Leah Waybright - Dreamed - Invasion Merch CD
By John Davis

It’s been quite a while since we have heard from Leah Waybright - not since Beauty Gone Wild in 1999 in fact. And like that album so long ago, she has turned to Happy the Man alumni Stanley Whitaker (guitar) and Rick Kennell (bass, drums, percussion) to flesh out her compostions, along with Gary Blu (woodwinds); in addition Mark Wood plays violin on one track. The result is much closer to progressive rock than new age, and is a joy from start to finish. Waybright has the knack of writing beautiful music which isn’t sappy with flowing melodies and lovely neo-classical piano accompanied by just the right amount of rhythmic backing from bass and drums, keeping the music active without overwhelming it.

Waybright’s keyboard playing is stellar with rapid arpeggios that don’t blindly follow chords, but contibute their own melodic value. The tracks are harmonically rich, though not dissonant, far beyond simple major and minor chords, while not reaching for the stock jazz extentions. Blu’s flutes and saxes are often the stars, and his playing is outstanding, tempering his pure tones with expressive inflections that avoid cliches. In short, Waybright is a skilled composer, and she has chosen perfect group of musicians to realize her dream in the real world. DREAMED is delightul and we can hope she doesn’t wait more than 20 years for her next one.

Leah Waybright: Dreamed - Invasion Merch

Leah Waybright is a new York based musician who has been around for a number of years. She released her debut album Beauty Gone Wild in 1999 and twenty-four years later her sophomore effort titled Dreamed saw the light of day in 2023. The artist specializes in piano and keyboards but has also delved into other areas including wildflower preservation, teaching, and floral artistry. The music is both elegant and pastoral but this is by no means a one dimensional effort as jazz, prog, folk, and classical are all touched upon.

The first track “Candlewink” features a lovely piano melody and rich orchestrations having a classical bent. Waybright’s piano playing flows beautifully throughout the entire song. Gary Blu adds some nice flute and piccolo work as well. The percussion and drums become more pronounced as the song progresses. On “Enchanter’s Nightshade” classical and nuanced progressive rock meet head on making for a dynamic sound palette.

Blu’s flute and saxophone solos are exceptional. “Dreamprints” comes out of the gate a little heavier, certainly more rocking than the previous tracks and showcases Stanley Whitaker’s outstanding use of guitar. Progressive and jazz elements fuse tother in a seamless and completely natural way. Blu’s saxophone is also highlighted. In the softer “Awake Spring Beauty” spry flute and piano intertwine in unique and melodic ways and in “Earth Rattle” the listener is enveloped in an atmospheric and jazzy sound, slowly building with a delightfully nuanced approach.

Dreamed is an excellent listen. Richly orchestrated, sophisticated melodies, and finely crafted musicianship should appeal to many of our progressive rock readers. Recommended!

 

Leah Waybright - Dreamed - by Robert Silverstein

Instrumental progressive jazz-rock fusion continues to make strides forward with Dreamed, the 2023 CD by Upstate New York based Leah Waybright. Striving towards an Americana/ Canterbury style progressive sound, the 10-track, 45 minute album features the keyboard based compositions of Ms. Waybright backed up by a group of musicians including Stanley Whitaker (guitars) and Rick Kennell (bass, drums and orchestrations) of the still active, 1970s DC based prog-rock band Happy The Man. Also on hand are the superb flutes and sax of Gary Blu with Mark Wood adding violin on a track.

The music on Dreamed is very much in that high echelon of contemporary instrumental but, brought into the 21st century, it’s been tempered and sometimes is reminiscent of well-known jazzers like Claude Bolling & Jean-Pierre Rampal and other beautiful sounding Euro-style instrumental jazz music from the 1970s. The UK Canterbury sound is also evident thanks in part to Ms. Waybright’s similarly exquisite approach to symphonic prog-rock composing in the realm of keyboard icons like David Sinclair and Dave Stewart. Filled with many stellar musical moments, Dreamed is Leah Waybright’s breakthrough album.

Leah Waybright DREAMED - Invasion Merch. Review by David Randall

One of the great things about GRTR! as we reflect on our twenty year lifespan is the eclectic nature of our brief. We don’t ever feel compelled to review the latest Jethro Tull or Yes album. Far more interesting might be those albums that appear from lesser known professionals who demand a wider audience. Admittedly some of this is very niche but, I have to say, very satisfying nevertheless.

‘Dreamed’ by piano player Leah Waybright is a case in point. It’s hardly rock, but an instrumental journey that is a melange of good taste, appealing themes and super playing. It’s her first album since 1999′s ‘Beauty Gone Wild’. In her defence she seems to be a very busy lady who also works as a floral artist/lecturer and wildflower conservationist.

Whilst Waybright’s compositional talents and classical training are evident, the journey is pastoral in feel. This is jazz pop chamber music if you will.

Gary Blu’s woodwinds (including sax, flute and clarinet) feature prominently underpinned by Waybright’s piano. At times it invokes a melodious early Van Der Graaf Generator (yes they can be) or Dutch progsters Focus but the music is always engaging.

In addition to Gary Blu (who has worked with Steely Dan and Boz Scaggs), Leah is joined by Happy The Man’s Stanley Whitaker (guitar) and Rick Kennell (bass, drums) and Trans-Siberian Orchestra violinist Mark Wood on ‘Sunwise’.

The album reminds me of when I raved about Rachel Flowers, another of those talented artists outside the mainstream but happily falling under the GRTR! gaze. ****

Leah Waybright: Dreamed
by George W. Harris

Playing piano and keyboards with accompanying voice, Leah Waybright teams up with Gary Blue/woodwinds, Rick Kennel/b-dr-perc an Stanley Whitaker/g for a collection of unpretentious originals. There’s a celestial feel to her material such as “Candlewink”, with Blu’s clarinet gliding over the ivories, while flute and alto sax are reflective on “ Enchanter’s Nightshade”. Whitaker and Kennell lock in and rock a bit on “Dremprints”, with some pretty violin from Mark Wood shining on “Sunwise”. Lots of musical silhouettes to take in.

Composer Leah Waybright - Dreamed Album

This episode of Big Blend Radio's "Toast to The Parks & The Arts" Show with the National Parks Arts Foundation features Leah Waybright, a life-long Her newest CD, “Dreamed” is out now and features members of Happy The Man, Trans-Siberian Orchestra and Steely Dan. In this conversation Leah talks about her music, childhood in Gettysburg, and work in floral design and wildflowers, especially at The Wildflower Island at Teatown Lake Reservation in Ossining, New York.

The common thread that connects Leah's many professions is her role as a Storyteller. Hundreds of lectures and the wide variety of special floral programs she has presented for Garden Clubs and Civic Groups are the most obvious examples of her Storytelling.

However, her ability to tell a compelling story is not limited to words. Despite the instrumental nature of her music, her unique approach to composition and instrumentation means that each vignette reveals an unfolding and ever-evolving story rich with meaning. As a steward of the Earth, Leah’s creativity and mindset benefitted from the pauses in older projects, and the development of new projects, but throughout she consistently creates new music through improvisation and then hones it with a nurturing process similar to the way she cultivates her beloved plants and wildflowers. More: http://www.leahwaybright.com/

Special thanks to the National Parks Arts Foundation for sponsoring this episode.

Leah Waybright — Beauty Gone Wild
(Innertainment I-7001-CD) by Peter Thelen,

Waybright is a composer, keyboardist, floral artist, and wildflower preservationist. This project brings all of that together: a 12 track CD + 32 page CD-sized book featuring illustrations, artwork, and stories about each of the wildflowers that the tracks represent. Waybright’s compositions are intensely melodic and briliantly orchestrated, each with its own spirited vision and expressive purpose; even though this is a concept album, any of these pieces could easily stand on its own — zero filler.

The material seems to span a lot of interests, but it fits well somewhere between progressive rock (structurally and compositionally) and — don’t want to say New Age, the word has too many negative connotations — the material here really transcends a lot of the fluff that New Age music tends to be, but it should appeal to some of the same listeners. The casual listener might at first be reminded of some of Kit Watkins’ solo work, yet the material here tends to be more upbeat and “positive,” not a lot of dark moodiness or ambient soundscapes. Interestingly enough, it’s some of Kit’s old bandmates supporting Waybright here: Rick Kennell (bass and orchestrations), Stan Whitaker (guitar), and Ron Riddle (drums), with Gary Blu (flute and horn melodies) and Gerardo Velez (congas and timbales on a couple tracks). Overall, Beauty Gone Wild is nothing short of superb, and there is plenty herewithin to satisfy the tastes of even the most discriminating progressive rock listener. Highly recommended.

Beauty Gone Wild
Leah Waybright - Review by NJprogfan

LEAH WAYBRIGHT is a US artist, originally from Pennsylvania. Shew grew up in a family fond of farmiong and gardening; which has had a great role to play in her choice of profession - eventually staking out a career path in floral design after a brief tenure as a model. Today she's active as a lecturer in floral design, and have been a curator at Teatown Lake Reservation for more than a decade - to mention but a few of her career activities.

Her interest in flowers and nature has had a major impact on her one solo album to date; with flowers being the dominant theme throughout the album. Her involvement in music was due to discovering the piano abilities of Barbara Watkins (sister of Henry Cow's Kit Watkins) at a young age. Following stints in various rock bands and collaborations with solo artists, she set off to make a solo album in the 90's; and in 1999 the creation was finished; entitled "Beauty Gone Wild".

Although not producing new music for the last decade, Waybright is participating in the music scene - as she for several years have been a piano teacher in addition to pursuing her call making a career working with and caring for nature.

An all-instrumental album based on Leah Waybright's love of nature, particularly flowers. In fact, every song is based around a flower. Waybright's keyboard and orchestration is very pleasant and laid-backed. On occasion, it will open up beyond the peuedo-folkiness i.e. 'African Violet' has a world sound and 'Clown Orchid' is very carnival/humorous. The last track has the fastest pace and is my favorite. When you look at the line-up for this album you'll see many muscians that played/play in the US symph/Canterbury band HAPPY THE MAN.

Most of the songs have the sound of HAPPY THE MAN, but in their more lush and quiet mode. Not until you get to the last song, 'Forget-Me-Not' do you hear them stretch out and rock, especially the fantastic drummer Ron Riddle who played on my favorite HTM album, 'Crafty Hands'. For the most part, it's a subduded experience that also reminds me of the art rock band SKY. It's very pretty, played well and is a nice piece of music totally. Yet, I can't give it more than 3 stars because of it's even-keel tone throughout most of the album. It weaves and flows like flowers in a breeze, but it's reminds me to much of just lounging about and falling asleep, not opening my eyes to beauty like a garden should.