Quietude: Music for Shenandoah National Park
Self-released (2025)
Sometimes, an album's title, even if just a single word,
perfectly captures the recording's emotive response completely. Such is the
case with multi-instrumentalist Jill Haley's latest release in her National
Park series, Quietude. The impetus for the album's peaceful demeanor and
serene sonic sketches was Haley's three-week residency at Shenandoah National
Park in Virginia. In her previous national Park releases (all of which are
fantastic), Haley has intermixed slower, gentler pieces amongst songs that are
lively, uptempo, and cheery musical romps. Here, with two exceptions, the mood
is one of reflection, repose, and, well, quietude, yet the melodies are warm,
not overly solemn nor sad or even melancholy, but certainly reflective. As
I have noted in reviews of her more recent reviews, Halley is continuing to
allow her piano playing to take center stage, which may surprise her fans who
are more used to her stellar woodwind performances.
While bearing no overt similarities to Tim Story, the late
Michael Allison (aka Darshan Ambient) or other semi-minimalist artists, at
times I caught a distinct identical musical motif. Yes, Story is more somber (I
am speaking now of his earlier Hearts of Space work mostly, e.g. Beguiled)
and Allison's are more sparse warm ambient soundscapes. Nonetheless, these
comparisons came to my mind. I do think that this is his Haley's closest album
to the minimalist aesthetic. Of course, when factoring in the guest artists'
contributions (see credits below), the comparison is somewhat tenuous, but I am
addressing my own response to the gentleness of Quietude's mood.
I never asked Jill Haley this direct question, but I would
have to imagine that her stay at Shenandoah National Park had a distinctly
different impact on her from both an emotional and compositional aspect as
opposed to some/most of her other National Park recordings. It seems to have
inspired a decidedly different musical approach and mood.
If you're interested in the two exceptions on the album to
its more serene, peaceful nature, those would be the semi-rambunctious "Blue
Ridge," and the album's closing number "A Mountain Meadow."
Neither of these serves as a "distraction" but rather a short change of
pace, a musical "palette cleanser," if you will.
To be honest, I found Quietude to be one of her best
recordings and it certainly deserves a place among other "best"
nature-inspired albums in the entire new age music genre. I think It would be
difficult to not be moved by pieces such as "The Land Remains," or
"Song for Anna."
We're lucky that there are still more National Parks for
this amazingly talented musician to visit and "paint her musical
portraits" for us. We are all the better for her music.
ALBUM CREDITS
All songs composed by Jill Haley "Shenandoah"
(traditional)
Produced by Jill Haley and Corin Nelsen
Mixed and mastered by Corin Nelsen
ARTISTS
Jill Haley: Piano, English horn, oboe, synthesizers
David Cullen: Guitar, bass
Graham Cullen: Cello
Jack Bogard: Violin
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