A terrific piano extravaganza!
When Steve Siu's fingers are at work, it doesn't sound like a piano is being played. But rather, the splendid sound of a symphony orchestra comes alive. Simply put, he employs the full range of the keyboard to convey emotions in their purest form. He has an innate sensitivity to nuances of expression, and plays from the heart as well as from the mind. His captivating interpretations blend a dazzling technique, impeccable phrasing, and innovative musical embellishments to create the distinctive sound for which the artist is renowned.
At the urging from an FIM fan, Winston Ma arranged for a meeting between him & pianist Steve Siu in early 2003. Impressed by his performance at the local piano showroom, Mr. Ma decided he was, indeed, worthy of recording for FIM. Only a few months later, in July 2003, a recording session was scheduled for Steve in an old church in L.A. At the keyboard of one of the best nine-foot Concert Grand Hamburg Steinways available at the time, Steve smoothly completed the session in just one day.
One might wonder why it took so long (from 2003 to 2009) to release this recording. The first attempts at mastering this recording (in Burbank, CA) failed miserably to the disappointment of Winston Ma. Although he believed in this performance, he did not believe in the mastered and remastered versions. Unfortunately, it all boils down to the fact that the first mastered disc was flawed; however, the master tapes on Exabyte format (discovered years later), unedited and not yet mastered, were completely useable!
After some meticulous mastering and fine tuning, and with the help of Bruce Brown, the sound began to take shape and the final version was excellent - worthy of the FIM stamp of approval!
As a final note, the bonus track is a medley of popular Hong Kong melodies improvised by Steve as a tribute to his, and Winston Ma's, longing for their home town.
