Winterspring is an album of solo piano music, written and composed by Jeff Manuel, a professional pianist in Chicago. It’s blues, jazz, tangos and “rock” (think Elton John and Nicky Hopkins, early Keith Jarrett...) accessible, yet played with a considerable technique reflecting Jeff’s classical background. Every piece is reflected in a booklet of poetry written by Jeff and (the best stuff) Chicago writer Carrie Brekke. It’s nostalgic, romantic, and evocative. Carrie’s poem says it all, accompanying the
first piece...

the wind sweeps out of the north
gathers memories off the plains
farm and home, romance and cold
women with chill-kissed shoulders dancing in Legionnaire halls.
The wind swoops and drops
its stories across our paths as we hurry
through our anywhere streets.
Waiting at the light, we are startled by images of barren fields
promised lovers,
the shadows of owl wings trailing across the moonlit snow
big bands, and couples in cars.
We see our faces mirrored in the dark shapes of winter night

A shift, the wind rushing in from the south,
a trace of salt, the rustle of palm,
It comes too soon like nostalgia.
Ice cracks, snow sags,water rushes in the gutters
We stumble on spring--a purple crocus in a circle of snow.
We run our tongues along the breeze.

Later, we stood in gray coats braced against the cold
We caught our breath and leaned against the wind, into those memories
And tried in vain to see what we had seen.