About the Album

Three years ago following the completion of my debut album Until Tomorrow Comes, I set out on a new journey to write what would ultimately become A Still Motion. At the time I started writing this album, I had no idea of the many events that would be witnessed in my life during its creation. These past three years have seen times both good and bad, filled with transitions, new beginnings and periods of growth. I have always believed that my music is a reflection of my inner self and a snapshot of my life at a particular moment in time. If that is true, then this album is also one of changing times and new ideas. It is indeed “a still motion”, my life as it was these past years and the story of how it has evolved.

This album means a great many things to me. It is an artistic statement on many levels. As a composer and a pianist, I have always felt the need to push myself, to continuously improve my writing and playing abilities. A Still Motion is in many ways an album of self discovery and innovation. Each time I set out to write a new song, I wanted to create something different than I ever had before. I worked very hard to develop new playing techniques, compositional structures and melodic phrases. In essence I was literally reinventing myself with each new composition I wrote. I can remember the excitement I felt as I broke new ground in each song. Yet through all of these innovations, I also made sure to create an album that related well to itself, that would make sense as a cohesive body of work.

Whenever I compose music, I am usually trying to tell a story. For me the process begins purely in musical ideas, based in the aesthetics of melody and the emotional content of its sound; rather than in ideas of narrative. As I write, the music generates feelings within me. With those feelings more specific ideas begin to take shape, further influencing the writing process. In most instances the story itself does not fully surface until the song is near completion. I have always found it interesting to listen to what other people think of my music. I am almost always told that my songs evoke imagery, thoughts, feelings and ideas about people, places and events. It really is a wonderful thing to know that my music draws forth different ideas in different people. The music literally takes on its own life in that way, molding and shaping itself to the mind and heart of the listener.

The story of A Still Motion is one of paradox, contrast, transition and evolution. When I say this, I mean it both literally and figuratively. Musically I tried many new ideas to add a level of complexity and nuance to each song. For all the musicians out there, I experimented with combining different time signatures, I mixed both major and minor modes, I used interesting combinations of melody and countermelody; creating counterpoint and juxtaposition of opposing sections within the overall compositions. Using these many musical techniques I was able to create a new type of sound, opening up the door artistically to more profound thoughts and ideas.

Music is a language, perhaps the only true universal language. When you listen to A Still Motion, allow yourself to hear its many voices, its “words” if you will. This is a very philosophical album to me, as I hope it will be to you as well. Its ideas speak of the paradoxes in life, of the contrasting realities that define us and make the world such a beautiful place. It is also very much about how things change, about growing and evolving with time. When I look back on the creation of this album, it will always remind me of that process. I have grown as an artist, composer and as a person. This album is a tribute to that evolution, and is a body of work that I am proud to call my own. It is a great honor to now share this music with all of you, my family, friends and fans.

– Michael Samson, November 2008