Here’s something a little more delicate and romantic: my isolated keyboard and instrumental arrangement for You Take My Breath Away, a Latin-Jazz ballad I recorded for Chris Missen’s 2025 album, Saudade Stories.

For this track, I composed a layered arrangement featuring piano, vibraphone, violin, and nylon-string guitar. The vibraphone adds a shimmering texture, often doubling the piano to enhance its warmth and clarity. The violin and nylon guitar help evoke the song’s Latin flavour, lending a gentle elegance and melodic sweep to the overall mood.

This arrangement is more cinematic and stylised than some of the rootsier tracks on the album. If you've been following along, you'll notice a shift here toward a more expressive, lyrical sound — one that balances emotional intimacy with refined instrumental interplay.

I always find it fascinating to hear arrangements in their raw form—stripped of vocals and production—where the instrumental textures and interplay can really shine. Once the full track is released, you’ll be able to compare this version to the final mix and hear how all the layers were integrated into the finished song. (I'll include a link when it becomes available.)

Studying and creating isolated arrangements like this has been a huge part of my own musical development. It’s a way to explore how individual parts support the emotional arc of a song—and I hope this gives you something both creatively inspiring and musically insightful to take into your own work.

🎹 Interested in learning how to play or create piano parts or instrumental arrangements like this? I offer customised lessons that focus on real-world musicianship—from playing in different popular styles and improvisation to songwriting and arranging. Contact me to find out more or book a free consultation.

Music & lyrics by Chris Missen

Arrangement composed and performed by Lisha Kayrooz

🎧 More isolated piano and instrumental takes from the album are on the way — each one highlighting the creative process behind the recordings.