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Release Date: August 24, 2025
Label: Mystics Music
Devorah is not just a talented pianist and composer, but also an
athlete, lawyer, and single mother of three. Her journey is one of resilience
and determination. In 2023, after seventeen years as a lawyer, she stepped down
due to her declining health. Over the next two years, she underwent five surgeries,
which marked the beginning of a new chapter in her life. Focusing on her
childhood love of the piano and composing, she found a new way to express
herself. The artist’s website provides this information, and it’s a testament
to her strength and perseverance.
This contemporary instrumental solo piano music has a solid
classical framework as a springboard for the many improvisations you will hear,
and no track is under 5 minutes.
A listener needs to keep in mind that the length of the tracks
is for a reason. This is a person pouring their heart out in their music. The
expressions of a lifetime are built into these tracks. It’s a journey filled
with hope, faith, and belief that whatever can happen to you in your time here
on the planet, you can live a whole life and overcome any obstacles.
“Keep Hope” sounds like the appropriate title to begin an album
about all the trials by fire a person can go through. The hope is what keeps a
person resilient and able to get to the other side. The flow and essence of the
composition convey a sense of hope with a steady tempo, variations, and
transitions that are bright and beautiful.
The opening track is always so important. It lays down the
foundation for the musical story being told. In this case, through the keys of
the piano. There is so much to be said through a piano. I have often referred
to it as the built-in orchestra. Its versatility and ability to partner with
other instruments are unmatched, and alone, it creates a symphony of sound
unlike any other instrument. If the music is presented in the form of
contemporary instrumental, as it is here, the results can be stunning and
prolific. And that is how I would explain the opening track, which runs for
11:26, but not the lengthiest track yet. Everything I love about instrumental
solo piano music is found in this one track.
I loved the second track title “Be Still in Divine Power.” This
title is inspired by a phrase that the artist found particularly comforting
during her recovery period. That sentence holds a lot of meaning, and I am
certain this artist lived it, can discuss it, and expresses it through her
music. She does exactly that, and quite beautifully, may I add. The flow is so
consistent and stays with the atmosphere and moods of the first track.
So, by now, as the listener, you have settled in, have an
understanding of who this person is, and how expertly she can bring forth all
the emotion, love, and experiences that are in her heart and soul.
The sense of melodicism, rhythm, and tone that Soul
Improvisations produces from her piano is exceptional. Three tracks in, and
that is more than evident; it is the essence of her style, approach, and
synchronicity with the piano keys through her soul that creates these gorgeous
compositions.
What I found interesting is that, knowing all the hardships that
this individual has gone through, I have not heard any sadness in the music.
What I am hearing is upbeat and bright with the promise of a new day. We all
need to hear that in the music we listen to. Indeed, that is one of the anchors
of this presentation. This is literally From
the Depths of a woman’s very soul, consciousness, and I believe
inspired from not of this earth. She taps into something spiritual, filled with
light.
As I move through these compositions, another quintessential
element is the relaxing and renewing core from which this all originates. One
cannot persevere, have faith, and hope without positively directing energy.
Once again, I hear that all over this music, and it gives the listener that
opportunity to do so. The healing powers of this artist came through with
conviction in every track; she IS Soul Improvisations.
The second group of tracks begins with “Waking Up to Wonders,
Modeh Ani,” which starts with an adaptation of “You Are My Sunshine,” then
takes an entirely different direction and melody, and ultimately comes full
circle.
"Modeh ani" (Hebrew: מוֹדֶה אֲנִי) is a short Jewish
prayer recited upon waking in the morning, expressing gratitude to God for the
return of the soul and the gift of a new day—a most beautiful musical prayer
set to the keys and all their infinite expressiveness.
“Spring Rebirth” lasts an impressive 14:07. That is quite a
lengthy duration for a solo piano piece. Anyone who can accomplish that and has
the confidence to do so must be acknowledged with respect. The title is
significant in this story, as the artist allows us, at this point in her
journey, to see that all the hardships have been set aside, and in their place
is her renewed spirit; life itself has changed, and the rebirth has begun. This
is the magnum opus of this recording and the most important one for so many
reasons.
I have said a lot, but then never enough to relate all the emotions and life experiences woven into this magnificent music. Besides the experiential aspects of life, I believe the artist healed again through the creation of this music. If you are a listener and need healing, this music will allow you to go down that path to a new beginning, just like Soul Improvisations did.
Keith
“MuzikMan” Hannaleck-NAMR Founder
September
16, 2025
Tracks:
CD 1:
1, Keep Hope (11.26)
2. Be Still in Divine Power (5:01)
3. Just a Little Light (6:49)
4. Love from the Heights (5:56)
5. In Quietness and Confidence (6:31)
CD 2:
6. Waking Up to Wonders, Modeh Ani (8:07)
7. Spring Rebirth (14:07)
8. Variations in Loving Memory (8:40)
9. Reflections on 39 Years (8:30)
10. The Liberation (7:58)
Total Time: 1 hr. 21 min.
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