Cross-Origin’s collection of reinterpreted works from Clifford Borg’s repertoire successfully extracts the brittle essence of his emotive piano compositions. Presented in a fresh guise and reflecting an adventurous inclination on the musician’s part, the end result is fascinating, introducing a new aspect to Borg’s talent that should certainly open new doors beyond his established classical music niche.

Origin is the second solo piano album by Clifford Borg and was released in 2006. The sixteen original piano compositions reflect a wide variety of moods and musical styles and all are expressed with passion and honesty. Born into a musical family, Borg started taking piano lessons in his native Malta at the age of five. Within the first year, he joined his two sisters in his father’s band, entertaining patrons at their family’s restaurant. Very favorably received, the group named themselves The Islanders and started performing regularly at various Maltese hotels and clubs. At the age of ten, Borg was invited to give a live solo performance on Malta’s national television station and returned a year later with The Islanders. He started composing music early, earning awards and diplomas along the way. Borg released his first album, Drifted, in 2000 and has performed in concerts over much of Europe and Egypt. Influenced by other classical cross-over artists such as Ludovico Einaudi, Yann Tiersen and Michael Nyman, Borg’s music expresses strength, passion, grace, tenderness and whatever else he wants to communicate in a style that is both beautiful and accessible. It’s about time Clifford Borg found a bigger audience in the US!

Origin begins with “Emergence,” a powerful and haunting piece that won the Best Music for Digital Film award at the Swan Lake Moving Image and Movie Awards in 2010 and was included in a compilation album called Acoustic Visions. Dark and very dramatic, it’s one of those pieces that stays with you long after the music stops. “Afrindian Summer” is much lighter and dreamier with a gentle melody and graceful movement. From the title, one might expect “Simplicity” to be spare and uncomplicated, but one would be mistaken! The piece has a somewhat agitated feeling and is anything but simple. I really like “All in Black and White,” with its flowing broken chords and poignant melody – very emotional and very expressive. “Biography From a Window Sill” is certainly a unique title and this piece goes right to the heart. It must have been a chilly, gray day for the window sill and probably for the composer as well! “Worth Waiting?” is another favorite and sounds like someone pouring his heart out at the piano in the middle of the night, possibly by candlelight, trying to find the answer to a major life crossroad. “Who Is Mr. Swing” is pure light-hearted fun with a catchy rhythm and playful melody. “Secret Energy” is also a favorite. Very powerful emotions pour out of the rolling broken chords and deeply affecting melody. “Ellen’s Colours” is dedicated to a friend who passed away. There is a sadness running through the melody, but there is also a feeling of celebrating a life and of hope – a very beautiful favorite. I also love “Complete,” with its melancholy melody and intense emotional expression. A poem in the liner notes has the same title and explains the reasons for the piece. “Closed Chapter” is a stirring, if somewhat mournful, closing played from the heart and touching the heart of the listener with its honesty and truth.

Origin is a deeply affecting collection of original piano solos and I hope Clifford Borg will have some new music for us soon! The album is available from Amazon, iTunes and CD Baby. Very highly recommended!

Clifford Borg belongs to a new generation of audacious, intelligent and young Maltese musicians who have brought about a quiet revolution in our music scene. Inspired by experimental 20th century musicians like Debussy, Satie and Bartok as well as the late Charles Camilleri, these musicians have been delivering some fine, original compositions for quite some time now. Clifford (and before him Ruben Zahra) have actually presaged this new movement by just a few years. Like fellow musicians, they have also adapted and have exhibited a lot of creativity. Their contributions have helped to see an organic growth in this area. And there is so much to fathom in this scene.

Clifford’s second album, Origin was released in 2008, and won local and international plaudits. Emergence, which opens procedures, immediately hints that the artiste is keen on fusing disparate styles within his own timbre. It varies between melancholy and positivity, somehow reflecting inner strife. The song grows and builds itself into a melody that touches the listener, providing a melodramatic journey, and an indication of where Clifford wants to go.

There is no doubt that the songs featured on Origin are superior in quality and evoke a deeper feeling for the music he loves. The well-paced and heartfelt Orange Forever, the romantic waltz ofUn-leaving, the pastoral Secret Energy and the cinematic Emergence are all vivid examples of how Clifford Borg can deliver his music with so much zest and versatility. Indeed, passion is the motivating force behind the arrangements featured in Origin.  At times such passion and intensity stands out where it is least expected, with the prime case being Secret Energy. The interchange in the high notes and the sudden ending provide wonderful counterpoints to an otherwise quiet tune. Ellen’s Colours, on the other hand, presents another pastoral scenario not far removed from the Virginia Astley’s cult classic From Gardens Where We Feel Secure.

Clifford Borg certainly knows a thing or two about delivering big music. Origin at times is big music without sounding pretentious. It is music that grows on the listener and could well be the way forward for more creative, beautiful compositions.

The musical atmosphere on Clifford Borg’s second album “Origin” is somewhat cloudy. The unfolding of the music is like a mental strife between sadness and smiles but with not really much space left for the latter. The 16 tracks on the album work perfectly together creating a melodramatic-like audible scenery and very stringent musical dramaturgy.

Borg manipulates the listeners’ emotions in a fantastic way using tension in creating piano music elements and mixing seemingly divergent musical styles – from cinematic tunes in “Emergence“, through romantic waltz music in “Un-leaving” to the nocturne-like “Closed Chapter”.

A comparison with any contemporary or classical piano artist or style does not really make sense in Borg’s case. His piano style is unique – a kind of epic orchestral soundtrack played without an orchestra. Borg’s musical textures augmented with moving images appear even more emotional and expressive. The prize Borg won for his track “Emergence” in the category Best Music for Digital Film at the SL:MIMA 2009 emphasizes his talent as a musical artist and composer of gripping film soundtracks.

My first encounter with the music of pianist-composer Clifford Borg happened in 2003, when I attended “Anticipation” – a concert he had given at the Manoel Theatre’s Sala Isouard featuring several of his own piano compositions.  Then, I had been pleasantly surprised by Clifford Borg’s piano miniatures, with their attractive blend of traditional “classical” techniques and jazz/pop sensibilities. It is true that the style of these pieces owes much to the music of such well-known crossover artists such as Ludovico Einaudi and Yann Tiersen.  But this was no mere marketing strategy, some calculated attempt to win over fans from different musical fields.  On the contrary, what is striking in this music is its honesty.  Having tasted different, contrasting types of music, Clifford Borg has managed to weld these experiences in a style which is varied in its points of reference but which is at the same time simple, tuneful and entertaining.

Clifford Borg’s new solo piano CD “Origin” is in many ways a calling-card, a snapshot of his development as composer and performer over the last years.  It takes as its starting-point the “Anticipation” project.  Indeed, a number of the pieces formed the backbone of the programme of that 2003 concert.  Emergence, the opening track, is a case in point.  Built on melancholic arpeggiated figures, it provides a good indication of Borg’s style and is probably one of the best pieces on the cd. Afrindian Summer, a reincarnation of the earlier “Indian Summer” is enlivened by some unexpected rhythms.  Expectations with its striking minimalistic opening is another old friend.

But there are several newer works as well, which Clifford Borg has presumably composed and honed over a number of performances.  The language is still the same, lyrical, melodious and predominantly laid-back.  In some pieces, such as Dasvedania and Beauty one seems to detect a greater influence of popular music – with their clearly discernible, vocal tunes they are not unlike a pop-song without words.   One of the highlights of the new material is the penultimate trackComplete.  A sinuous theme unweaves over a falling ground-bass whilst gentle cluster chords colour the harmonies.  The piece grows in intensity until its sudden ending, an effective Nyman-esque touch.

Many pieces have intriguing titles which hint at some hidden meaning.  The listener wonders at the identity of the subject of Biography from a window sill, which draws from the performer a soaring melody.  Could it be ‘Ellen’, whose “Colours” paint one of the happier of the compositions on this CD?

The sound quality of this recording, made in aBrusselsstudio on a Steinway D, is certainly an asset, beautifully ringing out the body of the instrument’s timbre.

This is a generously filled CD ideal for winding down and chilling out at the end of the day, an assortment of tuneful piano works which is possibly best enjoyed as if it were a musical chocolate box to dip into.  The final track Closed Chapter suggests that Clifford Borg will be seeking new performing/composing pastures.  Hopefully, he will build on what he has achieved so far and have the courage to experiment further.

Thanks to a promising album and a string of live performances at home and abroad, Maltese pianist Clifford Borg has become something of a secret musical treasure over the past few years. His 2002 debut album, Drifted, highlighted the artist’s inclination for both the traditional classical style as well as a more contemporary synthesized vein.

His real strength, however, lies in the way he has gradually developed a unique timbre in his style; one that wraps itself around and instills itself within the balance of vitality and emotion that lies at the root of his original piano compositions.

Borg is currently putting the finishing touches to his forthcoming album, Origin, which is scheduled for release early next year, ahead of which the young pianist will be giving three special performances. The first of these takes place inBrussels on November 4, followed by another inParis just four days later.

The third performance, taking place at Valletta’s St James Cavalier on January 29 in collaboration with the Malta Council for Culture and the Arts, is perhaps the most significant, as Borg will also be launching his new album on the night.

Drifted is the debut album by Maltese pianist/composer Clifford Borg. Recorded in 1998 and released in about 2002, most of the twelve tracks (plus a “hidden” bonus track) are solo piano. One piece includes violin (performed and arranged by Jean Micallef Grimaud), one includes cello (arranged and performed by Paul Micallef Grimaud), and one features both violin and cello. A few tracks also have digital strings and nature sounds such as birds, rain, and children laughing. The bonus track is performed on a digital keyboard.

Born into a musical family, Borg started taking piano lessons in his native Malta at the age of five. Within the first year, he joined his two sisters in his father’s band, entertaining patrons at their family’s restaurant. Very favorably received, the group named themselves The Islanders and started performing regularly at various Maltese hotels and clubs. At the age of ten, Borg was invited to give a live solo performance on Malta’s national television station and returned a year later with The Islanders. He started composing music early, earning awards and diplomas along the way.

Drifted begins with “Denied,” a piano solo inspired by the life of a pianist. The melancholy melody is strong enough to support lyrics, but expressively tells its story without any need for words. “September Nights” begins with the sound of crickets before the sweet and uncomplicated piano solo begins. “Wings” begins with the sound of ocean waves and sea birds. Dreamy and gently flowing, it strongly suggests a sense of freedom. “Longing Dawn” is my favorite piece on the album. Poignant and soul-searching, it sounds like a soliloquy that could have been created very late at night (or very early in the morning!), possibly by candlelight. “Ladybird” is the most light-hearted and carefree piece on the album. “Hoping” was composed when Borg was in search of true friendship and the emotions expressed are heartfelt and honest – also a favorite. The addition of violin to “Remembrance” is a beautiful contrast to the piano and adds a sentimental touch. “Reaching” was inspired by a character in a novel and includes some bright bell-like keyboard sounds (the stars that the character is reaching for?) that give the piece a feeling of child-like innocence. The piano is likely the most effective musical instrument for describing rain, and “Raindrops” utilizes that light, slightly percussive quality that works so well. Composed on a rainy Sunday afternoon, the track includes the sound of rain and thunder. The title track is at the end of the album and was inspired by a true story. Accompanied by violin and cello, the piece is very sad and deeply emotional – almost mournful. But that’s not really the end yet. After about a minute and a half of silence, the swirling and lighthearted bonus track comes in, providing a very happy ending after all!

Drifted is a very enjoyable debut album and provides an interesting look back at where Clifford Borg’s recording career started. It is available from iTunes and CD Baby. Recommended!

This has been a good year for Clifford Borg. The release of Drifted, his debut outing, was well-received, despite the fact that the CD is not geared for the commercial market. Having moved on from Orion, the group he formed part alongside violinist Joseph Chetcuti and singer Josie Scerri, Clifford decided to focus on his own career. In the course of completing the works on Drifted, he has also written songs for other artists, including Chiara.

The 12 instrumental piano compositions on Drifted, are largely reflective, openly melodic without being obvious, and above all, soothing. This is the kind of music to look for when chilling out on a lazy Sunday morning.

It creates a comfortable atmosphere, whether you are entertaining guests at home or simply for the pleasure of your own listening and relaxation. In fact, the music on Drifted could be easily be filed under New Age music, given there is an underlying meditative quality to it.

Following a handful of local performances, Clifford has also invited to headline The Simplicity Tour, which included a series of dates around Germany as well as one-off gigs in Paris, Luzern and Hinterrux. Furthermore, a remix of his composition Hoping was given a contemporary dance remix ( included here as a bonus track) that has been adopted by several DJs as part of their playlist. The Hoping remix was also played on Dutch radio station Enschede FM, where Clifford was invited for a live interview in connection with his tour in Germany.

With this experience in hand, and the promising work on Drifted, Clifford Borg’s potential is obvious, and his live performances which included some jazz and classical standards, are recommended to any genuine music lover.

Drifted is a true example that good, passionate music does not need cosmetic facelifts to make its point, and the 12 stripped-down songs here are proof of this!