~ Reviews ~

“Thank You So Much for the Musical Evening - EVERYONE ENJOYED IT! - And said IT ADDED SOMETHING SPECIAL to the Party!”

- Baroness Golding - The House of Lords Party, London

“Now THAT’S What I Call Performance Poetry!”

- Havant Literary Festival Director

– and - The South Downs Poetry Festival Director

“Last night’s Performance was FANTASTIC ! - WELL DONE ! - Your Poetry CD was SUPER too!”

- S Godwin, Radio Station Director - Radio Lion, Surrey

“A VERY BIG THANK YOU! - I received MANY COMPLIMENTS from our guests – And I feel you really started off what was an ABSOLUTELY PERFECT day for us! Thank You for setting the tone.”

- The Rainbow-Miller Event

- The Elvetham Stately Home and Country Estate, Hampshire

“A CD I’ve been listening to lately with GREAT DELIGHT! - Merlynda has a genuinely unusual dark-hued voice with something of the range and timbre of a vibrant Tenor Saxophone! She performs a cappella, with piano accompaniment, and with orchestrated backing tracks. I particularly enjoyed ‘Smokey Moon’ – and - ‘BitterSweet Boy’ includes a lovely arc-shaped sequential melody, a genuine modern jazz texture, and some authentic Skat singing. Another hit was ‘The Brussel Sprout Song’ - a Fun Cabaret item in the Flanders & Swann or Victoria Wood tradition. I’d like to Thank her for letting me hear these UNIQUE and ORIGINAL performances.”

- J Conway, Founder & Editor:

British Association of Tonal Composers, London

“Merlynda WOWED the audience with her Poems & Fairy-Tales! - And EVERYONE ENJOYED a VERY ENTERTAINING afternoon SWEPT AWAY with Merlynda’s ENTHUSIASM and high drama which brought her BEAUTIFULLY CRAFTED STORIES TO LIFE!”

- Events Coordinator - East Hill House, Hampshire

“I was AMAZED - And MESMERISED! - I am STILL AMAZED! - AND MESMERISED!”

– I Sene, WordBox, Sussex

“Undoubtedly Fine Pieces!”

- BBC Radio 4

“Really Enjoyed Listening!”

- Classic FM

“I had a lot of Comments from everyone on how much they Enjoyed the Entertainment - How professional you were – And what a lot of effort you had gone to - to make the Event the Success it was!”

– Events Coordinator - Haslemere Hospital, Surrey

“I could have listened to your Verses ALL DAY!”

- L Trimby

“Congratulations on your Highly-Commended Songwriter Award! It was Very Well Deserved!”

- Spirit FM

“Out of the many titles on that particular compilation CD, YOURS did stand out! - It SOUNDED GREAT!”

- D Paramor - Manager of EMI Music - United Artists

- Dick James Music Ltd

“You have an unusual voice - FANTASTIC! - You are so UNIQUE.”

- D Taylor

“An UNUSUALLY Large and Low Vocal Range!”

- The New York Singing Teachers Association, New York, USA

“I want to Congratulate Merlynda! - I REALLY ENJOYED her voice - And I hope she becomes FAMOUS!"

- D Unstan

“This Delightful Irrepressible Lady Had Us In Tucks!"

- Tony Newton

REVIEW - MUSIC CD:

‘CAPRICES & QUIRKS’ CD - Original Piano and Keyboard Instrumental Compositions

Composed and Performed by LK Merlynda Robinson

‘Lynda’s new disc contains eight tracks, six of them for piano – including piano duet – plus one for guitar, and a synthesized piece which features an accordion and orchestral effects.  All the tracks on this disc reveal quirkily attractive qualities and I particularly enjoyed the solo piano pieces ‘Lesson on a Tightrope’ and ‘Trapeze Entanglement’ which perhaps reveal the influence of 20th century composers for the piano like Bartok and Soulima Stravinsky.

For now though I’d like to concentrate on the first and last tracks on the album.  ‘Alternator Shipyard’ is a brilliant addition to the piano duet repertoire, written in a sunny G major with the odd mixolydian inflection.  I loved the procession of sturdy quick-fire themes, minimalistic, and yet bound together with delightful counterpoints above and below.  There’s a slower episode before the recapitulation but the piece has unity and purpose.  There’s also a kind of innocence and charm beneath the surface musical sophistication which is tremendously appealing.

The last track is dubbed ‘Scorpions des Villes’, a stunningly original piece which sounds as if it could be the finale of a concerto for piano accordion and strings.  Its three layers consist of accordion on top, pizzicato violas, and a string bass line.  As in ‘Alternator Shipyard’ there are minimalistic tendencies in this fascinating piece and the repetitions gradually cast a hypnotic spell on the listener.  In its emotional effect though it’s quite different to the earlier piece – dark, slightly menacing, sinister even …’

J. Conway - Founder & Editor:

The British Association of Tonal Composers

Published:  The BATCOM Newsletter (Edition: No 16)