Matthew Cook

Heart Songs

Solo Piano Interpretations

Heart Songs brings together songs that have been part of Matthew Cook’s musical life for many years. Many were a regular part of his live performances, where contemporary songs found a place alongside the familiar standards of the traditional piano-bar repertoire.

Although these recordings are solo piano, Matthew doesn’t experience the songs as purely instrumental. The lyrics remain an inseparable part of the music; as he plays, he often hears—or sings—the words in his head. The listener may hear something different, but the phrasing and feeling of each performance grow from that connection between words and music.

The collection includes songs by writers whose music has stayed with him through the years, with Bonnie Raitt’s Circle Dance, Graham Nash’s Lady of the Island and John Lennon’s Love Is among the pieces at the center of the project.