McGathey, Maxx

***Imaginary Eyes is a sweeping, ambitious work that conjures a sound-world with soaring strings, heavy rhythm section grooves, mysterious flute melodies, triumphant brass and McGathey’s expressive touch at the piano. From the frenetic thump of “The Staircase” to the melancholy noir of “Midnight”, to the wild, driving, twists and turns of “Nothing will be as it once was…”, these compositions feature dramatic dynamic shifts as solo piano moments evolve into lush orchestral arrangements. Several years in the making, McGathey started composing this music in 2020 during long periods of isolation, turning to his childhood upright piano for solace. “These all started as solo piano works,” says McGathey, “but during that lonely time, I could feel a subliminal yearning in them to be played with as many musicians as possible.” Leaning into that idea, he drew on the talents of nearly a dozen up-and-coming musicians in Chicago’s jazz and classical scenes to create an epic studio-orchestra sound for this record. this one is getting write ups in the Northeast and will continue to draw buzz. Some early articles here and here.