Comfort And Joy es el tercer álbum de solos de piano de Philip Wesley. Una oda a la Navidad en la que Philip recoge diez de los más populares villancicos y tres composiciones propias. Como en álbumes anteriores, este trabajo se caracteriza por poseer dulces melodías aptas para ser escuchadas en fechas tan señaladas. Es agradable escuchar álbumes navideños, pues algunos autores dan un toque muy personal a cada pieza, creando en ellas hermosas melodías.
"Away in a Manger", es el primer track del álbum; un sensible villancico tradicional al que Philip ha sabido dar un excelente sentimiento. Perfecto para un arrullo, perfecto para descansar. Sin abusar de acordes rápidos, Philip dibuja una melodía tierna. Bellísima pieza!.
"Joy to the World" comienza con un repique de acordes con la mano derecha mientras la mano izquierda marca los acordes más bajos, dando paso a una melodía rápida y alegre que llena de optimismo. 
"Angels We Have Heard on High", tradicional de Francia, esta pieza es lenta y  melódica, donde la mano derecha repite asiduamente el popular himno y la mano izquierda marca reiterativa los acordes de acompañamiento.
"Silent Night" es quizás, uno de los temas navideños que más versiones se han hecho, pero en este caso, Philip ha conseguido darle un toque personal, un toque delicado. Con una gran sensibilidad, Philip reproduce con sutileza la melodía. Hermosa pieza!.
"We Three Kings" comienza con un tono misterioso, y con un ritmo emocionante Philip va dando cuerpo a esta pieza original del siglo XIX. Con maestría, Philip acompaña la melodía con un vaivén de progresiones.
"O Christmas Tree" es una pieza lenta y sencilla; Philip dibuja la hermosa melodía mientras su mano izquierda marca con delicadeza loas acordes de acompañamiento. Esto es un claro ejemplo de que, en ocasiones, lo simple puede llegar a ser muy hermoso. Bello!. 
"Carol of the Bells" es el track más extenso del álbum, más de seis minutos. Comienza con el rasgueo de acordes para culminar con el ritmo rápido y profundo, típico de esta pieza. Philip consigue darle un toque personal y emocionante. Sublime!.
"Hark the Herald Angels Sing", comienza con un ir y venir de notas bajas hasta llegar a la zona alta del teclado y viceversa. La melodía es serena y relajante. Una delicia!.
"Greensleeves/What Child Is This?" es un "medley", en el que Philip ha conseguido unir ambas piezas con maestría, pues es difícil saber donde comienza una pieza y acaba otra. Philip ya incluyó "Greensleeves" en su anterior álbum "In A Lifetime". "What Child Is This?" comienza con un toque continuado de notas en un acorde, mientras la mano derecha reproduce la enérgica melodía.
"Comfort and Joy" es la pieza que da nombre al álbum y que anteriormente Philip incluyó en su segundo álbum,  un tema sin pausas para el oído, con toque alegre y nostálgico. Donde la mano derecha dibuja una melodía no muy rápida pero hermosa y dulce, sin sobresaltos. Dulce!.
"In the Eyes of a Child" fue incluida en su segundo álbum "In A Lifetime"; una pieza que desde su principio a su fin, cuenta una historia, un juego visto desde los ojos de un niño. La melodía reproduce los pegadizos cánticos típicos en juegos de niños. Pura inocencia!. 
"Wishing for Home" es el último track del álbum y la única nueva composición de Philip para este trabajo. Con un comienzo muy parecido a "Carol of the Bells" y un toque de misterio, la melodía es triste y melancólica. 
 
Comfort And Joy está pensado para ser escuchado en esas señaladas fechas al calor de la familia. Un álbum muy recomendable para Navidad!.

reviewsnewage.com
31/3/10
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The true message of Christmas is celebrating and remembering the birth of Christ. Since then it has been somewhat commercialized yet even here the love of friends and family gathering together to exchange gifts still holds partly true to the spirit of the first Christmas. The season for the most part brings both comfort and joy thus the title of this album as well as the spirit in which the music was arranged manifests that spirit. 

Wesley’s second album In A Lifetime included three cover tunes that ultimately weakened the album. The compliment is that they sounded out of place next to the strong self-composed material. Of course, releasing an all holiday affair gives the artist the liberty of producing an album of cover songs. This time Philip polarized the In A Lifetime concept and boldly added three original compositions to the time trusted traditional tunes. In this instance the blessed blend works seamlessly with outstanding results. 

The album’s opener “Away In A Manger” is mixed effortlessly with the softness of “Brahms Lullaby”. Add the “Greensleeves/What Child Is This?” alongside the original composition “In The Eyes Of A Child” and the album focuses you back on the comfort of the Christ child willing to come down from the heavens to earth. Combined with the purity of “Silent Night” it will bring back memories of your childhood as your restless head finally drifted off to dreamland on Christmas Eve anticipating the big day ahead.

In contrast, there is the pure joy and bountiful message of celebration and love that is expressed in the more upbeat “Joy To The World”. Although a little more subdue there is the transcendent “Hark The Herald Angels Sing” that also effectively expresses the joyous spirit of Christmas. And to bring both aspects of comfort and joy there is the amalgamation of both spirits that live in the self-titled track that was previously featured on In A Lifetime.  

Concluding with the brand new dreamy and exquisite composition “Wishing For Home”, you realize that from start to finish Wesley manages to harness the spirit of Christmas. In fact, even the artwork expresses this unity with a landscape of a simple but strong Christmas tree that stands alone in a field of virginal snow like a beacon of light to the world that surrounds it. 

Wesley’s music is pure and simple that brings both comfort and joy to a season that is many times overwrought with commercialism. After a busy day of rushing around fulfilling our holiday duties, Philip Wesley’s album is a perfect antidote to bring you back to the true reality of Christmas; peace on earth and goodwill to all mankind.
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Mr. Wesley's holiday CD, Comfort and Joy, is truly a newly cherished addition to my holiday CD collection.  This CD is a gentle blend of traditional holiday standards performed perfectly to set the tone for a relaxing winter's eve.  Being a person who seeks out gentle, meditative musical taste - this CD is a perfect find.  Thanks Mr. Wesley.
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So simple, yet so profound. Philip Wesley's delicate Comfort and Joy is an elegant new age album of solo piano portraits. This music creates a beautiful backdrop for intimate get-togethers with family and friends this holiday season. If you enjoy the new age stylings of David Lanz, you will welcome Wesley's superb playing with open arms and a glad heart. Relax--Wesley has everything well under control. 

Comfort and Joy has twelve tracks; the first nine are ancient traditional carols, and the last three are Wesley creations. With almost an hour of instrumental music, the twelve excellent arrangements are fully-developed and well-executed. Most cuts are four to six minutes in length, and the soaring music stays with you long after the notes fade. 

The album opens in a hush with "Away in a Manger." The opening bars are incredibly fragile and soft, like the breath of an angel across your cheek. You can see the newborn babe blissfully sleeping in the manger. As the number progresses the tempo and volume accelerate, and the experience becomes more intense and joyful. Wesley paints each piece with gentle rapture; the creative arrangements are multi-layered and exquisite. Although the soul of each familiar number remains recognizable as Wesley's hands run the keyboard, his treatment breathes vibrant new life into pieces like "Joy to the World," "Silent Night," and (my personal favorite & the longest track) "Carol of the Bells." Ahh. . . just lovely! 

Wesley's own three numbers fit naturally with the traditional fare; each conveys the intended sentiment, especially the melancholy yearning underlying "Wishing for Home," the album's close. 

Philip Wesley's Comfort and Joy is a timeless, new age treasure and a definite stress-buster. This outstanding album will protect you from the crasser aspects of the holiday season, taking you to a place that is serenely sweet.

--Carol Swanson
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