Portals by Michael Barkley

This album is dedicated to my beloved brother, Dan, who is no longer with us, and to our surviving family. Dan's musicianship, compositional and musical ability were second only to how kind, caring and genuine he was - a better friend you couldn't hope for.

This album wouldn't exist without Meilana Gillard, who has encouraged, pushed and supported me through the whole process - including contributing two beautiful compositions & the fabulous artwork. I love you, Laney, thank you!

Without fabulous musicians to play with, it wouldn't be worth the effort, and I thank Cathal, James and Rohan deeply for their musicianship, friendship, their musical willingness, and their sense of humour!

Finally, I am deeply indebted to both Alex Borwick and Terry Cromer for realsing my aesthetic direction, which was distinctly different to the norm. Alex ran a beautiully smooth session, and was a joy to spend time with, and Terry's contribution in the mastering stage really tied everything together in a way I couldn't have imagined being better.

Recorded in Jan 2022 in the beautiful Grouse Lodge studio; I have nothing but fond memories - thank you Claire, Eavan, and the whole crew, for making this such a great experience!

I recorded on Vennture Mouthpieces, who have been integral to my comfort on my instruments, as well as realising my sound and developing as a player. Thank you for everything!