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Label: Spring Hill
Producer: Stan Whitmire
Website: www.springhillmusic.com, http://www.stanwhitmire.com
Song Titles: "America, The Beautiful/God Bless America," "His Eye Is On The Sparrow," "I Hope You Dance," "I Believe I Can Fly," "Amazing Grace," "You'll Never Walk Alone," "Battle Hymn Of The Republic/The Star Spangled Banner," "Precious Lord, Take My Hand," "The Prayer," "When You Believe," "The Lord's Prayer," "Up Where We Belong," and "Smile"

Stan Whitmire provides more than an hour of solo piano music on God & Country. As you would expect from the title, there's a number of classic patriotic and familiar gospel standards on this CD. You might not expect the CD to be so laid back, though. Whitmire briefly shifts into a stride piano mode on "God Bless America" in the medley that comprises the first track. Otherwise, this CD is all about subtle moods and mild textures.

A few blues notes are added to R. Kelly 's pop classic "I Believe I Can Fly" to give it a fresh flavor. "Amazing Grace" begins with a  sparse , almost spastic statement that settles into a smoother quality by the time the first verse is played. The blues notes carry over from the previous track to provide continuity of style. I would never have expected the "Battle Hymn of The Republic" and "The Star Spangled Banner" to be presented in a legato, unobstrusive elevator music style, but Whitmire delivers just such an arrangement for the seventh track of God & Country . Blues shadings return for "Precious Lord, Take My Hand."

As a concept recording, Whitmire has a nearly flawless recording in God & Country.  His touch at the keys is masterful. The melodies are eas ily located even when unfamiliar patterns are surrounding them,  thanks to Whitmire's chord voicings and balanced playing style which never allows the rhythmic elements to overwhelm the melody. Although the entire project is more or less subdued, each  arrangement shift s just enough from verse to verse to keep things interesting.

As technically perfect as this recording is though, some listeners will feel an hour's worth of generally slower tempo music is boring. I'm rating it at 4 1/2 stars because it's not a recording that every fan would want to buy, but marketability isn't always the same as quality.  God & Country is a great recording for fans of "mood music" or dare I say "new age" music (not to be confused with the religion bearing the same name).

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