Pianist-composer Armen Donelian emerges from the COVID-caused shutdowns with a newly refined conception on both instrument and pen on the recently released album Fresh Start. The album is the recorded premiere of Donelian’s new trio featuring bassist Jay Anderson and drummer Dennis Mackrel. Healing and stimulating, it’s music that both soothes the soul and sparks the imagination. The group’s unabashedly beautiful debut, Fresh Start, is Donelian’s 14th album. 

According to Donelian, Fresh Start evolved mysteriously over many years. At times, exciting compositional ideas emerged from nowhere, only to lead back there. Inspiration came equally from Standards, great composers, doing gigs with other musicians, teaching and from the roller coaster of life, but these moments were separated by months and at times years of fruitlessness. In responding to the calamity of the pandemic, this trio offers a balm in troubled times.

The Jazz I Saw, an exhibition of photographs of eminent Jazz musicians from the private collection of Dr. Jeffrey I. Monkash, is on display now through May 7 at the Claverack Free Library. For more information please visit www.claveracklibrary.org.