Karen Salicath Jamali - Dreams of Angels

​Karen Salicath Jamali

Dreams of Angels
self-released; 2025

​​By ​Dino DiMuro​
​

The music of Karen Salicath Jamali of New York City comes with an amazing backstory. Originally a professional artist, sculptor and photographer, Jamali sustained a head injury in 2012 that caused a near-death experience, after which she began to play the piano spontaneously, without any previous skills. She began recording the music from her dreams in 2015, releasing eight albums and over 2500 compositions along with performing eight solo shows at Carnegie Hall. Her newest album is called Dreams of Angels.

Jamali explains that this album is “all about the energy from different Angels. It was recorded very early in the morning exactly as I received it. I have not changed anything; it is raw, unrefined music, never practiced before.⁠” She calls her music “an energetic embrace of love in sound.” There’s 16 Angels represented here so I’ll discuss the ones who spoke to me personally.

“ArchAngel Metraton (The Angel of Life)” opens the album with a composition dedicated to Metraton, said to be the highest, most powerful angel. Jamali plays an acoustic piano with an encompassing reverb and room echo, allowing one to really float away with the sound of her cascading keys. The tone here is surprisingly tentative and even bittersweet for such a powerful angel. I’ll just note here that the improvisational method Jamali is using feels fully composed, with a note-perfect conclusion. “Angel Gabriel (The Angel of Water)” symbolizes life, emotions, change, flexibility and feminine energy. My limited classical background recognizes this track as a kind of “Moonlight Sonata.” The melodic themes are strong, evocative and again slightly wounded, hesitant.

"Angel Gabriel's Heart" has a strong current of classical romanticism, with a prominent and compelling theme. "Angel Uriel (The Angel of Truths)” begins gently, as if the child you once were is calling across a sunny field. This Angel’s name means "The Light of God" and this track does seem to illuminate more brightly as it goes along. Next up, “Angel Israfill” embodies the divine connection between music and the cosmos, so I was excited to hear what that sounded like. Interestingly I’m getting bits of old American folk music, as imagined on piano. “Angel Jophiel (The Angel of Beauty)” guides us to see the world through divine love and wisdom, and the music again recalls the lyrical themes and complexity of Beethoven.

"Angel Michael (The Angel of Courage)”carries a light sword and can “cut through darkness.” This music is so beautiful it reminds me of a specific symphony theme, but when I played a fragment of the tune into my Find A Song app, it pulled up this track! "Angel Sandalphon (The Angel of Gentleness)" is said to have - yes - a gentle energy, and the music is confident but also self-effacing, like a child with wisdom well beyond their years. "White Angel" has an interesting backstory: it’s based on an angel sculpture Jamali made for a bronze casting company to comfort people who’ve lost loved ones. This music came from Jamali’s thoughts about this statue. The melodies really do evoke a great distance between loved ones, and the sadness that implies. "Angel Jeramiel (The Angel of Dreams)" closes the set with a musical rumination on the angel of visions and dreams. My personal vision was of a welcoming classroom reflecting the sheer love of learning and knowledge. But that’s me!

It is tricky to describe improvisational piano music (how would you describe the music of the late George Winston, for instance?) but the effect is between a medieval drawing room and a seat at a musical without words. I found myself entranced, and you might too!

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