The veteran singing pianist is joined by an acclaimed jazz trio on a melody-driven plea for compassion, drawn from his album ‘Rick Maltese & Friends Vol 2’Toronto pianist, composer, and songwriter Rick Maltese has released “Just Like an Angel,” a warm and melody-forward single that turns a simple idea into something quietly powerful: that the smallest acts of human kindness can change a life. Drawn from his album ‘Rick Maltese & Friends Vol 2,’ the song arrives as a gentle reminder of what connects us, carried by Maltese’s lyrical writing and the easy chemistry of the musicians around him.
The message sits right at the heart of the lyrics. “Just a smile, just a word, just a look or an open door, can save a soul from wanting more,” Maltese sings, before landing on the line that gives the song its title: “Even when you don’t have much to share, you’re just like an angel when you show you care.” He has described the song as a musical reminder that generosity costs little and means everything, and that compassion can ripple outward in ways we never see, an idea he likens to a butterfly effect of small gestures.
Listen on Spotify here: https://open.spotify.com/track/3GOBBOBuxQODVxCaS5O4Lr?si=uc5tyo5cQTGtDaTtbSRH7w&nd=1&dlsi=46ed069c2e58419e
That theme carries real weight at a moment when goodwill can feel in short supply, and it offers journalists a timely hook. Maltese wrote the song as a counterpoint to a world where kindness toward those most in need too often goes missing, framing music itself as a small act of care. The result is a song with a clear conscience and an open hand, one that invites listeners to consider the difference a single thoughtful moment can make.
The recording brings together a trio with deep musical pedigree. Maltese is joined by bassist George Koller, a National Jazz Award Bassist of the Year whose credits span more than 1,600 albums and collaborations with Peter Gabriel, Loreena McKennitt, Holly Cole, and many more, and by drummer Ben Wittman, a composer and producer who has recorded with Sting, Paul Simon, and Rosanne Cash and who frequently collaborates with his Grammy-nominated wife, Laila Biali. Rounding out the circle is internationally celebrated jazz and Latin flute specialist Bill McBirnie, personally selected by Sir James Galway to serve as his Resident Jazz Flute Specialist.
The sessions took place at Kuhl Muzik in Toronto, where the players found an instant shorthand and an atmosphere Maltese remembers as pure joy, full of spontaneous group decisions and seamless camaraderie. Ben Wittman and George Koller share a long history together, having backed powerhouse vocalists including Holly Cole and Measha Brueggergosman, and that familiarity gives the track its relaxed, conversational feel. Even the studio’s Bechstein grand piano carries history for Maltese, tracing back to his days performing at Musideum in the storied artists’ hub at 401 Richmond West.
Maltese brings decades of experience to everything he records. An accomplished pianist, arranger, and music director whose repertoire moves through classical, jazz, blues, pop, world, and folk, he has served as a musical director and conductor for musical theatre and choir settings and was once Musical Director at Toronto’s Royal York Hotel. He writes in the tradition of the great melody composers, and his structured approach reflects a lifelong love of writers like J.S. Bach, an influence he is now developing further in a planned classical work with the working title ‘Cantata for Peace.’
With “Just Like an Angel,” Rick Maltese offers a song built to last, equal parts craft and heart, and a reminder that the way forward often begins with a single kind gesture.
https://rickmaltese.bandcamp.com/album/im-hooked-completely-with-rick-maltese?t=6