Album Notes

I created this musical project to take you, the listener, on a journey through time -- a full calendar year. In interpreting each month, I strive to balance what it felt like to me, personally, and what it may feel like to everyone, collectively. I first looked for opportunities to use representations of each month as they relate to nature and our ever-evolving lives. Then I considered the flow of the 12-song structure and the hierarchy of the songs as they relate to each other in all of the 12 keys.

JANUARY begins with an imperturbable feeling that ultimately turns into resolution and optimism. FEBRUARY creates a melancholy mood with its slow, lethargic beginning, then a yearning for love and the recognition that the New Year is underway. MARCH picks up quite frantically, representing the end of winter and times of madness. APRIL unfolds in stillness and then upliftment as spring brings new beginnings. MAY whirls and dances along, as butterflies and bees fly around the flowers in full bloom, and the sun shines through the tree branches. Then, “JUNE gloom” is upon us, as the fog rolls in … could there be a summer rain? JULY embarks on a new journey of exploration -- a summer love or adventure is on the mind, or possibly a fond memory. AUGUST builds gradually and majestically, like the summer heat burning on a desert plane, where life emerges temporarily in a creative and inspiring community. The theme of SEPTEMBER is a somber one, drawing inspiration from September 2001 -- when amidst all the chaos, our collective support brought togetherness in uncertain times. OCTOBER is the “peak” of Odyssey; a journey that has challenges, yet continues to move forward. There is a peace within that emerges, regardless of outside forces, when one is on purpose in life and decides to “go for it” no matter what. NOVEMBER brings an autumn breeze and with it, thoughts of friends and family. Yet there is still work to be done -- another frantic scramble with a broken meter and chaotic movement. Finally comes DECEMBER, a time for reflection and gratitude. As its theme is reintroduced, the finale soars to new heights and we let go of the past, beginning to look ahead to yet another year. The full journey has been made, and the celebration has begun again!