Elizabeth Naccarato: A Southwest Story

The Southwest region of North America is full of adventure, beautiful scenery, barren rocks of the desert wilderness, lonely great-walled canyons, blending cowboy influences and Spanish traditions. What is heard on A Southwest Story is a consistently calm, very sensitive and well-arranged album of instrumental piano music with a bright Southwestern flavor. Sometimes Elizabeth Naccarato's piano is joined by a flute, sometimes violin, mandolin, guitar or percussion, and sometimes the piano is solo. Each composition is a concentrated gem on a topic related to the broad area known as the Southwest.

To the oldest inhabitants of the Southwestern desert regions, respect for nature comes from a deep connection to the land; to the European way of seeing the world, the land is a commercial resource given by God for men to develop and yield wealth. Both experience the stillness, vastness, and harsh beauty, and sense the importance of finding a necessary balance. The piano melody and violin join, and the melody weaves the story of the land, opening a more detailed lamentation of the history of the territory, The five-minute "Sacred Land" reminds listeners that sacred places strengthen the earth's biological and cultural diversity, inspiring reverence for land and cultural diversity, and connect nature and culture.

"Mi Hito, No!" has a traditional feeling; sad stories are the most compelling. Time to dance the cha cha cha, congas and hand percussion with piano and violin. Naccarato's previous recordings are Jarrell's Cove (1995) (inspired by the coastline of Puget Sound near Seattle and produced by pianist Michael Gettel), North Sycamore (1996) (named for a street in West Los Angeles where she spent an early stage of her career) with special guests oboist Nancy Rumbel and saxophonist Richard Warner, Stone Cottage (2005) (inspired by a special residence with a wild garden), One Piano (2001) (a collaboration with Gettel), History (2008) (combining some of her best work with both new and live performances), Souvenir d'Italia (2016) which was inspired by one of her favorite places, and now A Southwest Story, a tribute to the Southwestern part of the United States of America.

This newest album enhances the vision of the growing collection of exquisite piano interpretations of various aspects of specific locations and contexts, as well as life itself. Naccarato has achieved a noteworthy translation of the spirit of the land, its cultural history and the flavors and elemental aspects. Each note fits into a magnificent audio portrait of the Southwest, from the environment to how it feels to be there, a hot sun, spirits in the canyons, the languages and religious iconography are included in the melodies and musical forms.