The virtuoso composer and musician
known as Jesse Donovan has released a pair of albums titled “Acoustic
Roses” and “Too Close for Comfort.” Like Donovan's popular
YouTube channel and other pursuits, these records are being proudly
published on the Circles and Sounds independent record label outside
the direction and control of the corporate music industry. These two
records are closely related in that each is a solo project by the
Circles and Sounds artist, but they are written and performed in
entirely different styles. Showcasing vision, imagination, and
sharply honed writing and performance skills, “Acoustic Roses”
and “Too Close for Comfort” stand as reasons for listeners to pay
attention to anything Jesse Donovan produces.
Jesse Donovan of Circles and Sounds
cites as main artistic influences a surprising mix. These include the
Beatles, Led Zeppelin, Rush, the Decemberists, Death Cab for Cutie,
and Kamelot – each of whom are suggested in his “Too Close for
Comfort” record; but also great composers such as Chopin,
Beethoven, Shardad Rohani, John Williams, and Hans Zimmer – names
which may spring to mind when listening to Donovan's own “Acoustic
Roses.”
This dichotomy is key to understanding
the work of Jesse Donovan and his Circles and Sounds collaborative
effort, which has been described as “a new multimedia-faced
entertainment endeavor between himself and his wife, Kara.”
Donovan's music invokes feelings from all over the emotional
spectrum, even at the extremities. He is often able to achieve this
even within the constraints of a single composition or song.
Speaking of his new records, Donovan
writes, “These albums feature performances hosted in the music
videos on our 'Circles and Sounds' YouTube channel. For 'Acoustic
Roses,' I selected some of my favorite piano pieces out of those that
I've composed over the past 15 years. It was a journey to arrive at
this collection, and I want to share that journey with my listeners –
love stories, elation, romance, passion, conflict, dissonance,
resolution, etc.”
This contemporary classical record is
remarkable enough to stand proudly on record shelves beside some of
the world's greatest composers. Fans of piano by Chopin, Beethoven,
Bach, Tchaikovsky et al
are likely to appreciate “Acoustic
Roses” by Donovan.
His “Too Close for Comfort” album,
startlingly, is a roaring American rock record.
“I selected some of my favorites from
songs I've written for guitar and vocals that will take the listener
on a path through the throws of love, beauty, brokenness, loneliness,
dreams, hopefulness, and more,” writes Donovan. “[My records] are
both, I suppose, a combination of truth and fiction that have risen
out of many years of composing, performing, writing, storytelling,
and – ultimately – living.”
Jesse Donovan has been playing piano
since the age of four. He switches between guitar/vocals and piano
regularly and has performed in both capacities all across the United
States. His current official bio lists his experience at piano and
drums going back 25 years, 17 years at guitar, bass and singing, and
more than two decades performing live onstage. He is a session
musician in addition to his work as a composer for both professional
and amateur media productions.
“Acoustic Roses” and “Too Close
for Comfort” are available from over 700 digital music retailers
online worldwide beginning 18 May 2016.
-S. McCauley
Lead Press Release Writer
“Acoustic Roses” and “Too
Close for Comfort” by Jesse Donovan –
Website –
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