Mother’s Day melodies from a pianist-about-town

Chris Smellow and friends play tunes from her new CD.

As a young child, Chris Smellow begged her mother for music instruction.

“My mom was a piano teacher, and she wouldn’t let me have lessons until I was seven,” Smellow said. “But I sure tried.”

As so often happens, Smellow grew to see the wisdom of her mother’s ways. To wit, now that she herself teaches piano and music theory, she typically doesn’t take students under the age of six or seven, the rationale being that most kids can’t fully suss out sheet music until they’re able to read.

Still, she recalls and holds onto her original delight in hearing music. Especially at church, where she absorbed heaven-bound tunes like a sponge.

Music with upwardly mobile aspirations has formed the basis for Smellow’s career as a pianist. Her first CD compilation, which she’ll launch at a release concert on Mother’s Day at Island Music Guild, presents solos that range from traditional to original, all with a spiritual bent.

“I’ve been going to church since before I was born. So there are all these melodies that have been in my head,” she said.

This CD, “Favorite Piano Solos,” offers up a range of moods and themes, from a boogie-woogie version of “Swing Low, Sweet Chariot” to the sparkly original composition “Robinsong” to moody Erik Satie’s “Gnossienne #2.”

For Smellow, who has “done a huge span of everything Protestant there is,” the range has personal significance.

“It sort of reflects my spiritual journey, which is contemplative but has moments of great joy,” she said. “There’s a huge variety. It’s almost like an autobiography.”

Like the best creative and spiritual outlets, piano helps Smellow work things out; piano as therapy, if you will. She can write an entire song while she’s processing an argument with someone, for instance; by the time she’s worked through the song, she’s also worked through the problem.

That may be why she appears so centered and serene.

“It comes with age, my dear,” she said, laughing. “I’m so much more mellow than I used to be.”

Having lived on the island since 1982, the New Jersey native has had plenty of time to build community music connections and to become part of the fabric herself. In addition to teaching, solo work and composing, Smellow is “the only chick” in the Intensely Vigorous Dixieland Band.

She’s also the woman behind the spooky tunes that pour out of the organ at Eagle Harbor Congregational Church every Halloween during the Winslow celebration.

While Smellow officially plays for Cedars Unitarian Universalist Church, her affiliation doesn’t limit her participation in ecumenical cross-pollination.

She’s also been a substitute pianist at Rolling Bay Presbyterian; she was the pianist at Eagle Harbor Congregational Church for five years; and she’s played at Bethany Lutheran Church.

In a sense, she’s become a go-to church pianist.

“People call me and say, ‘Hey, I have a memorial I can’t play. Can you do it?’”

Having supported herself through “all sorts of boring jobs” over the years, Smellow now feels lucky to be able to do what she loves to do each day.

And happy to share it with her community. Not to mention the moms on Mother’s Day.

“If you go to church, go to church; go to brunch; and then when you run out of things to do, come to the concert,” she said.

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Smellow solos

Chris Smellow presents a free concert to celebrate the recent release of her new CD, “Favorite Piano Solos.” The concert is at 4 p.m. May 11 at Island Music Guild, 10598 Valley Road. For information, call the Guild at 780-6911. “Favorite Piano Solos” is available at the Guild as well as at Hollydays and the Glass Onion in Winslow.

Bainbridge Island Review Reporter Lindsay Latimore can be reached at llatimore@bainbridgereview.com or (206)842-6613.

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