper to you and talk to you. It was imagination of a childhood and all the things that were good in your life." Bill King takes you there. From Blues, to Boogie, to Ragtime to Roots America - Bill King is all about the complete range of colors and possibilities hidden in the sound board of the grand piano - recreating a time and place when the world was in transition and the gentler side of humanity passed door to door. A wonderful musical tribute of a bygone era. This is a CD made for destined for a music lover's collection. Gloryland (Tales From the South) is available on iTunes.

http://itunes.apple.com/us/artist/bill-king/id125343872