Featured Artist of March 26, 2024
with the song: Somewhere Beyond the Blue


Artist's Biography

Principally a songwriter/composer/lyricist and recording artist rather than a front of stage performer. Dave’s musical collaborations are at the heart of his musical nexus working with an array of wonderful international musicians and studio pros, including:

Andy Walter & Simon Gibson (UK – Abbey Road Studios); Carolina De La Muela (Argentina); Lydia Salnikova (USA); Juliet Lyons (USA); Andres Mayo (USA); Ilia Skibinsky (Russia); Maria Grigoryeva (Russia); Guido Scharmer-Choi (Germany); Ian Smith (UK); Chad Martin (USA)

Despite his initial classical conservatoire training Dave’s musical outlook has never been confined by genre. That old Louis Armstrong adage comes to mind: there’s only two kinds of music the “good kind and the other kind”. In that spirit, it’s music that blends folk with fusion and on to neo classical crossover (via jazz, soft rock, soul and more). Sometimes sparse, frequently sumptuously orchestrated, always harmonically inventive and endlessly melodic. But as they say, trying to pin down a musical style in words is a bit like painting rainbows in black and white, so suffice to say:

It’s music that transcends a self-consciously commercial outlook. Covering topics that tear at the very heart of the human condition (loneliness, love and loss, human conflict, homelessness/poverty, social exclusion). Music that takes as its starting point the hope that it can be a force for good, for social change - something that can heal, challenge and enrich. And, if but for a moment, lift us above the dull vicissitudes of life and offer something of a glimpse of sunshine after rain, a little solace for the soul.

Featured Artist of Nov 26, 2020
with the song: Time and Tides


Artist's Biography

Music: Style/Background

For some people music just seems to run in the blood. After youthful frolics on keyboards/guitar in various pop/rock bands Dave’s love of music eventually took him in the direction of a classical conservatoire training. Specialising in performance of the Baroque harpsichord repertoire (with a sideline in Renaissance lute!). But from the outset it was always clear that the maxim: there's only two kinds of music - the good kind and the 'other' kind, was going to be the guiding principle for where the music would be leading! Dave’s passion as a performer was matched with an equal interest in composition and songwriting in a variety of contemporary forms and styles.

Somewhere out there, where contemporary folk blends with fusion and on to neo-classical crossover, perhaps, you'll find a style definition for Dave's output. Still, trying to pin down a musical style in words is a bit like painting rainbows in black and white. Judee Sill's reference to Pythagoras, Bach and Ray Charles as her main musical influences - and 'Country-Cult-Baroque' as her style definition! - deserves more than a little admiration here. And proof enough that it's always best to let the music speak for itself!

Lyrics: Themes/Interests

It’s always been Dave’s hope and passion that music can be, in some sense, a force for good – something that can change us and society from the inside out. As such his songs don’t shy away from challenging topics and are never self-consciously commercial in outlook. They’re sometimes introspective but always driven by a wider social conscience and a sense of human fragility. Touching on topics that tear at the heart of the human condition (loneliness, love and loss, homelessness/poverty, social exclusion). As a songsmith he’s something of a conjurer of dreams. Dreams to lift us, if but for a moment, above the dull vicissitudes of life. Dreams of a world reimagined, that brave souls will always aspire to whatever the cost (as in his tribute song to the memory of Martin Luther King Jr “Listen to the Peace”). A glimmer of unfeigned empathy (as in his eulogy for Hardy’s literary heroine “Tess”). A glimpse of sunshine after rain. Music offered as a little healing for troubled times; a solace for the soul.

Musical collaborations:

Principally a writer, recording artist and studio musician rather than an on the road and front of stage performer. Dave’s musical collaborations are at the heart of his musical nexus. Despite recent lock-downs and other restrictions he continues to work remotely with an array of wonderful international musicians, of which just a few recent examples include:

Carolina De La Muela (Argentina); Lydia Salnikova (USA); Juliet Lyons (USA); Andres Mayo (USA); Ilia Skibinsky (Russia); Maria Grigoryeva (Russia); Guido Scharmer-Choi (Germany); Ian Smith (UK); Chad Martin (USA)

Artist Website: nightsongsmusic.net

Contact: nightsongsmusic.net/contact_pf.html

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