When an artist is asked to paint a portrait, there’s an implied challenge: to create an image that not only looks like the person, but also captures the essence of that person on canvas. This is very hard to do. When it is achieved, the smallest dab of paint can work the most magic, catching the light in a person’s eye, or a sense of humor in a corner of the mouth. To create a portrait in music is harder still. Philip describes the challenge this way: “A composer starts with a specific focus—an idea or impression. But he is extremely limited in communicating to a listener even a slight indication of the ideal he had in mind. Only a fraction of what he is trying to say ever reaches human ears.” Each song on this CD was inspired by an individual who has affected Philip’s life. He has undertaken to paint for you, the listener, a musical portrait of what each person means to him. That might be impossible. But if he can give you a glance into the heart, the soul, the essence of those people, he will have succeeded.