TIMOTHY DAVEY

Scenes from the Neighbourhood

Lying Down Music (2005)

Review by Bill Binkelman

We last heard from Australian pianist Timothy Davey four years ago. His debut Uncovered Keys was an album which signaled the emergence of an uncommon artist who refused to color inside the lines of traditional new age piano music. Scenes from the Neighbourhood offers more evidence that Davey is a true original, yet not in a way where his music is unapproachable or alienating. In fact, Scenes from the Neighbourhood sounds more accessible than Uncovered Keys, yet the artist has lost none of his daring or lack of conventionality in his playing or composing. Davey loves to play around with shifts in time signatures, themes, and moods, keeping the listener pleasantly off-kilter without inducing "motion sickness." In addition, even when he plays it relatively straight-up (as many new age music pianists do), his abundant technique and talent combined with his affinity for jazz, swing, and assorted genres, means that the music will never be pedestrian or ordinary, and frequently will unexpectedly light up with bursts of creativity and excitement, regardless of the tempo or feeling of any one particular piece.

Few pianists are so adroit at balancing fiery pyrotechnics, blazing trails across the upper or middle registers, while anchoring the piece at the lower end of the keys, yet at other times playing with careful nuance and subtlety so that the melody is heard only in hushed tones. Whether he is pounding the ivories with emotional force and high drama or weaving a delicate evocative tone poem, Davey never allows the technical aspect of his piano playing to interfere or obscure the human side of the music, which always comes though loud and clear.

Davey has packed this album full of sixteen instrumentals (one of which is a duet with violinist Loretta Mongelli). On the finished product CD (I received an advanced copy) this final duet will be, I believe, a DVD track. I saw an MPEG version, but for some reason it didn't play well on my PC. Since the artist is Australian, be aware that there may be region-playback difficulties here in the States.

With so much music on the album, it's hard to detail more than a handful of tracks. "out walking" opens the album and immediately showcases Davey's more complex approach to composing, as the midtempo pace holds true for the duration of the piece but melodic refrains come and go, sometimes forceful, sometimes subdued (but always anchored by that background cadence). Scatterings of lively jazz are sprinkled here and there as if the piece was an entré and jazzier elements were spices dashed in for added flavor. Davey works the bottom end of the register at times and I love how the song takes on a slyly mysterious edge at those times. "joie de vivre" is, as expected, a bright cheery (and short at 2:17) track that still contains enough shifts in time signature that it's like unwrapping assorted layers to find the true nugget underneath, but the mood is consistently light-hearted. "gratitude" slows things down considerably, but not in a somber way (although here and there Davey uses sustain to impart a dose of reflection). The piece is inspired by/dedicated to the artist's mother and it's easy to "hear" the affection and appreciation within the low-key runs and simple yet heartfelt warmth of the melodies. "from the balcony" allows Davey to stray over into more evocative minimal territory, although he has a few quick runs intermixed with the slower more meandering notes on the song. "sons of the blue funk frontier" (a follow-up of sorts to a track on his first CD) is a funky and jazzy blast of exuberance and good time playing. The refrain is riffed from the earlier song but the embellishment is all new and Davey's sense of humor and friendliness come through loud and clear. When he takes off in the bridge (mid-song), the piano wails like a back alley cat strutting its stuff - way cool!

For fans of more "traditional" new age piano music, there are a few songs that should delight as well, such as "ruby's counting days" (a blend of quiet introspection and a gently rocking spirit) and, especially the gentle "dusk at the window-sill" which has an air of rural Americana to it. Probably the most introspective piece here is "distant starlight," an evocative tone poem which manages to be sincerely touching without resorting to melancholy or Hallmark card sappiness.

I found myself continually impressed and even mystified when I played this CD. Some of the mid-course changes that Davey pulls off left me wondering "How in the hell did he do that and make it work so well?" At other times, the softer and more nuanced moments had me holding my breath, as the piano seems to be whispering to me and I was afraid to miss out on what was being said. Scenes from the Neighbourhood is yet another album which proves the adage "All good things come to those who wait" While the wait for this album was atypical in this genre, it sure was worth it. Timothy Davey has made good on the promise of Uncovered Keys and revealed himself to be a pianist of amazing depth, startling versatility, and possessed of both a keen ear and deft touch. Fans who come expecting an ordinary new age piano album may find this a tad challenging at times, but if you hunger for more than the run of the mill neo-romanticism or smooth pop stylings, Scenes from the Neighbourhood will delight you. Highly recommended.