Your CD is outstanding!  I am really enjoying it. You should sell thousands of copies!  Terry Mikeska, pianist/performer

Listening to Donna's new CD; "The Driftwood Trip" was a thoroughly enjoyable experience. Donna shares with us personal life experiences in the form of wonderful musical compositions. While her CD might be lumped into the New Age genre... Driftwood far exceeds typical New Age fare with a depth and personality that reflects Donna's heart. The addition of the violin, cello, and bass (not synthetic strings) adds a lovely icing to an already delicious cake... not to mention the background sounds of nature and children's voices which sparks the imagination to visualize the scenes being created by the music. Over the years I have adopted certain types of music that provide the soundtrack of my life... music to accompany me as I engage in the activities that make up my days. "The Driftwood Trip" is a welcome addition and will take an honored position in my musical collection. Larry Ward-singer/songwriter

 

Hi Donna,
I listened to your CD a few hundred times and I am absolutely amazed at how it came out.  The nature sound effects gave everything so much depth and I felt like I could really see your memories.  And to have your uncle providing the  fiddle licks you were hearing when you were actually there just blew me away.  I would give anything in this world to have recorded the fiddle playing of my great uncles when I used to climb trees near their jam sessions.   Anyway, I just had to let you know how impressed I am with your production and how honored I am to have been a part of it. I gave Ed your CD at our rehearsal last night and he was listening to it intently when I left at around 2 in the morning.  He seemed to be really enjoying it.  See ya soon my friend and I'm so proud of what you've created - Kelly Henson, Musician  www.myspace.com

A delightful diversion from the ordinary.  Dreamy notes that seem to drift on a summer breeze - Mejo Okon, Award Winning Artist  http://www.mejookon.com/

Driftwood is a wonderful blend of sounds from Southern flair to classic beauty.  Mrs. Linton has a true talent for using her piano as a palette to paint beautiful pictures with music.  A warm and inviting album for all ages to enjoy! Elena Kent-singer, actress, artist

You must be so excited!  All of the pieces are just beautiful!  You have such a gift for  a melodic line -  Bill Reynolds, retired broadway singer & actor

Kelly told me a lot about this project when she was working on it with you and piqued my interest. Having listened to the finished product numerous times now, I must say it is impressive. It's a rare thing to capture the mood of a memory in music as you have, The use of natural sounds enhances your music nicely. It's a great CD for those times of reflection and/or just relaxing when you want something that allows the mind to flow easily and, perhaps, guides one back through a personal memory. -- Ed Stabler, singer/guitarist and general nuisance.

Linton’s compositional style is rich in dynamic simplicity. It swells from the heart and soul of a quite gifted composer. The tranquil appearance of the CD’s cover, though beautiful and certainly descriptive of her tone-poem (#5, “The Driftwood Trip”), might lead the purchaser to expect a collection of meditative ramblings at the keyboard. Not the case. Rather, it bubbles with the versatility of a very creative composer’s style from beginning to end. Musical form which meets the most sophisticated standards seems to emerge gracefully from the music like a mermaid. Since this music indeed fits with the Inspirational movements toward which it is marketed, successfully evoking the inner spiritual journey and portraying the power of child-like spirit, it is appropriately placed in the New Age section of music stores. However, Linton’s product is more lasting and deserves more serious musical attention. More along the lines of piano character pieces than background, meditative, musical noise, the academic merit of this collection stands head and shoulders above many of its counterparts on the shelves. I look forward to enjoying future recordings from this composer.

-- Valerie Tedford Queen, M.M. (Music Theory and Composition), B.A. (Music), free-lance pianist, organist, arranger, and composer
(Queen’s more detailed analytical review is available upon request)