Rick Cutler’s musical history is truly impressive. For 18 years, he was a musical director and keyboardist for Gregory Hines, and he worked in Broadway shows such as “The Wiz” and “Hair”. Now he’s set to release his new album “Daydreams (Probably)” February 10^th of this year. While you’re waiting for the release, let’s talk about this album.

“Amuse Bouche” is a 24 second mysterious intro that consists of cymbals. The soft and beautifully played piano in “Overalls” is soothing, but also quite brief. The unique combination of percussion and keys make “The Tall Road” an amazing song to listen to.

“Black Orchid” is romantic and would be perfect for date night. “When I Found You Again” treats us to an amazing piano performance by Cutler. This song is just as relaxing as the previous tracks. “Amuse Bouche 3” brings us a faster paced drum solo. “Daydreams (Probably)” has a sweet and peaceful melody. “Walking Meditation” is the perfect song to help you relax.

“Amuse Bouche 4” has a drum beat that fluctuates between a soft and slow beat to a slightly rapid rhythm. “Tomorrow Is a Long Time” is sung by Cutler’s daughter, Charlotte Durkee and is beautifully upbeat. The piano and the soft tapping of the cymbals give “Opposites Distract” a whimsical sound. “Amuse Bouche 5” is completely identical to “Amuse Bouche”.

“Sanctuary” sounds like the special effects you’d hear in sci-fi films mixed in with smooth jazz. “We Apologize for The Apology” is an upbeat track with energetic cymbals and piano. The slow and deep sound sounds of the piano in “Back & Forth Forever” give this track a somber sound. We hear a drum and cymbal duet in “Amuse Bouche 2” and “Amuse Bouche 6”, as opposed to the drum solo on earlier tracks.

The piano and percussion duet makes “A.D., Betty & Joe” an exciting song to listen to. “The Glue in The Cell” has a mysterious melody to it. “Hymn #3” reminds me of hymns one might sing in church and “Purple People” is energetic and will make you want to dance.

What stood out to me was that “Amuse Bouche” has six identical tracks. For a song to truly stand out, it should have its own sound. Aside from that, this album has many beautiful songs and I believe the fans will enjoy listening to this album.

Final Grade: B

About The Author

Lauren Beverly

Music Reviewer

I love to write and have been doing so since the age of eight. Fictional stories have always been a favorite of mine, because it gives me a chance to be creative and to express myself in a multitude of ways. On more than one occasion, a song proved to be the inspiration to several stories I have written. Believe it or not, some of those songs were on soundtracks! That’s mostly what I listen to, aside from hits from the 1950’s up to the 1980’s. I’ve learned that anything can be the inspiration to a story, even a poster from the 1990’s or a DVD cover.

I’ve lived in Upper Marlboro all of my life and spent much of my childhood watching cartoons of all kinds, and listening to my older sister’s cassette tapes. Growing up, I listened to everything Jackson related, Paula Abdul, Elton John, and even the controversial group Milli Vanilli. As a teenager, I continued to listen to old-school hits and that was pretty much all I liked, aside from listening to all of Michael Jackson’s music. To this day, I still love old-school hits. That hasn’t changed.

I own a variety of CDs from artists such as Styx, The BeeGees, Michael Jackson, Queen, The Yellow Submarine Soundtrack, and many others. When a soundtrack comes out, there will always be one specific song from that album that I’ll love. It never fails.

I’ve graduated from Bowie State University in December 2013 with a B.A. degree in English.

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