Album Notes

Award-winning pianist/composer Chris Opperman wastes no time reeling the listener in with his new album "Beyond the Foggy Highway." The album begins with a HUGE crack of the snare drum and drops the listener right into the middle of an intense improvisation between Opperman, futuristic guitarist Andre LaFosse, as well as former Telepathy members Isaac Slape and Kevin Dooley full of the rage and fury that has become just one characteristic of Opperman's live performances.

The album is comprised mainly of tracks from four performances, each representative of a different stage of the evolution of Chris's music over the last few years. Not presented in chronological order (as Chris decided it would be a disservice to the music to order it that way), the album features solo performances (including fan favorite "Balanchine," Opperman's 100th composition and officially released for the first time here), duets with Andre LaFosse, Opperman's "chamber" ensemble Chris Opperman & Friends and finally Opperman's rock band Special Opps.

Standout tracks include the improvisation "Sad Teenager Wars" which is beautiful and intense, the very first performance of "Miles Behind," presented as a duet which has a very natural ebb and flow, as well as fiery live versions of "Beware of the Random Factor," and "The Walls are Coming Down."

Opperman's playing on "Theme from Failure" is probably his most intense outing to date. Chris works himself into a complete frenzy by the end of the piece which suddenly self-destructs.

The album ends with the lovely and extremely talented Kat Parsons, who sits in with Special Opps for a performance of her piece "To Return to You." Exciting and drastic, the piece fades and the music dream is over.

Now, Opperman is currently working on his fifth album, a studio album tentatively titled "The Sorceror's Apprentice."