This album is the byproduct of Andy Harnsberger’s PASIC 2019 showcase concert. It includes “Traveller” by Gareth Farr, “Dead Reckoning” by Adam Silverman, “Saragorda Sound” by Benjamin Finley, and“Unbreakable” by Harnsberger. These are quite musical and showcase Harnsberger’s four-mallet marimba skills.

Specifically, Farr’s “Traveller” provides Harnsberger with an Eastern-sounding background using woodblocks and Chinese cymbals and gongs. Harnsberger’s solo marimba passages utilize arpeggiated and block harmonies with an ambience of a gentle pentatonic sound.

Silverman’s “Dead Reckoning” presents more of a rhythmic than a lyrical flair with contemporary harmonies (almost atonal) pemeating Harnsberger’s smooth soloistic presentation. Finley’s ”Saragorda Sound” provides a layered accompaniment from the ensemble’s steady multiple-percussion accompaniment as Harnsberger contrasts the ensemble with delightful traditional block harmonies.

Harnsberger’s “Unbreakable” ties everything together, with liner notes providing significant insight into this engaging composition. At the heart of its perpetual motion and Aaron Copland-like joyful ensemble presentation is a testimony of Harnsberger’s personal battle with cancer and his father’s battle with Parkinson’s disease. Once the listener knows these associations, one cannot help but to sense the unrelenting battle that a person must have to survive. As Harnsberger states, “Unbreakable” is dedicated to anyone who has ever battled a disease, illness, or disability and refused to give up. It is also meant to be a comfort for those people who battled and eventually lost but never gave up.

Congratulations to Dr. Harnsberger for an in-spiring, serene recording, and his transparent message of courage and truth.