ZOLA VAN: Paint the Forest Winter

Zola Van

Paint the Forest Winter

© 2001 Zola Van (821144757427)

CD IN STOCK. ORDER NOW. Will ship immediately.

SPECIAL: 40% discount if you buy more than one copy of it today!

Beautiful, relaxing solo piano music described by reviewers as lush, compelling and absolutely gorgeous.

tracks

1 Snow Dance at Sand Cave
2 Chamnesstown School Trail at Crab Orchard National Wildlife Refu
3 Winter's Kiss at Rim Rock Trail
4 Gathering at Teal Pond
5 Wintertide at Miller's Grove
6 The Snow Day
7 Paint the Forest Winter
8 Trail of Tears: Kyrie at Brownfield
9 Burden Falls
10 At Rendleman's Grave: Giant City State Park
11 Promise of Spring at Bald Knob
12 Vivaldi's Winter: Largo from Concerto in F minor

notes

#1 Album NAV Top 100 Radio Airplay, December 2002!

#3 Album NAV Top 100 Radio Airplay, November 2002!

"Lose Yourself! Haunting, transporting you beyond your world into hers, the music stays in your head even after the last strains have died away. Close your eyes and let her lead you down woodland paths to see what surprises await around the next bend"... a fan from Herrin, IL

Zola Van, pianist and composer, brings a unique blend to her listeners: the beauty of her original piano solos and that of scenic Southern Illinois, where she resides. Her music has made music lovers out of outdoorsmen and has inspired people to get out and see the actual spots that have inspired her musical creations.

Her first CD, River to River Trail: The Hike, has elicited an enthusiastic response from the public, tourism officials, trail societies, the Illinois Department of Natural Resources, and the National Forest Service. The March/April 2001 issue of American Hiker contains a full-page article about Zola, the CD, and how it originated. Outdoor Illinois, a publication of the State of Illinois, will feature her in the August, 2001, issue. No other musician has ever enjoyed these two distinctions.

WDBX Radio in Carbondale, IL aired a two hour program titled "In Search of Trail Magic" on Jerry Nelms' Music from Beyond the Lakes based upon Zola's CD.

The Southern Illinoisan sponsored and promoted her CD release concert at the Herrin Civic Center.

Five Southern Illinois newspapers have printed articles about Zola and her music.

"Van plucks from the air and translates with clarity and grace rhythms and melodies of the natural world, music intuited and barely heard, movements that began long before any of us were born." - Barb Weyls, Southern Illinoisan

"I was reminded of Narada musicians...Her music is mellow, melodic and a little mystical ." - Cara Webster, Southern Illinoisan in a second article

"Charming, clever, it'll make you cry." - John O'Dell, River to River Trail Newsletter

"Cheers to Zola Van for creating a truly beautiful CD." - Cheryl Ranchino, The Herrin Spokesman
"Nature has always been inspirational for Zola.... Her music is an accumulation of these experiences and values." - Jennifer Wig, Daily Egyptian

Zola has a music degree from Southern Illinois University in Carbondale. She has taught music privately and in public schools. Having played since childhood, she has always heard and written music. A strong family background in the arts and love of nature has nurtured her appreciation of both.

Zola's music touches people, makes them feel something of what she felt when inspired by the beauty and the history of southern Illinois. An admirer says, "What I cannot do with the many inflections of voice, Zola can do with a piano key." Listen yourselves! It is Zola's wish that through her music, you may stand in the forest with her, no matter where you may be.

"Walk with me. Let me show you the trail as I see, feel and hear it. This is the way I heard the beauty and grandeur of the Shawnee National Forest in my days there. And on other days, at other times it may be completely different. It will always be new: somehow it will always be different, as nature shapes it as days, seasons and years endow it with an everchanging character, just as it makes its subtle changes in me. I invite you to come walk the trail, to truly experience the beauty of Southern Illinois. Perhaps you'll hear your own music as I have. Walk with me." ...from the CD insert River to River Trail: The Hike through Shawnee National Forest in Southern Illinois.

Some of the many reviews about Zola's music:

"Drawing inspiration from her walks along the 176-mile long River to River Trail in Southern Illinois, pianist Zola Van's album of solo piano tunes is perfect sunny day music. Most of the songs are upbeat and joyous, filled with a combination of breezy accessibility and strong melodies. Her playing sounds like a blend of Wayne Gratz and Jim Chappell, both of whom I hold in high regard. Her accomplished technique sounds effortless (which, as I well know, the opposite is usually the case) in that nothing feels forced or contrived. The warmth and friendliness of cuts like the opener, "Steps: Battery Rock to Rock Creek," and "Angels' Dance at Garden of the Gods" is grin-inducing and the cheer of the album always seemed to spread throughout the house when I played the CD.

Not everything on River to River Trail: The Hike is uptempo, although I prefer the songs that are (since so few pianists seem to capture this vibe successfully anymore). "Broken Wing at Lusk Creek" is softly wistful and romantic and "Walk by Here: Ferne Clyffe" is introspective and a bit sad. As you may have guessed by now, the songs are all named for spots along this lengthy trail, which as someone who enjoys hiking (when I can find the time) sounds like a wonderful trek. The liner notes are extensive and clearly paint vivid images of the Trail as well as aptly illustrating Zola's love of nature and her joy in walking through this wondrous landscape.

I don't know that I can single out one or two favorite songs. And while I like the faster-tempo jaunty numbers a little more, the slower and softer ballads are just as well done.

I consider River to River Trail: The Hike an excellent solo piano CD - filled with hummable and catchy hooks and also personal and reflective tone poems. Fans of the two artists I mentioned above and other similar pianists will, I'm sure, enjoy this hike through a variety of musical landscape portraits. I know I did. I can't wait to walk the real trail someday as well. Thanks for the "tour," Zola!"...Bill Binkelman, Wind and Wire.

"I love the CD and it will receive heavy airplay. Lush and compelling. Congratulations on this beautiful disc. Keep my show in mind when Paint the Forest Winter is released." Jamey Osborne, KTFP/FM, El Paso, TX.

"The CD is absolutely beautiful! Thankyou!" - Karen Rakos, Glacier City Radio KEUL/FM, Alaska.

"Top 20 Playlists" - "Dreams of a New Age," Tani Chen, WMBR, Cambridge, MA.

"We have received your excellent CD and have added it to our playlist!" - David Shear, WSIA FM, Staten Island, NY.

"Top 20 for April 2001" - Mystical Moods with Rainstorm, WLJS Jacksonville, AL

Zola welcomes your comments and your stories of the forest. All the many listeners and fans who have loved her music have made it possible for Zola to share her own stories and the music. Zola reminds us during her performances, "When you visit our forests, remember they were made beautiful; leave no trace." She also adds at the end of every performance, "May all the trails you choose to walk take you where you want to go." Zola's warmth, creativity, and love of nature are clearly evident in her music; and her many fans have repaid her with enthusiastic devotion.

reviews

Please log in to review this album.

  • First Spins NAV MUSIC REVIEWS
    author: Peter Manzi, Editor, NAV New Age Voice Magazine, January 2003

    If you're antsy to get outdoors but can't due to the winter's weather, the next best thing may be to listen to Zola Van's second effort Paint the Forest Winter. Her 12 impressionist pieces were inspired by hikes through the Shawnee National Forest in Illinois, and most are some of the more melodic, romantic and visual piano efforts you'll hear this year from a piano solo release. An excellent and representative piece is "Winter's Kiss at Rim Rock Trail" (see track 6 on this month's sampler) will make you feel the sting of winter's cold. The highlight of the CD is "Rendleman's Grave," inspired by the lonely grave that sits in a corner of a children's cemetery--the boy just a day shy of his 13th birthday. For the piano solo lover, this release has it all: strong compositions with beautiful melodies, a deep well of interesting harmonies, and fine chops at the keys. The CD also contains fantastic liner notes, with explanations from each stop of the hiking journey and several photographs. Paint the Forest Winter is a fabulous stroll through winter's timeless moments and open forests. -- PM

  • I am truly impressed with this set of recordings!, January 9, 2002
    author: Michael Woznicki from Holland, MA USA

    I was very impressed with the first album released from Zola Van, my family quickly became fans and enjoyed the music immensely. So it is no surprise that the second release is just as impressive and once again I find myself expanding the limits of my musical selections. This cd includes 12 wonderfully comprised and arranged tracks. Each one is very relaxing and the sounds are almost heaven like in the way they flow off the cd. My personal favorite is the "Trail of Tears" track which I found to be exceptional. One of the favorites of my wife is "Vivaldi's Winter" and that's only two of the tracks. Zola Van is a superb talent with a real gift for bringing out the best in the music. Van has a rare and unique ability to make the music express feelings of happy, sad, angry and joy, sometime on separate tracks and sometimes in the same track. Overall I can't begin to express how every music lover will enjoy the listening and this album is for all ages and occasions. Don't pass this one up!

  • Music That Touches the Soul April 30, 2002
    author: A Fan from Denver, CO United States

    I don't remember how I was directed to Zola Van's music, but I feel I was meant to discover it. After listening to just a few of her 30 second samples, I was hooked; I'm so glad I ordered the CD. From the very first notes of the first track, "Snow Dance at Sand Cave," Van reaches into the depth of one's soul, her music resonating a universal oneness of being. "Wintertide at Miller's Grove" is so beautiful and feels like it could be a theme song for a movie, something with a pastoral or reminiscent setting. It brings to mind "A Trip to Bountiful," where the main character, an elderly woman, is driven to return to her childhood home in what seems to be the middle of nowhere. "Paint the Forest Winter," the CD's title song, causes one to take a deep breath, relax, and meditate. "Trail of Tears" hits that compassionate part of the soul that makes me want to weep for the victims and the injustices inflicted on them. I can sense their weariness, dejection, and sadness. "At Rendelman's Grave" has a similar feel. I visualize the mother holding close her sick child, and than at his grave, her heart heavy, wanting to cry but trying to be strong for the surviving children. But still the tears come. The "Promise of Spring" track is very aptly placed;after two very sad songs of death, we are reminded of new life and the hope of renewal, reminiscent of the story of the Greek goddesses Persephone and her mother Demeter. Although these songs were inspired by winter sojourns into the forest, their universal appeal makes them appropriate for any season. The poetic notations accompanying each track (found inside the jacket cover) are an added bonus. Zola Van truly is a talented and compassionate artist.

  • Very highly recommended!
    author: Kathy Parsons

    Zola Van's second CD continues the theme of telling the story of a hiking trip in Southern Illinois via eleven original piano solos and her arrangement of Vivaldi's Largo from the Concerto in F Minor. "Paint the Forest Winter", like "River to River Trail", colorfully depicts various stops, sites, and natural wonders, and both albums were inspired by hikes through Shawnee National Forest. Van's unique approach is gaining her much recognition from music-lovers and musicians, as well as hiking organizations,The Illinois Department of Natural Resources, and The National Forest Service. I really like Zola Van's composing and playing styles. Her playing is strong and capable without using flash for its own sake. Her compositions are open and personal, and with her accounts of the songs and their inspiration in the liner notes, it is easy to see what she was seeing and experiencing on her hike. Most of the pieces are fluid and expressive, and some of them remind me a little of Robin Spielberg, who is one of my favorite composers. The entire CD works really well as a whole, but I'll mention a few favorites. "Snow Dance at Sand Cave" was inspired at the largest sandstone cave in North America while the snow "gently dances like crystals in the sunlight". Light, swirling, and very joyful, this is a beautiful way to begin the musical hike. "Winter's Kiss at Rim Rock Trail" gives an icy chill, much as the stinging wind does, also bringing a sense of exhilaration with the thrill of being out in the elements and experiencing the whims of Mother Nature. I don't know if it was intentional but "The Snow Day" reminds me in sections of "Linus and Lucy" from the "Peanuts" specials. This piece tells of the excitement of a "Snow Day" and not having to go to school. Who wouldn't rather play in the snow? Van effectively captures children's taunts during a snowball fight, and makes this piece a joy! "Trail of Tears: Kyrie at Brownfield" tells of the forced march of the Cherokee Indians in 1839 as they were being relocated. The conditions were so terrible that many of the mothers sent their children into the forest for safety, cold and alone. Many of the children as well as the elderly suffered and died, and were buried in this area in unmarked graves. The darkest and saddest of the songs in this collection, the emotions are very powerful and gracefully conveyed. "Burden Falls" is also bold and powerful in its depiction of a waterfall frozen in its path. The photo in the liner notes is almost as stunning as the song! "Paint the Forest Winter" is a wonderful collection to inspire those who love the outdoors as well as those who prefer to experience it from the comfort of the couch with headphones on. Very highly recommended!

  • A Standout CD! Gorgeous!
    author: A music fan from Illinois

    Winter will never seem quite the same after hearing this CD. This is a beautiful "painting" of the season from the first snowflake in "Snowdance at Sand Cave" until the last note of Van's own arrangement of Vivaldi's "Winter" from the Four Seasons. Sensitive, haunting, and yet at times playful "Paint the Forest Winter" has remained in my CD player since I received it. It is a beautiful CD.

email

Please log in to email this artist.