Just for Tonight

‘Just For Tonight’ contains all the ingredients that have made Richard Hayman a distinctive name in music. Here, the famous harmonica virtuoso, composer, conductor and arranger combines the orchestral elements into a rich, yet transparent texture. The imaginative employment of brass, the winning use of harp and strings and the subtle interweaving of harmonica solos create that unique luxurious sound – a sound that possesses a delicate balance between sentiment and sophistication – ‘Just For Tonight.’ The title tune, an exotic beguine, introduces a night of tropical splendor as the reeds chant an idyll of love and the strings and brass capture the essence of undulating waters and whispering palms in a melody that will last for a lifetime. The mood continues in Noche Misteriosa… a mysterious night south of the border – a black velvet tissue illuminated by a milion pinpoints of light. It’s another beguine, swept along by strings, maracas and bongos, that captures the musical pulse of a Caribbean night, and proves, through Richard Hayman’s solos, that the harmonica is a full-fledged member of the concert orchestra. In a similar Latin enchantment, Bon Voyage, expresses the sun-filled, fun-filled atmosphere of a cruise ship headed for the West Indies. The beauty of the evening is enhanced by the appearance of four lovely ladies. One is Marie, represented by a melodious harp that flits through a concert waltz, surrounded by an inventive array of musical instruments. Another is the young actress who fervently hopes, dreams and aspires to be a great star – her desires aptly mirrored by the glamorous mood piece in modern tempo… Theme For A Starlet. Still more mysterious is Blue Angel, the gal without a name who drifts through the domain of dreams, reflecting the many facets and moods of the night. Angie, though, is more down to earth – a pert little flirt who hurts men’s hearts, but still finds plenty of admirers at her doorstep. Her story is told in a swinging arrangement by Richard Hayman and His Orchestra. The night is an etching of numerous impressions. The sliding, shifting and soft-stepped rhythms of a shuffle trace the feeling of daylight, born like a stroke of music into the world, slowly fading into a restful night in a Serenade At Twilight. Then, in the deep reaches of night, another Serenade fills the air – the bright song of a wandering minstrel, playing his mandolin, among the rolling hills and fertile fields of romantic Italy. The night can also bring Loneliness – which is the title of a colorful melody in which Richard Hayman’s harmonica adds new dimensions to the musical expression of the blues. The feeling of loneliness can stir the imagination even to the point of seeing a mirage… but the Fata Morgana offered by Richard Hayman and His Orchestra is a reality… a lilting session of waltz magic. But for some, the night ends too soon… there is just a brief moment for a hurried embrace, a fleeting kiss and a memory… a memory in music that sighs So Little Time.