Release and Return

Hayden Chisholm and Jonathan Crayford

“Hayden and I don’t talk much. I can't recall saying anything to Hayden about how things should be played, nor he to me. We simply play. Everything flows, and we immerse ourselves in the music. While I love playing in larger groups, duos allow me to embed myself in the tonalities of the piano. Hayden produces such an unusually pure and beautiful tone and plays so softly that his alto becomes a different instrument. We explore tones as much as notes, harmonies and spaces, and our music becomes distilled and spiritual.” — Jonathan Crayford, February 2025

Release and Return will be launched at CJC, the Pah Homestead, on Wednesday, March 12, at 7:30 pm. Tickets are available HERE.

It’s hard to pinpoint what makes Jonathan and Hayden’s music so alluring. There’s no doubt their virtuosity, but virtuosity for its own sake is rarely engaging. The name of Jonathan’s 2014 album, Dark Light, may offer a clue. The title is a paradox, and the music both artists create is full of paradoxes. There are shadows everywhere, but mostly, and always, there is light. There’s also formidable technique, heartfelt intimacy and honesty, and a fierce intellect behind their deftly constructed, highly-nuanced compositions. Above all, there’s a spirit of openness and sharing, equality and respect that has long been the hallmark of their respective creative collaborations.

This gorgeous recording is a fine example of the artistic benefit of collaborative openness and creative generosity. As is obvious when one listens to this sublime music, Hayden and Jonathan are fully ‘present’ and wholly engaged with each other to an uncanny degree. The result is a set of intimate masterworks that have collectively produced an instant classic.

Hayden Chisholm (saxophone, shruti box, kōauau)
Jonathan Crayford (piano)

Produced by Ralph Kemper
Recorded and mixed by Nick Benoy
Mastered by Steve Garden
Cover painting ‘Release and Return’ by Jonathan Crayford
Design by UnkleFranc
Printing by Studio Q

Released: 12 March 2025
Catalogue: RAT-J-1058

HAYDEN CHISHOLM

Saxophonist and composer Hayden Chisholm has a unique and highly identifiable musical and compositional voice. In 1995, he developed a new microtonal system for saxophone he termed 'split scales', which featured on his solo debut album "Circe". Since then, he has toured and recorded extensively and enjoyed ongoing collaborative partnerships with filmmaker and installation artist Rebecca Horn and the jazz ensemble Unwind. Hayden has taught at several Universities and gives yearly master classes in Greece.

JONATHAN CRAYFORD

Jonathan Crayford is one of New Zealand’s most exciting and prolific musician-composers. He spent 20 years honing his craft in New York, spent many years living and working in Paris and Spain before returning to make New Zealand his home base. He continues to perform, record, and compose music for film and for his albums. His two releases on Rattle, Dark Light (2014) and East West Moon (2016) were finalists in the 'best Jazz' category of the New Zealand Music Awards, the latter winning the coveted Tui Award.