"The defining element of virtuosity is the performance ability of the musician in question who is capable of displaying feats of skill well above the average performer. And. up until the early 1980's. these "feats of skill were limited to "human" limits. However, as we moved into the new "digital"age, it became possible to manipulate the musical data - the playing of keys - to whatever level of perfection one desired. And, in the late 1990's through today, digital memory became affordable enough to capture the sound from perfectly recorded pianos in various halls. This is how this CD came to be. I played the piece and then manipulated the data. Much like teaching a student - correcting notes, tempos, articulations, pedalings, finding the best piano, then finding the right room or hall. In other words, I "musically directed" my piano and was "record producer" for the recording session, much like a conductor r e h e a r s i n g with his orchestra. Then subsequently recording the piece. My intention was to let these pieces sound like they want without any human-physical restrictions exposing hidden musical lines, highlighting certain articulations, and the like. I hope you are entertained by Fingerbreakers. I had fun. I hope you do to".  -  Jeffrey Reid Baker Huntington, NY May 2011