My Beloved – Review – Bill Binkelman

Michael Dulin’s new solo piano release, My Beloved, (his first release in a number of years) is an all-out ode to his wife, Jan, and the love they have shared during their marriage. With song titles such as “Beloved,” My Treasure,” “She Walks In Beauty,” and “As Long As We’re Together,” you can properly deduce that the melodies will be romantic and flowing, filled with a mixture of passion and warmth. At times, Dulin draws heavily on classical influences, so much so that some pieces sound like passages from sonatas or concertos, which means if you love classical piano, My Beloved should be on your short list of piano recordings to pick up for Valentine’s Day. Not all tracks hew closely to classical motifs, though, e.g. “Chanson” injects some Parisian-tinted swing and “As Long As We’re Together” offers a sweetly swaying sense of nostalgia. Recording engineer Courtney McGukin and Mark Donahue, who mastered the album, serve up a solid effort on the technical end. My Beloved is a welcome return to solo piano recordings for Dulin and his fans will no doubt embrace it with open arms.

Bill Binkelman
Retailing Insight Magazine