Reviews

SPIRITUALLY ANSWERED QUESTIONS

The Alan Storeygard Trio Posted on by

After listening to this truly beautiful and remarkable album from Alan Storeygard and Mary Dawood Catlin, “Who Made You?…And Who Made Me? I was mesmerized to the point of true splendor and love. The album features the beautiful and truly remarkable vocals of Mary Dawood Catlin on the song called Who Made You?..and Who Made Me? With the stellar arrangements of Alan Storeygard the song is one that really needs to be heard by everyone. The song has a real way of allowing you to feel and hear the remarkable message that only the amazing work of Alan Storeygard and Mary Dawood Catlin can bring along with her truly one from the heavens vocals.The next song called The “Two Trees” is equally beautiful and again I was musically mesmerized by so much incredible talent arriving from my speakers, the song just melted my heart as my spirit latched on to the music that was being sent.  

The album which contains various versions of the song Who Made You?..and Who Made Me ? One features the Men’s Chorus Arrangement and with Eric Chesher and Alan Storeygard and Sherman Banks totally unmatched and superb polished that soothes your mind and feel the vibration sent through and reinforce the message being sent. The next selection is a jazz based allowing to sing along with. The Last track is another superb version of The Two Trees synthesized by perfect sounding and is just truly talent on loan from our creator Eric Chesher, that makes a modern feel. Within this version of the song the message is clearly understood and allows all to comprehend and able to clearly define Who Made You and Who Made Me?.. another magical and spiritual filled experience of a lifetime. One that fills the pallet of the spirit. This miraculous album is and will always be in my personal collection and in my heart forever.

Steven F.Adams

(Owner) Sound Wave One

c 2024 used by permission

Steven F. Adams
(Owner) Sound Wave One

REFLECTIVE DIRECTIONS

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AS I STATED IN MY LAST REVIEW OF THIS TOTALLY AMAZING MUSIC ARTIST, “I PLAN TO BE HAPPY AGAIN” BY ALAN STOREYGARD & BILLY HOOVER. ALAN STOREYGARD HAS ONCE AGAIN SET HIS FOOTPRINTS DOWN MUSICALLY WITH HIS NEWEST PROJECT CALLED “NEW DIRECTIONS” AS A WRITER AND MUSIC JOURNALIST FOR YEARS NOW I’VE COME TO KNOW THAT WHEN I HEAR COMPLETE TALENT, I NOT ONLY FEEL IT IN MY VEINS I HEAR IT IN MY HEART. ALAN STOREYGARD TRIO AND FRIENDS HAVE ARRIVED WITH A TRULY REMARKABLE ALBUM, CHALKED FULL OF AN AMAZING ASSORTMENT OF MUSIC THAT IS TRULY A NEW DIRECTION IN WHICH HIS MUSIC IS HEADED. THE FIRST SONG ON THIS TOTALLY AND FINELY CRAFTED AND PUT TOGETHER ALBUM IS CALLED “IN THE WEE HOURS OF THE MORNING” A SONG WRITTEN BY MUSIC LEGEND CHUCK BERRY. THE ARRANGEMENT COMPLETED BY ALAN STOREYGARD & DAVE ROGERS BRING IN A FLAVOR ALL THEIR OWN AND THE SONG REFLECTS EMOTION AND TRUE TALENT. THE NEXT SONG IS CALLED “THE GIRL FROM IMPANEMA” A SONG THAT I’VE ALWAYS LOVED. WITH THE COMBO OF ALAN STOREYGARD AND DAVE ROGERS BRINGS ALL OF THE LOVE BACK TO MY EARS IN THEIR RENDITION OF THIS VINTAGE SONG. AS I CONTINUED MY LISTENING EXPERIENCE THE NEXT SONG CALLED ” NEW DIRECTIONS” A REAL TRULY REMARKABLE PIECE OF MUSIC, WRITTEN BY ALAN STOREYGARD TRIO & FRIENDS, WITH TRUE BLUES RIFFS BY GUITARIST FRED BASS AND VOCALIST MIKE BROWN THE ALBUM TRULY TAKES ON A “NEW DIRECTION” THAT KEEPS YOUR EARS ENTERTAINED. “DANCING WITH THE IN CROWD” A SONG THAT ARRIVES FROM THE JAZZ PLAYBOOK OF RAMSEY LEWIS & OTHER JAZZ GREATS, THE ARRANGEMENT DONE BY ALAN STOREYGARD AND DAVE ROGERS. WITH THE NEXT SONG WRITTEN BY ALAN, CALLED “REMEMBERING YOU” AND SONG THAT REFLECTS LOVE AND HAS A SMOOTH FEEL TO IT. “MISTY FOR DAVE BRUBECK” WELL THE SONG HAS THAT TRUE JAZZ FOR A RAINY DAY FEELING ON IT AND ALAN STOREYGARD TRIO AND FRIENDS INCLUDING DAVE ROGERS MAKE THE “A” TRAIN WITH THIS INCREDIBLE SONG THAT HAS FLARE AND REAL EMOTIONAL VALUE. ” WITH THIS THE ALBUM TAKES AN AMAZING DIRECTION WITH THE PIANO PLAYING OF ALAN STOREYGARD WITH HIS INTERPETATION OF “AVE MARIA” AND WHAT A WONDFERFUL VERSION THAT MELTED MY HEART & LEFT ME WANTING MORE. THE NEXT SONG “THE STAR SPANGLED BANNER” A SONG THAT ALREADY PROVOKES EMOTION & RAW FEELINGS ALAN STOREYGARD & DAVE ROGERS SERVE TOTAL JUSTICE TO THE SONG, “GOD’S GIFT” (THE BIBLE IN 153 WORDS), WRITTEN BY ALAN STOREYGARD AND HAS A TRUE REFLECTIVE FEEL TO IT PUT INTO SPOKEN WORD. THE NEXT SONG MOVES YOU BACK TO THE JAZZ FEEL OF THE WORLD OF DAVE BRUBECK AND COMPANY AND REFLECTS THAT TRUE JAZZ FEELING AND ALAN STOREYGARD & FRIENDS RING THIS IN WITH THIS VERSION OF IT. THE NEXT SONG IS A TRULY REMARKABLE VERSION CALLED “THE LORDS PRAYER” SUNG BY ALAN’S BROTHER AND IS A SIMPLY GORGEOUS VOCALS AND KEEPS THE SPIRIT AWAKE. “DANCING IN THE STREET” A SONG ARRANGED BY ALAN STOREYGARD & DAVE ROGERS THAT PICKS UP THE PACE AND REVIVES YOUR SOUL AND YOUR INNER JAZZ AND KEEPS YOUR FEET STOMPIN’ AND YOUR HEAD BOPPIN TO THE RTHYHM. THE LAST SONG BRINGS DOWN THE LIGHTS REALLY LOW, THE SONG, VARIATIONS ON CHOPIN’S BALLADE #1 IN G MINOR AND IS ARRANGED BY ALAN STOREYGARD AND IS A LOVELY INTERRPETATION THAT IS REFLECTIVE OF WHO ALAN STOREYGARD IS AS A MUSICIAN OF ALL. ALAN STOREYGARD AND FRIENDS HAVE A GREAT AND REMARKABLE SOUND THAT HAVE KEPT ME A BELIEVER IN ALL WAYS, WITH THEIR REFLECTIVE AND EMOTIONALLY WELL BALANCED MUSIC AS WELL & THEIR SPIRITUAL SIDE THAT ALLOWS ONE TO BE IN PERFECT HARMONY WITH OUR CREATOR. MANY THANKS TO MY DEAR FRIEND ALAN FOR HIS KIND WORDS AND HIS TRULY REMARKABLE MUSIC, WHICH IS TRULY HEADED IN “NEW DIRECTIONS” AND WITH THIS AMAZING MUSIC MADE BY NO OTHER THAN ALAN STOREYGARD TRIO & FRIENDS THAT WILL ALWAYS BE IN MY HEART.

STEVEN F. ADAMS

MUSIC REVIEWER OWNER OF SOUND WAVE ONE

c 2022 used by permission

Steven F. Adams
Music Reviewer

Just What The Doctor Ordered

The Alan Storeygard Trio Posted on by

THERE’S A MUSICAL ARTIST THAT I’VE JUST BEEN INTRODUCED TO, HIS NAME, ALAN STOREYGARD, AMAZING SIMPLY AMAZED AT HIS ABILITY TO WRITE A SONG THAT IS SO PROPER AND FITTING FOR TODAY’S TIMES. THE SONG I’M REFERRING TO IS CALLED “I PLAN TO BE HAPPY AGAIN. THE SONG TITLE IN ITSELF IS A TRUE PERSONAL DESIRE AND MAKES TOTAL SENSE OF WHAT WE ALL FACE AS PEOPLE OF THIS EARTH. AFTER READING ALAN’S STORY OF HIS LIFE AND ALSO BEING A PHYSICIAN WHO IS ACTUALLY ON THE FRONT LINE OF THIS CURRENT PANDEMIC THAT WE FACE AS A WORLD. I READ ABOUT HIS OWN PERSONAL SITUATIONS AND HOW HE SEEMED TO RISE ABOVE THE OBSTACLES IN HIS PATH. ALONG WITH A SINGER, PIANIST, MULTI INSTRUMENTALIST BILLY HOOVER, WHO ADDS HIS VOCALS TO THE SONG IN AN AMAZING WAY AND ADDS TO THE MIRACULOUS MIX AND AMAZING WRITING OF ALAN STOREYGARD AND HIS SONG “I PLAN TO BE HAPPY AGAIN” THE SONG IS A COOL BALLAD THAT HAS A SOUND OF DR. JOHN AND WITH THE INSPIRATIONAL WORDS OF ALAN STOREYGARD AND THE EQUALLY INSPIRATIONAL VOCALS AND PIANO PLAYING OF BILLY HOOVER. THE SONG ARRIVES JUST IN TIME FOR WHAT WE FACE IN OUR CURRENT SITUATION WITH THE COVID 19 VIRUS AFFECTING US ALL. THE SONG HAS A BLUESY PULSE AND CARRIES A RHYTHM THAT CRIES FOR YOU TO PLAN TO BE HAPPY AGAIN. IN MY OPINION THIS IS EXCUSE THE PUN “JUST WHAT THE DOCTOR ORDERED” THE DOCTOR IS IN AND HIS AMAZING MANNERS SERVING UP A SUPERB DOSE OF RHYTHM & BLUES THAT WILL BRING ETERNAL OPTIMISM FOR YOUR LIFE AND BREATHES A BREATH OF FRESH AIR INTO OUR WORLD THAT SEEMS DOOMED AT TIMES, AND ALLOWS YOU REALIZE THAT WE ALL WILL FACE WHAT COMES AROUND THE CORNER OF OUR LIFE’S JOURNEY, WHERE WE ALL “PLAN TO BE HAPPY AGAIN” MANY THANK YOU’S TO ALAN STOREYGARD AND BILLY HOOVER FOR SUCH AN AWESOME SONG AND I WOULD LOVE TO HEAR MORE OF THIS STYLE OF MUSIC THAT ADDS A PULSE AND A DOSE OF POSITIVENESS TO OUR EVERYDAY LIVES. I FOR SURE WISH TO HEAR MORE OF ALAN & BILLY COLLABORATIONS. I THANK THEM FOR PROVIDING OPTIMISM IN A NEGATIVE INFESTED WORLD IN WHICH WE ALL RESIDE. TIL NEXT TIME KEEP THE HOPE ALIVE AND WELL IN YOUR WORLD AND BRINGING YOUR POSITIVE SPIN INTO OURS.

Steven F. Adams

Storeygard’s new record exudes positivity

The Alan Storeygard Trio Posted on by

From The Leader – June 25, 2020
Reprinted on this page with permission.

Storeygard’s new record exudes positivity

“I plan to Be Happy Again” from the Jacksonville doctor and pianist upbeat and fun. By Staff | on June 25, 2020

Dr. Alan Storeygard retired recently from Jacksonville Medical Center after nearly four decades of treating and healing thousands of patients in the community.

A Minnesota native, Storey-gard did his medical training at the Mayo Clinic (Mayo Medical School in Rochester, Minn.), then at the Duke University Family Practice Residency in Durham, N.C., before moving to Arkansas in 1981.

“I have been a family physician in central Arkansas for 39 years and have been a musician all of my life. I’ve recorded five full jazz piano albums over two decades and have been involved with the IBLA Grand Prize International Music Competition and Arkansas IBLA concerts for about two decades,” he said.

Storeygard recently recorded and released a new single titled, ‘I Plan to Be Happy Again,’ collaborating with singer/pianist/multiinstrumentalist Billy Hoover, who is also from Central Arkansas.

“We released this song as a single in that it is a very timely song with the global health care crisis we are all involved in,” the doctor said.

“It is a song of hope and dealing with a difficult problem. It was inspired by two personal injuries I had in September 2019 and January 2020 at a time we were all getting involved with the coronavirus pandemic. My injuries have pretty much healed and are not mentioned in the song. But the song ironically speaks to the health care crisis and even now speaks to the social unrest and protests going on across the country,” Storeygard said. “Billy Hoover performs the song uniquely and effortlessly in the style of Randy Newman in ‘Toy Story. We are wanting to get this song out to the whole country and other countries,” the doctor said.

All of Storeygard’s music, including the new single, is available on ITunes, Amazon, Spotify, SoundCloud, CDBaby and his website

www.storeygardmusic.com.

His other CDs include “Church Jazz,” “Just Havin’Fun,” “Third Time’s a Charm,” “New Directions” and “Jazz Meets the Classics.”

Storeygard said, “As a physician, I encourage you all to take the COVID-19 virus pandemic very seriously, and try to protect yourself and others by using the current well-known health care guidelines of:

1) Wear a facemask

2) Keep six feet apart as much as possible

3) Wash your hands frequently

4) Use hand sanitizer when possible

5) Avoid large crowds

6) Practice social distancing

“Hopefully, within the next year, we will have more effective treatments and a vaccine for this virus,” he said. “But until then – with 75,000 additional deaths in the USA predicted in the next six months — the best plan to me seems to be to try to stay alive and uninfected and to try

to keep those around you alive and uninfected.”

“As a musician, sometimes music can convey what words alone cannot. We all wonder, What can I do? Hopefully this song with its message can help in some way,” Storeygard said.

Superbly Hopeful Single

The Alan Storeygard Trio Posted on by

Superbly hopeful single Alan Storeygard – I PLAN TO BE HAPPY AGAIN:  It’s been a while since I reviewed Alan’s tastefully crafted “Jazz Meets The Classics” album, where he got very high marks from me… in order to get “the scoop” on his new single/video, you need to watch his intimate and detailed introduction to the tune, and his friend Billy Hoover’s performance of the song…

…I also recommend that you SUBSCRIBE to Alan’s YouTube channel, where you’ll find lots of other entertaining performances.

What’s most noticeable about “I Plan To Be Happy Again” as Billy performs it is the inspiring lyric Alan penned for the song… in fact, Alan’s lyrics were nominated for an award…

…both “bluesy” and “hopeful”, this song bears repeat listens… I predict that DJ’s (of all stripes & types) around the globe will be giving this tune some HUGE amounts of airplay!  I also found some style similarities to my multi-instrumentalist pal Joe Hardin (who also lives in Arkansas)… it would be wonderful to see these two wizards hookup!

Alan and Billy get a MOST HIGHLY RECOMMENDED rating from me, with a (perfect) “EQ” (energy quotient) score of 5.00… which means, of course, that they also get a “PICK” from me for “most inspiring single”.  Get more information on Alan’s website.  Rotcod Zzaj

Dick Metcalf (aka Rotcod Zzaj) is a globe-hopping musician and poet who spent many years roving the world until he finally settled in his current abode, Lacey, Washington… just down the road from Seattle. He started IMPROVIJAZZATION NATION magazine in 1990 (still being published), and Contemporary Fusion Reviews magazine in 2016. He also was a keyboard player & singer for many years… you can hear (and download for free) many of those works at his “Internet Archive Collection“. If you’d like to support our efforts and get something in return, there are also a few of these albums for sale on the Rotcod Zzaj BandCamp site“

Dick Metcalf
contemporaryfusionreviews.com/superbly-hopeful-single/

The Lyrics… The Emotion…

The Alan Storeygard Trio Posted on by

“This is a superb track. The lyrics, the emotion, et al, are smooth and well orchestrated creating an exceptional song. Kudos to you and your collaborators.”

Mike Vasilomanolakis
Grammy Winning Executive Music Producer & Physician on the front lines in the ICU fighting COVID-19

It Gave Me Hope

The Alan Storeygard Trio Posted on by

“ I enjoyed listening to I PLAN TO BE HAPPY AGAIN! At a time I was feeling down it gave me hope.”

Susan Walker Allen
Attorney and Music Lover

What A Treat of the Classics!

The Alan Storeygard Trio Posted on by

When Jazz meets the classics, there is a world of possibilities! As I listened to this record, the music took me on a journey, particularly the running notes and gorgeous melody of the MOLDAU SYMPHONY, and the lilting 6/8 romance of ALESSIO’S SONG. The brushed drums add so many colors to the music fabric here. The flow between the Star Spangled Banner and the Puccini’s Nessun Dorma is so majestic, it gives me goosebumps! The medley of Ballade 1 IN G Minor / Nocturne 2 in Eb/WALTZ 6 in Db is creatively and seamlessly woven together – the best moments of each piece showcased. I found the interpretation of JESU JOY OF MAN’S DESIRING absolutely brilliant – really the principle of the Jazz and Classical fusion. The melody is easily recognizable in between the moments of improvisation. What a treat of the classics!

Wouter Kellerman
Grammy Winner for Best New Age Album - "Winds of Samsara" -2015. Two time Grammy Nominee

Wonderful, A True Gem

The Alan Storeygard Trio Posted on by

Loved this fusion of jazz and classical… Alan is a real virtuoso, and my favorite track on this album is the Star Spangled Banner combined with Puccini (Nessun Dorma)…showcasing Alan’s musical creativity. A CD worth every penny! His arrangements are one of a kind!

Valerie Giglio
Recording Artist - member of The Recording Academy

Unique And Brilliant

The Alan Storeygard Trio Posted on by

This is a unique and brilliant album featuring Alan Storeygard with the Alan Storeygard Trio and friends.

Storeygard, who is a pianist, composer, artist and physician, has taken classics such as Beethoven’s “Ninth Symphony” and added a twist to incorporate a jazz component in his own style.  This is Storeygard’s fifth album and it ROCKS! Track 5 is “The Star Spangled Banner with Italian Ending (from “Nessun Dorma.”) This is an amazing rendition. The beginning is very jazzy sounding and then, in big bold notes, one begins to know the melody. A very moving piece! Other surprises on this album are pieces composed by Peter Ilyich Tchaikovsky, Johann Sebastian Bach and Sergei Rachmaninoff that Storeygard has arranged and taken to a new level. I highly recommend this CD for some inspiration and a new perspective on some classics.

Donna Hughes
Spirit Seeker Magazine