Reviews
Recent Reviews
Take Effect’s Review of Still
A highly enlightening effort of very mature neo-classical and New Age nods, Sweeten’s performance is stunning and the musicians in attendance add much to the thoughtful landscape.
Robin B. James’s Review of Still
The cycle of seasons, the eternal dance of the spheres, as expressed by original instrumental piano music composer and performer Ann Sweeten on her new album, Still, is sure to enchant listeners with its depth of expression, technical accomplishment and spiritual contemplation. Highlighting her marked individuality, her delicate gracefulness and captivating moods, this unique contemporary instrumental album is one of impressive technical difficulty, emotional depth, and musical richness portraying the cycle of Life.
Robin B. James – Medium
Ron Schepper’s Review of Still
Still arrives twenty-eight years after her debut album Prism and finds her doing anything but, well, standing still. At seventeen albums (and counting), her healing music continues to enrapture listeners, while Sweeten herself inspires with her positive outlook and indomitable spirit.
James Cox’s Review of Still
Inspired by the beauty of nature and cycle of the seasons, Still is an extraordinarily beautiful treasure ideal for meditative contemplation or creative inspiration, and also makes an excellent gift.
Kathy Parsons’ Review of Still
In a career spanning nearly thirty years, Ann has developed a style that blends contemporary classical, jazz, film scoring and new age genres to create a sound all her own. Very soothing and uplifting, this is music that allows you to listen deeply while being transported to a place far from the noise, confusion and stress of our current world – at least for a little while! …serenity set to music!
Artisan Music Reviews STILL
Each and every track contains the heartfelt messages of a life that has known challenges and surmounted them, but with a cost. But this heart endeavors to persevere. Great music for reminiscing or contemplating the future.
Richard Sebring’s Review of Still
As a fellow musician who is deeply inspired by the endless beauty of the natural world, I find Ann’s music calming and uplifting.
Jonathan Widran’s Review of Still
Nearly three decades and 17 glorious albums into one of new age music’s most prolific and storied careers, pianist/composer Ann Sweeten continues to share life’s most joyfully exuberant and hauntingly heartbreaking moments with her lush, meditative mini symphonies.
Wind and Wire Reviews Love Walks Through Rain
While throughout her career, Sweeten has maintained a singular style, how she differentiates in successive albums is a refinement of both artistry and literal technique, honing her talent on each release to a finer degree in subtle but perceptible ways. Certainly, she has been through a lot in recent years, but if those trials have contributed to her music and given her even more impetus, well, then that is the silver lining to her grey cloud. Some people thrive on challenges and with Ann Sweeten, she has not just risen to the challenges of her life, but she continues onward despite them. To that I say “Bravo.”
Janet Mawdesley of Blue Wolf Reviews Love Walks Through Rain
Enchanting, delightful and poignant Love Walks Through Rain is Ann Sweeten at her best. .. a softly gentle and perfectly divine neo classical work..
Keith “Muzikman” Hannaleck’s Review of Love Walks Through Rain
Ann Sweeten has an extensive discography to share with music lovers. Love Walks Through Rain has assured a place amongst one of her favorite recordings. She shares her music on a magnificent Steinway piano with exceptional grace and precision. Her soul’s emotional depth and impact in the music is felt strongly. Ann Sweeten has created another masterwork of piano instrumentals that will leave an indelible mark on you. You will be compelled to listen..
Boston Post-Gazette’s Review of Love Walks Through Rain
Sweeten’s music is her magic wand…superb album..
Midwest Book Review’s Review of Love Walks Through Rain
Love Walks Through Rain is a treasure for connoisseurs of instrumental music, highly recommended.. The music is deeply emotional, inspirational, and spiritual, drawing inspiration from the love that sustains through tough times.
The Further’s Review of Love Walks Through Rain
Ann Sweeten’s album “Love Walks Through Rain” is a poetic and magistral project, showcasing her unmistakable signature in the realm of classical music. From the enchanting melodies of “Valley Greene” to the otherworldly orchestral reprise, this instrumental opus embodies a decidedly unique style, effortlessly embracing classical, jazz, film scoring, new age, and popular music elements.
Contemporary Fusion Reviews Love Walks Through Rain
With a career spanning over two decades, Sweeten has established herself as one of the most prominent figures in contemporary instrumental music. “Love Walks Through Rain” builds upon Sweeten’s already impressive body of work, showcasing her growth as an artist while maintaining her distinctive style. Upon listening, one hears Ann’s lifelong classical training front and center, her fingers effortlessly dancing across the keys, turning emotion into musical light. Listeners will be swept away by this album’s emotional depth and its ability to touch the very core of the human spirit.
New Music Alert Reviews Love Walks Through Rain
When I am penning this review, I am still a captive of the magical spell of her new album ‘Love Walks Through Rain’. This enamoring composition is deeply moving instrumental piano music, a masterly accomplishment. Ann Sweeten’s versatile musical abilities and her masterly expertise in playing the piano have made this spectacular work possible like a miracle.
Mystic Living Today Reviews Love Walks Through Rain
Elegant is the word that comes to mind for Ann and her music. Offering 11 generous tracks, Love Walks Through Rain is a deeply soul-stirring album.. The blanket of lush, melodic reverie inspires positive emotional and mental states. Love is one of the strongest human emotions in existence, and as Ann will tell you, Love is the steady gait as we seek to navigate life’s ups and downs.
A Review of Love Walks Through Rain from Robin B James
Listening to Love Walks Through Rain is as easy as taking in a breeze, the instrumental piano magic just flows, eventually bringing a full spectrum of the quiet emotions. Every track is unique, and each note brings a history. What I hear is music that reaches beyond New Age, and leans toward a classical piano crossover and neo-classical, a sound that, somehow transcends spiritual levels and transports the listener to a higher plane. Ann helps us feel all emotions with this album.
JW Vibe Reviews Love Walks Through Rain
Ann Sweeten’s gloriously composed and performed album Love Walks Through Rain is a project that will make you wish we were back in the 90s, when the multi-faceted Steinway artist first started hitting the Top 5 on the NAR and ZMR radio charts – and creative packaging, art direction and liner notes were as much a part of the artists’ expression as the songs on the album.
Stated simply, Love Walks Through Rain is one of the most heartrending, emotionally hard hitting piano driven albums in years, showing us that, even amidst the shadows of melancholy and heartbreak that seem to be a necessary part of the journey, life is still very much worth living.
Chakuna Machi Asa Reviews Love Walks Through Rain
Brilliant Heartwarming Piano Album
Love Walks Through Rain is an exceptional work of art. Ann is one of the best at story telling through her musical composition. If you simply enjoy connecting to nature or you have recently experienced deep grief from loss you will be soothed by the compassionate perseverance that is transmitted through these sounds. With the greatest joy in life, we often experience the greatest loss. But, most of us would agree that we would do it all over again, if we could, because it is love that makes life worth living. This message is conveyed strong and clear throughout the album, including in the beautiful poems, of the liner notes. Ann’s many fans will be delighted with this new work, evidence that her energy is strong despite her heroic battle against cancer and leukemia.
Ron Schepper of Textura Reviews Love Walks Through Rain
“Sweeten has a special gift for translating emotion into musical form. Sweeten excels at fashioning material that speaks with immediacy to listeners’ inner lives,…
A Quote on Love Walks Through Rain From Will Ackerman
“..one of the most talented pianists and composers on the scene today.. Love Walks Through Rain, continues to beguile with brilliantly played melody. Ann’s best work to date.”