Release and Return

"Hayden and I don't talk much. I can't recall saying anything to Hayden about how things should be played, nor he to me. We simply play. Everything flows, and we immerse ourselves in the music. While I love playing in larger groups, duos allow me to embed myself in the tonalities of the piano. Hayden produces such an unusually pure and beautiful tone and plays so softly that his alto becomes a different instrument. We explore tones as much as notes, harmonies and spaces, and our music becomes distilled and spiritual." - Jonathan Crayford, February 2025

It's hard to pinpoint what makes Jonathan and Hayden's music so alluring. There's no doubting their virtuosity, but virtuosity for its own sake is rarely engaging. The name of Jonathan's 2014 album, Dark Light, may offer a clue. The title is a paradox, and the music both artists create is full of paradoxes. There are shadows everywhere, but mostly, and always, there is light. There's also formidable technique, heartfelt intimacy and honesty, and a fierce intellect behind their deftly constructed, highly nuanced compositions. Above all, there's a spirit of openness and sharing, equality and respect that has long been the hallmark of their respective creative collaborations.

This gorgeous recording is a fine example of the artistic benefit of collaborative openness and creative generosity. As is obvious when one listens to this sublime music, Hayden and Jonathan are fully 'present' and wholly engaged with each other to an uncanny degree. The result is a set of intimate masterworks that have collectively produced an instant classic.

Hayden Chisholm (saxophone, shruti box, kōauau)
Jonathan Crayford (piano)