At Peace Beneath the Shade of My Father’s Tree
Reviewed By Janet Mawdesley May 30, 2017
Artist – Terry Lee Nichols
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http:/www.terryleenichols.com
Cinematic, sweeping, all-encompassing and totally enjoyable Terry Lee Nichols takes life and all its ups and downs, transcribing his many experiences into a soundscape which has appeal, reflection, joy and a little quirkiness woven throughout.
Although the music has the capacity of a movie score in its richness, each of the pieces stands alone, created from one segment or another of his past. As an introverted young boy Nichols discovered the joy that could be found in playing the piano. He also discovered another dimension of music; that of the design involved in the creation, the composition of a score, which led him to creating his first arrangements at the age of four years.
As a prodigy he began composing and arranging for his high school marching band as well as the school drama group. He began to realise following in his families footsteps towards a more academic application of his talent, was not as appealing as entering the developing arena of enterprise software, where he could use his already undoubted talents to understand and work with complex systems of computer codes.
Many years later and after many personal challenges Nichols rediscovered his first love, that of music and composition, many of which make up this wonderfully joyful collection. He waltzes through the many mediums and tempos encompassed within the 17 tracks with a richness of emotion, making each of the varied pieces an absolute pleasure to be enjoyed.
The title track leads in with an offering of peaceful rest as time is taken to simply be and enjoy, whereas Timekeeper is rapid, almost staccato in its intent, created to ensure the pace quickens: hurry up, bustle, rush, but to what purpose!
A train leaving the station with all the noise and bustle that once accompanied the older models, introduces Train to Dachau, which then segues into a slower, far more reflective mood that falls on the traveller once the journey has begun
In Autumn Nichols a has created the very essence of the changing of the seasons, the pace of life slowing ever so slowly, getting ready for the coming winter, leaves changing into the flamboyance of autumnal colours, animals and insects alike getting settled for the colder days to come.
The finale to what has been in essence a wonderful concert performance is Requiescat, led in with verbal rendition introducing a sombre note about the issues which plague the modern day lifestyle, that of violence and the scant disregard for human life, then the stillness which falls after the violence has left, leaving nothing but silence all around!
As a first offering from this talented man, At Peace Beneath the Shade of My Father’s Tree, leaves nothing to be desired and everything to be enjoyed.