Mike Surratt: Calm Creativity
Label: Eclectic Coalition Records Web: eclecticcoalitionrecords.com
By Michael Macey.

Sounding at times like New Age, at other times like smooth jazz, Calm Creativity falls loosely in between those two genres with a sound I would call "smooth age." Fifteen instrumental pieces performed entirely on programmable Alesis keyboard and Homer Marino V accordion, it has the feel of a soundtrack that you might hear in a documentary of travel around the world. With titles like Alpaca Path, Sierra Sunrise, Surfin' In San Juan, and Chesapeake Calypso, Surratt presents us with various soundscapes that he refers to as "musical meanderings." It's a little reminiscent of what you might hear as background music in an elevator or a doctor's office waiting room. Music meant to relax you and put you at ease. Easy listening, as it were. That aside, it's full of soothing sounds, cheery melodies, and has an international flavor that's lively and entertaining. One of my favorites is the tango inflected Orangetina, a playful tune that showcases the multiple sounds Surratt gets from his keyboard, along with some very nice accordion work. Throughout the 15 songs, Surratt employs enough interesting techniques to keep it all very interesting. With such an array of sound at his fingertips, one moment he's tickling the ivories, the next he's "blowing" a mariachi sounding trumpet. The whole thing ends with a piece called View From Space, which as the liner notes put it "... finally put it all in perspective with a breathtaking view from space." It's a nice sendoff that's meant to evoke floating above the earth. It's somewhat light and airy sounding, with a slightly ambient feel.
Produced by Surratt and engineered by Lisa J. Dupree, Calm Creativity has a nice warm sound and a mix that puts everything pretty much front and center. It's missing a bit of top end, but all in all, a good sounding recording.
I think Calm Creativity will appeal to people that take a low-key approach to their music. It's a light listen, if you will. A pleasant sounding record that many people will find soothing and relaxing. It works as both background and listening music. The liner notes describe it as "musical mental travels". If you're up for that kind of journey, Calm Creativity is your ticket for the trip.