David Hyams
First appeared - Issue #12

It’s hard to know which comes first, the music or the travel. In David Hyams case the two go hand in hand. This songwriter, multi- instrumentalist of all things stringed, producer, film composer and “longest standing WAM board member” can’t seem to stay still. He’s constantly making music in various parts of the globe although he does seem to have his favourite spots. The west coast of Ireland would be one that comes to mind and another favourite would be a retreat just outside of Albany where he goes to write his sweet instrumental music.

David also has had a longstanding involvement with Aboriginal musicians in various parts of WA, most recently in the remote desert community of Jamieson. His latest CD ‘Knowing The Place’ (see Sylvester Fox’s review) will be launched at the Fly By Night Club on October 1^st. The solitary Hyams composes tunes for one of the most select ensembles of quality West Australian musicians ever assembled. After his highly acclaimed ‘Miles To Go’ release of 1999 David put together a band featuring Caryn Sullivan on percussion, Graham Local on bass, classical cellist Jennifer Tingley, Andy Copeman on cittern, bodhran and didgeridoo and Dougal Adams and Ormonde Waters on traditional Irish and Scottish wind instruments. ‘Worlds Colliding’, a track on the new CD may have been a better title for the album as David says on the liner notes “the title is a reference to the different musical colours and styles that were thrown into the melting pot.” The album also features two fine bass players Graham Local and Peter Jeavons. For the launch the omnipresent Ben Franz will return from his Waifs secondment to take up his rightful place as original Miles To Go low notes man. Dave started to write the album in 2002, workshopped it with the band and finally recorded, mixed and mastered it by May 2005. After the Perth launch the Miles To Go band will head off to Victoria to play at the East Brunswick Hotel and the Maldon Festival. And then? Who knows, if David can get more funding he might be able to cram his seven piece band into a small pub in Dublin or onto a massive stage in California. If so the third album will be even more of a musical travelogue than its predecessors.

www.milestogo.com.au