Featured Release

Album Overview

On Heart’s Pace, pianist Josh Rager brings together a quartet featuring guitarist Peter Bernstein with Alec Walkington on bass and Rich Irwin on drums for a recording grounded in piano–guitar interplay and ensemble cohesion. Across a program of original compositions alongside selected standards, the album unfolds with measured pacing, clear melodic direction, and a consistent emphasis on tone and balance. The quartet maintains a flexible rhythmic approach, moving between swing, groove-based passages, and ballad settings, allowing the music to develop through listening, phrasing, and shared harmonic space.

From the album…

From the album… the recording’s balance between forward motion and restraint becomes especially clear on “Centered,” where the ensemble establishes a steady, modern swing feel supported by active harmonic movement. The lines develop with clarity and direction, and the group sustains a focused, cohesive pulse, illustrating the album’s broader approach to ensemble interaction and controlled momentum.

Listen to the album

Recommended listening: begin with “Centered,” then let the album unfold.

Album Details

Artist: Josh Rager Quartet
Album: Heart’s Pace
Label: Bent River Records
Release Date: 2025

Personnel:
Josh Rager — piano
Peter Bernstein — guitar
Alec Walkington — bass
Rich Irwin — drums

Track Listing:

1. I’ve Grown Accustomed to Her Face (Lerner / Loewe)
2. Centered (Josh Rager)
3. Heart’s Pace (Josh Rager)
4. Fathers and Sons (Josh Rager)
5. Bass Intro (Alec Walkington)
6. Ebb and Flow (Josh Rager)
7. Within Reach (Josh Rager)
8. Dreamsville (Henry Mancini)