Wayne Gratz musically recreates the beauty of Appalachia's Blue Ridge Mountains into an alluring new dimension with his fourth career release, Blue Ridge...Gratz's skill as a composer has reached new summits and the result is an exquisitely crafted, stylish hybrid of accessible pop with warm classical impressions. Lending a hand to Gratz's lyrical piano and synthezier mastery are guest performers Forest Rogers on mandolin and guitar, Doug Mathews on six-string fretless bass, Joseph Ruback on dulcimer and Paul "Slim" Fleury and Peter Lund on cello and violin, respectively. A fantastic percussion section, comprised of Lloyd Hansen, Carlos Fernandez and Trevor Sadler, add to the instrumental blend. (AMG)