I’m so glad piano day is now a thing each year as it gives me a great excuse to showcase to you some of the amazing arrangements of game music that take place. Piano collections have long been held in a special place in my heart and the latest collection to make its way there is Trevor Alan Gomes’ Pokemon renditions.
Here we have 38 tracks of virtuoso arrangements spread across the four games. From the opening track “Opening (Pokemon Game Theme)” which welcomes you to the collection you know it’s going to be great. There’s flair, pace, complexity and a certain precision to it all. Trevor’s arrangements filter in that dramatic orchestral sensibility into just two hands and lets rip. They don’t all have to be big and huge as the laid back tinted rose glasses of “Pallet Town” is sentimental and full of breath to make each note count. “A Rival Appears” turns a battle encounter into a ragtime blues dance. It’s as groovy as it is inventive. “Battle! Wild Pokemon” is far more dramatic and octave breaching as Gomes rumbles your fillings with smashing low notes and dramatic unfurls up the octaves.
Across the 38 tracks there are so many great ones to choose from. The playful “Bicycle Theme”, the mysterious and theatrical “Mt Moon”, the elegant “Cerulean City” – there’s so many. The honky tonk and foot stamps come out to play for “Game Corner” which helps change up the palette a little and indeed in later tracks occasional percussion is also brought in where the multiple layered “Pokemon Mansion” see’s layers of scatty pianos create a spooky feel. Crowd pleaser “Anime Theme” will have people smiling along and the piano chops reach fever pitch with “Battle! Pokemon Champion” where you’ll be astounded. Closing out the collection is the beautiful and sombre “Jigglypuff’s Song” which has special meaning for me as this was one of my nicknames at school!
Trevor Alan Gomes has created a fantastic collection here, one that will appeal to game music fans, Pokemon fans and fans of the best instrument in town. Pick up the four collections together – it’s really worth your time and you’ll have just shy of two hours of piano excellence to enjoy.
Recommended Track: “Battle! Pokemon Champion”