Halcyon
by Christian Dillingham
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1. |
Dimepiece
07:11
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2. |
Halcyon
05:37
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3. |
Sinclair's Struggle
06:13
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4. |
Lowlands
04:05
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5. |
What Will I Do
05:41
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6. |
T.G.T.T.
05:55
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7. |
Twice Lost
04:56
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8. |
Peace Awaits
07:09
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9. |
Eleanor Jean
05:34
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10. |
Boots Of Spanish Leather
04:36
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about
Originally, the term “halcyon days” referred to the weeklong period each year when the Greek god Aeolus was said to have calmed the winds and quieted the world for his daughter Alycone (Halcyon). The fact that Dillingham’s own family plays so prominent a role in this repertoire, in compositions directly inspired by them, may not have been intentional. But it does seem more than coincidental.
He indeed spent much of the time leading up to this album in contemplation of halcyon days. The death of his father, in September 2023 — coupled with the release of his first album just weeks later, and a slate of performance commitments — set him adrift on an emotional sea. He navigated it, in part, by leaning on his wife (“the rock of our family,” honored in “Dimepiece”) and his own children; by recalling conversations with his dad; by writing many of these songs. They shape the soul of this recording, not by sloshing in the past, but by mapping the present from a changed perspective.
Dillingham works in jazz groups throughout Chicago but he also performs with a half-dozen classical ensembles, and his classical training (like that of Julius Tucker) threads itself throughout Halcyon. It sometimes even vies with the blues, the bedrock for so much music of our time — the prism for essential expression, erasing castes and divisions, portraying dark times or celebrating the light that beckons.
Dillingham says, “The combination of nostalgia and blues represents the culmination of my family’s experience last fall,” and the spirit of the blues pervades this music to a degree not previously heard in the bassist’s bands. It inhabits Matt Gold’s tender guitar, now searing, now tender, on the title track and “Sinclair’s Struggle” in particular. The blues even color a Songbook classic by Irving Berlin, never considered a blues guy, to reshape it as a country-western waltz, akin in sound and spirit with the Bob Dylan sachet that closes the album.
“Twice Lost” will haunt me for months. Dillingham’s father almost died the previous year, and the piece shimmers with the pain and acceptance of two such reckonings. The disquieting nebulae of “Peace Awaits” catch my breath with every listen. It conveys the restless thrash of emotional upheaval. And when it resolves, you may feel the weight lift from your own shoulders, readying you for the upturned smile of the children’s song that follows (“Eleanor Jean” being adapted, in fact, from a melody hummed by Dillingham’s eldest child.)
These songs slot together to tell a wordless story, and these renditions — employing Tucker’s enormity of concept, Gold’s chameleonic sensitivity, and Quin Kirchner’s cinematic scenic design — magnify each chapter. With or without their real-life context, they trace a journey: a latter-day odyssey through the groves and warrens of emotions and memories. They form a travelog of resilience and growth.
That this journey transpires internally makes it no less thrilling, and no less picturesque, than the globetrotting adventures undertaken by the mythical Odysseus in his effort to return home — to his halcyon refuge — as recounted by Homer. It's fitting that Dillingham has filled this narrative with equally persuasive poetry.
NEIL TESSER
credits
All songs written by Christian Dillingham (Rill Dill Music Incorporated, ASCAP), except “Lowlands” by Gillian Welch + David Rawlings (Wixen Publishing), “What’ll I Do” by Irving Berlin (Public Domain), ”T.G.T.T.” by Duke Ellington (SONY ATV Publishing) and “Boots of Spanish Leather” by Bob Dylan (Universal Music Publishing).
Personnel:
Christian Dillingham - double bass
Matt Gold guitar - pedal steel
Julius Tucker - piano
Quin Kirchner - drums
Jodee Lewis - vocals
Credits:
Executive Producer: Dave Douglas
Producer: Christian Dillingham
Recording date(s): December 18 and 20, 2023
Studio name and location: Pro Musica, Chicago, IL
Recording engineer(s): Ken Christianson
Mixing engineer(s): Ken Christianson
Mastering engineer: Ken Christianson
Photographer(s): Mikel Patrick Avery (cover photo), Alex Callejo (press photos)
Graphic designer: Lukas Frei
Recorded on December 18 and 20, 2023 at Pro Musica, Chicago, IL
Recorded, mixed and mastered by Ken Christianson
This album is dedicated to my late father, Larry Eugene Dillingham. The album’s release date coincides with his birthday, October 12th. Happy Birthday, Dad.
First and foremost, I thank God, for the abundant blessings in my life and the gift of music. Thank you, Krista, for your endless love and support, and for joining me on this journey. Thank you, Eleanor and Cora, for being you! Thank you, Mom, for always believing in me. Special thanks to Matt, Julius, Quin, and Jodee for sharing your gifts and making this music come to life! Thank you, Ken Christianson, for your sonic vision and generosity. Thank you, Dave Douglas, and everyone at Greenleaf for this opportunity.
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PRESS:
“Christian Dillingham’s Halcyon melds his jazz sensibilities with his sophisticated musical pedigree, giving us an album to revisit for a musical accompanist during our own lives’ dramas.” - ★★★★ Chicago Jazz
“as grounded as it is in the pain of loss, Halcyon is neither dour nor depressing; instead, its heartfelt tone conveys gratitude for the patriarch now gone and ultimately expresses affirmation as it looks to the future with hope and resolve..” – Textura
“Halcyon, with its genre-bending experimentation, is both inventive and accessible and a worthy follow up to Dillingham’s superlative debut Cascades.” – All About Jazz
license
tags
about
Christian Dillingham Chicago, Illinois
Grammy Award-winning bassist Christian Dillingham is equally at home in two musical worlds; he is that rare musician who
excels in an orchestral setting as well as jazz.
He performs with a number of diverse projects from jazz, classical and roots to the avant-garde and leads his own band, featuring his original compositions. In fall 2020 he joined Indiana University's faculty teaching jazz bass.
... more
discography
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Oct 2024 -
Sep 2023
contact / help
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