Chopin’s Ballade 1 in G minor is molded with arresting flexibility and a willingness to slow appreciably to emphasize emotional upheaval. Without going over the top, Martin makes quite an adventure of the piece.

…Gernot Wolfgang’s Night Shift…exploits elements of his jazz guitar background. Its qualities are elusive, always tasteful, and saturated with interesting harmonic shifts, rather than rhythmic devices. The overall effect is like a miniature tone poem that remains on the fringe of a dark but expressive world.

Robert Muczynski’s Prelude 2 is the briefest of the pieces here. It, along with Mark Carlson’s For Those Silenced are the most interesting of the contemporary part of the program. When the sounds have terminated one actually wishes they had been extended even more.

Martin plays each with clarity and expression. The recording is good…It is about time this talented artist gave us a solo recital, and this one fills the bill nicely. © 2012 American Record Guide Read complete review on American Record Guide online