Music CD: "A Privilege" by Ty Turley-Trejo

Reviewed by Mark Jacobsen, LDSFiles.com Staff Writer


"A Privilege" by Ty Turley-Trejo. Published by Ty Turley-Trejo.
Rating: 5/6 stars

Web site: www.MyNameIsTy.com

When I first received this album knowing that it was an inspirational piano arrangement of some hymns, I had little hope that I would find nothing more than some nice playing of the same old things that we hear from most pianists who release “inspirational piano arrangements of some hymns” albums. I was so thrilled upon a first listen to find how wrong I was to have such “little hope”. Ty Turley-Trejo has delivered something that many of us have been hoping and even pining for for a very long time. Ty’s debut album “A Privilege” is a truly unique and refreshing piece of work.

I knew I was in for a treat when he ended the opening track with a blue-noted jazz chord that many in the LDS music community would not even dare (or perhaps, better said, would not even know how to do) put at the end of an “I Hope They Call Me On A Mission / Called To Serve” medley. For me, though, it makes me want to put a few extra missionary pass-along cards in my shirt pocket! It’s brilliant!

As Ty then ventures into standards such as “I Need Thee Every Hour”, “Where Can I turn For Peace?”, and “Let Us Oft Speak Kind Words”, he does them in such a way as to make them very recognizable, and even hum-able, yet he still manages to take you places you do not expect, and all to great effect. One of the shining moments, though, is his take on “If You Could Hie To Kolob”. This melody fits like a glove with Ty’s style of playing and arrangement. He makes it all his own. Where he gets his ideas that he throws into this arrangement, I have no idea, but I certainly hope he goes there often.

The album ends tastefully on some of his own compositions with vocals, including a very beautiful tribute to the Martin Handcart Company called "Privilege To Pay", which he also sings. This song has all the hallmarks of an LDS inspirational classic. I would not be surprised to find this song being sung in chapels for years to come. Its melody alone is very moving.

This is a debut album that needs to be heard. I would give it a 6 star rating, but I do not believe that this is the best we will get from Ty Turley-Trejo. So, I am giving it a 5 out of 6 stars. Get it, get it, get it!

Go to http://www.mynameisty.com/ to find out how to buy Ty’s “A Privilege” album and for booking information.

 

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