Product description *** #1 CD OF THE YEAR *** TOP NEW AGE & CONTEMPORARY INSTRUMENTAL AIRPLAY RECORDINGS OF 2007 New Age Reporter Top 100 Charts NEW AGE REPORTER, BILL BINKELMAN ... 'What can I write that will do justice to this sublime and beautiful recording? I have put off reviewing It's About the Rose because I didn't know how, in words, to capture my reaction to this album, conveying how deeply it touched me. From the opening "It's About the Rose in the Vase on the Table" and it's rolling yet melancholic melodicism to the gypsy-ish "Moon Night" (featuring Derrik Jordan on djembe and violin) to the light-hearted "Café Espresso (for Ken)" which prances and dances around like a little kid overflowing with the joy of the moment to the closing reprise "Finale of the Rose" on which Garrett is joined by stellar accompanists Will Ackerman (who produced this outstanding disc), Jeff Oster on flugelhorn, Steve Schuch on violin and Derrik Jordan once again on percussion, there is no misstep, no over-reach, no wasting of a note or a chord throughout the fifty-one minutes on this recording. It's About the Rose is one of the most evocative, deeply felt albums I've heard in years, and that statement encompasses many recordings. Comparable to the chamber minimalism of Tim Story at times, yet also more accessible for less adventurous listeners who need a firmer grounding in structured acoustic instrumentation, this is a CD of uncommon grace and elegance, yet never at the expense of becoming distant or overly concerned with technique as opposed to human emotion. Try to remain unaffected by the gentle caress of cello (played by Eugene Friesen) and Garrett's piano as they weave a delicate beauty on "Tally's Lullaby. From the Artist With this project, "It's About the Rose", I wanted to connect with listeners at various emotional levels and explore that musically without consideration of genre. For me, it's about the music we love and not about fitting into any one drawer.