November By Doug Hammer

 

November

By

Doug Hammer

Written by

Steve Sheppard

It seems hard to comprehend, but this release is Doug’s 19^th on this fascinating and revealing musical journey of his, and one I personally have derived great satisfaction from, this new collection of fine compositions happens also to be about one of my favourite seasons of the year in autumn, and specifically November, a time of the year I use to loathe until I emigrated to Cyprus.

November by Doug Hammer is a 13 track solo piano album that is packed with emotive tonal delights; this autumnal voyage starts with the title track itself and entitled November. Doug is a master at emotional piano, and here on the headline offering he creates an anthem styled opus that moves the listener deeply as we say farewell to another summer gone forever.

For those of you who live in the west November is a much colder month, mists swirl in from the hillside and forests, and carpets of golden leaves can be trod upon, on Colder Hammer manifests another moving arrangement that could easily see the listener reaching for a pair of gloves and a warm coat, even though the subject matter maybe called Colder, Hammer brings a little musical warmth into the proceedings to help you on your way.

Something I appreciate here are the autumn sunsets, they are some of the most beautiful I have ever seen, it is truly something to be very grateful for, so when I listen to this next track called The Setting Sun, I am minded of that moment of natural bliss, and like the music, it creates in me a sense of gratitude and joy.

This next offering has an almost crystalline structure to its arrangement and called Glimmer of Light. This pristine performance is one to be visited many times over, and leaves one with feeling of true appreciation of daylight. I remember many November days in the west when all that I saw were a blanket of grey clouds above and muddy paths below, here Hammer hits the energy button to bring us a little hope that in the days to come, all will once again be filled with light and life.

Hammer continues to share the love of the season with a bright and heartfelt offering called Dancing Leaves, this cheer filled opus dances on the winds of time like the fallen oak leaves do after caressing the autumnal wind, and then they relax by falling to the soft November floor of nature’s sweet cadence.

We now touch the hem of the mid-section of the album with a track called Bare Trees, clearly the month has moved on and through the performance on this more sullen offering I am minded of the poetry of Thomas Hood who once wrote “No shade, no shine, no butterflies, no bees, no fruits, no flowers, no leaves, no birds, November! The softness of touch here by Hammer is exquisite, in the same way that David Lanz was with Cristofori’s Dream.

This next track is a remarkable creation; the tempo has increased but the mood and modality of this fascinating piece offers up a powerful juxtaposition of strength and gentleness, Hammers explorative performance is simply breath taking and through the piece A Cold Wind Blows, a sublime manifestation is brought to life with such a commanding presentation.

As winter calls us forward with one single finger, we glimpse from our warm room to view an unusual light substance falling from the sky, this white graceful material is simply, snow. First Snowfall is a truly beautiful piece, I have listened to this many times now, and each time I do I am taken back many decades to when the wonder of a first snowfall happened to me, Hammers emotional presentation on piano here sums that delight up perfectly, with a childlike gaze, a hope in the heart, and a small tear in the corner of my eye.

This next moment of classic new age piano has a lush melody, contains a colourful pastiche of craft-fully presented notes and chords and is called So Bright. It is music like this that fills one with the joy of life’s rich tapestry, with twists and turns, Doug sets the mood filled scene, then lifts the listener into another realm of joy with a musical intent so masterful, then lays them back onto a soft bed to just enjoy the moment of timbre and tonal exultation.

The next track made me think, do we actually get these here in Cyprus, and I guess we do if you class December as the time of the year to get an Indian Summer! Still however that feeling is portrayed to me perfectly throughout this wonderful composition, the arrangement creates a moment of natural good fortune, when for a brief moment its summer again, the fast tempo of the piece is a reminder to take the opportunity to engage with the day ahead, and let the memory linger longer through the dark days of winter ahead.

The deeper waters of the album have now been reached and we come across a melodic structure that raises the spirts and is entitled Radiance. A full flowing musical narrative can be found here and some of the most fluent of piano performances you will ever likely to hear, we can then drift into the arms of the penultimate piece off the release called Thanksgiving, a musical segment of taking time out to give gratitude for the days past, the hard work completed and the love of friends and family.

The concluding offering is a reminder that we have now crossed the Rubicon of autumn, and winters frozen tendrils await us. This final piece is a mournful, yet colourful reflection upon all that has passed, and with good fortune, will one day come again. Hammers performance on Frozen Ground here is mood filled, respectful and simply the most idyllic way with which to conclude the album, a beautiful coda to end a beautiful release, can also be found here, one that allows a state of fulfilment and peace to form at the very last note.

I must state right now, from a well of musical honesty that constantly drives me onward, that I believe this to be the best work of Hammers musical career thus far, a release packed with some of the best solo piano you are ever likely to hear, a compilation of musical prose that is simply emotive, textured and also uplifting, a body of work that any musical aficionado would be grateful to have in their collection, November by Doug Hammer must be that seminal work that brings huge success to the artist, anything less would be a travesty.