Home » Jazz Articles » Album Review » Jeremy Woolhouse: The Persistence of Dreaming

2

Jeremy Woolhouse: The Persistence of Dreaming

By

Sign in to view read count
Jeremy Woolhouse: The Persistence of Dreaming
Dreams and reality have an odd relationship that's neither completely antagonistic nor complementary; either one can influence the other, as thoughts bleed across different worlds in obvious or subtle fashion, but they exist in separate realms. Minute-to-minute, real life actualities and imagined, in-the-mind occurrences are inextricably linked, yet permanently separated by an impassable divide, and this paradox is at the heart of The Persistence Of Dreaming.

Australian pianist Jeremy Woolhouse takes a gentle journey through the recesses of the conscious and unconscious mind during this suite for solo piano. Ruminative excursions, plaintive paintings and measured melodic explorations are visible at every turn, as Woolhouse establishes himself as a thoughtful, to-the-point composer and performer. Emotion is ever-present in his work, but a living-in-limbo ambiguity clouds these emotions as he attempts to reconcile the irreconcilable.

Mournful turns and grey-streaked horizons appear frequently across this twelve-song program, as Woolhouse works in a world where the sun occasionally peaks through the clouds, but darker skies tend to dominate. He understands the anatomy of melancholy more than most, but that doesn't mean his music is manic; rays of optimism, however brief they may be, appear in virtually every piece. Most of the standout tracks appear on the second half of the album, where Eastern European-influenced sonic sadness ("Awakening To Darkness"), macabre dance ("The Uncomfortable Present") and springing hope ("Reality Revealed" and "Alone, In A Pressing Crowd Of Thoughts") share space, but a gem or two can be found at the top of the program as well ("The Third Person").

The persistence of modesty and the sheer length of this suite, which clocks in at just over sixty-five minutes, are the only issues that surface during this tug-at-the-heart-and-mind journey. While suites are often best absorbed, understood and digested in a single sitting, a certain sameness that exists during The Persistence Of Dreaming makes the hear-a-few-tracks-at-a-time option preferable.

Track Listing

Fictional Lives; Song for Lisa; The Third Person; Optimist's Folly; The Persistence of Dreaming; Three Kinds of Distance; Awakening to Darkness; Unsaid, Undone; Presnece Beyond Absence; The Uncomfortable Present; Reality Revealed; Alone, in a Pressing Crowd of Thoughts.

Personnel

Jeremy Woolhouse: piano.

Album information

Title: The Persistence of Dreaming | Year Released: 2013 | Record Label: Self Produced

Comments

Tags


For the Love of Jazz
Get the Jazz Near You newsletter All About Jazz has been a pillar of jazz since 1995, championing it as an art form and, more importantly, supporting the musicians who create it. Our enduring commitment has made "AAJ" one of the most culturally important websites of its kind, read by hundreds of thousands of fans, musicians and industry figures every month.

You Can Help
To expand our coverage even further and develop new means to foster jazz discovery and connectivity we need your help. You can become a sustaining member for a modest $20 and in return, we'll immediately hide those pesky ads plus provide access to future articles for a full year. This winning combination will vastly improve your AAJ experience and allow us to vigorously build on the pioneering work we first started in 1995. So enjoy an ad-free AAJ experience and help us remain a positive beacon for jazz by making a donation today.
View events near Melbourne
Jazz Near Melbourne
Events Guide | Venue Guide | Local Businesses | More...

More

Love Is Passing Thru
Roberto Magris
Candid
Sunny Five
Inside Colours Live
Julie Sassoon

Popular

Eagle's Point
Chris Potter
Light Streams
John Donegan - The Irish Sextet

Get more of a good thing!

Our weekly newsletter highlights our top stories, our special offers, and upcoming jazz events near you.