New York, NY (Top40 Charts) Just months after the release of Love, his first solo piano recording in over a decade, pianist/composer
Peter Kater is focusing his attention on scoring, an aspect of his multi-faceted career that has earned him wide spread critical acclaim. After recently relocating to Los Angeles from Hawaii, the ten-time Grammy® nominee is working on the soundtrack to "Heart of the World", a much anticipated 3 hour PBS program focusing on the
National Parks of Colorado.
Kater's move to Los Angeles is not the only change for the prolific artist. After ten Grammy® Award nominations for Best New Age album, Kater is submitting his Love recording in the Best Contemporary Instrumental Category. Kater says, "Love is a hybrid recording combining my classical roots and jazz improvisational instincts. I'm excited that the new Contemporary Instrumental category exists because I feel it's the best place for this new recording." In fact, Kater's early success was not rooted in New Age music at all. His first solo piano album
Spirit was release in 1983. Following that, five of Kater's releases charted in the Top 10
National Contemporary Airplay charts, including his
National #2 album, Gateway.
In addition to his Grammy nominations, the multi-platinum selling pianist/composer has been a leading innovator of contemporary instrumental music for over three decades. He's performed all over the world, including at the United Nations and Carnegie Hall, has released over 60 critically acclaimed CDs ,and has scored the music for over 100 television and film productions, including the 2000 and 2004 Olympics, as well as eleven On & Off-Broadway dramatic plays.
Peter has collaborated with many of the world's most talented musicians, actors and directors and is a proud recipient of many awards and honors including the Environment Leadership Award from the United Nations.
Earlier this year, in recognition of his stature as one of the musical forces behind the emergence of new age music, Kater was presented with a Lifetime Achievement Award at the Zone
Music Awards. A 25 minute video capturing the highlights of Kater's career was screened at the Awards, and is currently available on YouTube.
CRITICAL LOVE FOR LOVE
"Pianist
Peter Kater's music is remarkable for its accessibility. Deeply melodic, evocative in whispering tones, emotional in subtle and nuanced cadences-Kater has mastered the tricky balance between the literal and the interpretive, making his primary musical statement while leaving space for listeners to paint their own visual landscapes."
Dave Kirby/Getboulder.com (Boulder Magazine)
***
"The whole performance - very well recorded in an intimate but not claustrophobic acoustic - are aptly scaled to salon as well as occasionally to concert hall, but it is always the floating quality of the pianist's hands that is magical to behold."
Raul da Gama/Jazzdagama.com
***
"When it comes to heartfelt, piano performance and music that matches, there are just a few artists that are in the same class as Kater."
Robert Silverstein/MWE3.com
***
"...incredibly complex and extraordinarily emotional...Peter Kater draws the feelings out of the piano like some musical alchemist bent on discovering something new and precious. This seventy-two minute recording of enthralling contemporary music is a testament to his success."
RJ Lanham/Zone
Music Reporter
***
"I hope it won't be another ten years before
Peter Kater's next solo piano album! Love is one of his best albums ever and sure to be a favorite for 2015."
Kathy Parsons, Mainlypiano.com
***
"Kater's CD brought some healing to my head and my heart..."
Patricia Herlevi/The Whole
Music Experience
***
"...the range of musicality and depth that goes by all too quickly here will make you feel like this is a well- rehearsed classical recital. There's always room for listening to rapturous playing like this...First class throughout."
Midwestrecord.com