Jackson Berkey's 24 Nocturnes
New 2 Disc CD Release!
Jackson Berkey
Night Pieces - Nocturnes - have inspired beauty, romanticism, and deep expression for many composers. Composing 24 Nocturnes, one in each major and relative minor key, was an exciting 7-year journey for Berkey, culminating in September 2014 with his Nocturne in C Minor. Many of Berkey's Nocturnes emulate existing keyboard works from some of his favorite composers of the last four centuries. Jackson Berkey's 24 Nocturnes bears a dedication to the memory of Josef Raieff, Jackson's mentor at the Juilliard School in NYC. The influence of this great artist teacher on Berkey's career is ever deep and life-lasting.

SDG CD015 $15.00

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21st Century Romantic
ORIGINAL COMPOSITIONS FOR SOLO PIANO AND DUO PIANOS FROM SDG RECORDS
Jackson Berkey
21st Century Romantic is the first of a planned series of recordings documenting the Jackson Berkey composition catalog, along with existing performances not available commercially. SDG Records hopes eventually to archive all of Berkey’s compositions as well as his past recorded performances. This 2-Disc set is dedicated to Phillip Erklen and the International Music Syndicate. Because of Phil’s dedicated and consistent promotion of Berkey recordings and publications, Jackson’s music has been introduced to a myriad of performers and pedagogues.

DISC 1

RAINYDARK & FIRELIGHT (Berkey)

TIME TWISTERS (Berkey)
Samba-Rhumba Walla-Walla
Sakura
Delaware Bay Ice
Beach Caterpillar
Bernadette’s Salsa Egg Dish

VIVALDI’S WINTER (Berkey)

NOCTURNES (selections)
Nr. 5 in D Major, Dorian – Sunny Blues
Nr. 12 in G-sharp Minor – Homage to Sergei Rachmaninoff
Nr. 22 in G Minor
Nr. 23 in F Major
Nr. 24 in D Minor

DISC 2

SUITE FOR TWO PIANOS (Berkey)
Flying High
Rainydark & Firelight
Fading Memories

PLAYIN’ IN THE BUFF (Berkey) (Solo Harpsichord)

JJ’S TOY BOX (Berkey)
The Crashers
Night Shore Fog
Dancing with Wolfie
A Minor Incident

THE JACKSON BERKEY
PERFORMANCE ARCHIVES (1988)
Ludwig van Beethoven Sonata in E Major, Opus 109
Vivace, ma non troppo - Adagio espressivo
Prestissimo
Gesangvoll, mit innigster empfindung


SDG CD091-2 $15.00

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Atlantic Fantasy
NEW SOLO PIANO WORKS FOR THE 21ST CENTURY
Jackson Berkey
The featured keyboard artist from Mannheim Steamroller scores again with this stunning new recording of his original keyboard works. Jackson Berkey’s colorfully descriptive piano music from Cape May, New Jersey continues on this pristinely recorded CD from SDG Records. Atlantic Fantasy and its companion pieces, Cape May Solitudes, were written between 1999 and 2003 during Jackson’s writing sabbaticals at “Colvmns By The Sea”, a former B&B in Cape May, New Jersey. This new SDG CD, along with its correlated publications from SDG Press®, brings new major works to the piano repertoire of the 21st Century.

Jackson Berkey’s performances reveal a mature artist and composer, often in a very contemplative, reflective mood. The title work, Atlantic Fantasy, is comprised of six sections, seamlessly connected in a 20-minute, masterful display of pianism. The composer’s collection of reminiscences, Cape May Solitudes, provides deep reflections on those parts of our lives no longer with us. People, places, and pets are brought to life through music combined with the natural sounds of the Atlantic ocean, winter winds, seagulls, and the return of the L’Ultima Amor chimes from the composer-pianist’s earlier CD, Cape May Preludes.

SDG CD041 $10.00

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Berkey meets Horowitz on the 503
A DOCUMENTATION OF SOUND AND SCORE
Jackson Berkey
It was the summer of 1992 and Vladimir Horowitz' personal Steinway Concert Grand was on tour at Steinway dealers across the United States. The piano is called CD503. C, Steinway's indication that it is from their concert group of instruments throughout the world; D designating the size; and 503, the last 3 digits of the instrument's serial number.

As it happened, Jackson was engaged by the Omaha Steinway dealer to give a concert on this famous instrument. Why not record an album, too? Preceding the concert, on July 4th, in spite of the firecrackers, the instrument was moved to Sound Recorders where Jackson and his long-time producer-engineer, Clete Baker, worked to capture its sound. Repertoire for the recording of course included the work to be premiered in the concert following: Jackson Berkey's Piano Derivations. The composer's song cycle, Voices from the Earth was also recorded, and sequenced with American Perspective One on the historic album.

This was the last recording made on this great instrument. And it can be yours from SDG Records!

SDG CD503 $10.00

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Cape May Preludes
...TAKES US THROUGH A DAY AT CAPE MAY.
Jackson Berkey
CAPE MAY PRELUDES takes the listener to Cape May, New Jersey, one of our nation's oldest seaside resorts. It is here that Mannheim Steamroller pianist Jackson Berkey takes an annual one-month composing sabbatical in quiet residence at the 100-year old "Colvmns By The Sea". Cape May is almost totally deserted in January with most of her stores, hotels and restaurants closed following the hectic Christmas and New Year's holidays. Colvmns By The Sea is no exception, although the family there lovingly receives Jackson for the month of January. Content to live in complete quiet and solitude, the composer's time at the Colvmns provides him the perfect writing environment. He often remarks that only the sound of the ocean interrupts his creative thoughts. The sea plays an important role in CAPE MAY PRELUDES. Solo piano pieces are always interspersed with sounds of the Atlantic Ocean, heard by the composer through his room windows, almost always left open during his stay. Also premiering on CD are three sets of Wesley Picotte Windchimes. These immaculately tuned instruments appear throughout the CD and are compelling in their beauty. Jackson plays them both as solo instruments and in unstructured combinations with the sea and the piano.

SDG CD2000 $10.00

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Harpsichord Carols
A NEW HOLIDAY CD!
Jackson Berkey
JACKSON BERKEY His composing and performing career spans over forty years of touring, concertizing and recording. As both a soloist and as featured keyboard artist with the Grammy Award-winning Mannheim Steamroller, he has recorded over twenty-five CDs on the SDG Records and American Gramaphone labels. HARPSICHORD CAROLS marks the first complete CD of his works written specifically for harpsichord. Together with guest harpist, Kathy Bundock Moore, Berkey's new CD offers a tapestry of harpsichord, harp and piano colors seldom recorded with such clarity and beauty.

HARPSICHORD CAROLS Commissioned in the mid 1990's, the Carols are now published in sets of 4. All originally for harpsichord solo, Jackson has expanded many of them for different instruments including two for piano; six for harpsichord and harp; one for flute orchestra; and three for hand bells. In 1999, four of the Carols won first prize in the highly respected Alinor Harpsichord Composition Competition.

LORD RICHARD Berkey's harpsichord came to him with quite a history: The instrument was given as a gift by the English actor, Richard Harris, to songwriter Jimmy Webb. Jimmy used it in New York during the period when he was writing an album for Harris which included the famous MacArthur Park. In keeping with its historical background, Jackson has named the harpsichord "Lord Richard".

Jackson Berkey 2-Manual Sperrhake-Passau Harpsichord Steinway D Concert Grand Piano and Kathy Bundock Moore Lyon & Healy Concert Harp

SDG CD011 $10.00

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Jackson Berkeys Facets
Solo Piano, Piano 4-Hands, Harpsichord, Orchestrations by the performer
Jackson Berkey
Facets presents the many sides of this well-known composer/pianist trained at the Juilliard School of Music in New York. Jackson toured professionally for ten years with the Norman Luboff Choir and, between tours, presented his debut recital in New York’s Town Hall. His first professional tour with Luboff brought him together with Chip Davis. The two men have worked together ever since the late 1960s and founded the Grammy award-winning Mannheim Steamroller in 1973.

Facets calls on the artist’s many years of study at the Juilliard School with his teacher and mentor, the late Josef Raieff. Raieff’s association with Rosina and Josef Lhevinne, as well as with Alexander Siloti (a pupil of Franz Liszt) and Artur Schnabel (whose pedagogical roots go back to Beethoven), combine to present us with the complex personality of Jackson Berkey. All of these influences are present in Berkey’s mind and heard in his pianistic sound.

SDG CD031 $10.00

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The Mountains and the Sea
TAKE A TRIP TO THE MOUNTAINS AND THE SEA!
Jackson Berkey
The American Visions video series served as the basis for this album which was later augmented with the voices of Soli Deo Gloria Cantorum. Jackson Berkey's original music will carry you on a wonderful journey through the Great Smoky Mountains (The Mountains) and Olympic National Park (The Sea), two of our most visited national parks. The beautiful sound of the Baldwin SD-10 Concert Grand is mixed with acoustic and synthetic textures along with the voices of the Cantorum. All musical elements are then combined with actual recorded sounds of nature from each park. It's literally just like being there!

Order your The Mountains and The Sea and enjoy the trip!

SDG CD92 $10.00

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