Craig Urquhart
Secret Spaces
Heart Earth Music (2007)

Secret Spaces is pianist Craig Urquhart’s seventh release. While I haven’t heard all of his recordings, I’m willing to bet long-time fans of his gentle piano music may, like me, consider this his best work yet. Intimate, serene, and reflective yet completely accessible and engaging, the eleven tracks on the CD evoke the softer emotions, both the cheerful ones and those which are somber. It makes for ideal late night listening, perhaps in front of the fire or reading, where the music’s muted nature and lack of flash (although Urquhart once again displays remarkable and subtle control of shading and nuance) provide a pleasant background for either repose or concentration.

First on the CD, the title track features a soft refrain in the upper and middle registers set against accompanying lower chords. The song has an almost spiritual quality, majestic but in such a low-key way that it sneaks up on you. “Contemplation” earns its title by bringing melancholic minor key notes into play, but not to the degree that the song is a downer. There is still a lot of friendly warmth here, but it’s measured against a sensation of stately sense of reflection (hence, the title, no doubt). “Cathedral Pines” opens with dramatic ultra-low register notes before the middle register takes over the piece, playing out a flowing but sedate melody, eliciting a subtle sense of wonder and awe, I would imagine tied to the image of walking amongst the titular trees. From a personal perspective, I like “Along the Seine” (having walked its banks) as it conjures up a mental picture of an early morning stroll along the French river, perhaps with a slight fog hanging in the air, draping the surroundings in stillness. Another gem on the CD is “Forgiveness,” one of the sparser songs here, unwinding patiently one note at a time, both of Urquhart’s hands working their respective registers, establishing the perfect mood to mirror the title. One thing I admire about this artist is his restraint (also evidenced on another of his recordings that I reviewed, Streamwalker). Even on a track with the obvious title of “Romance” he doesn’t allow the melody to move over into cliché or commercial sentimentality. Instead, he focuses on making the more subdued elements of his playing evoke the sought-for response from the listener. He’s also not above taking some risks, notably on the closing track, “Virginia Mountain Morning,” which at 7:12 is a bit long for a solo piano number. However, he adroitly and leisurely evolves the piece, sustaining listener interest yet maintaining a solid continuity of mood.

Secret Spaces is a beguiling and endearing album. It’s true “mood” music, yet not in the sense of being monochromatic, but more in a way that these eleven instrumentals share a common purpose, i.e. to create a “secret space” for the listener to escape to and bathe in their soft warmth. I solidly recommend it and you’ll be doing yourself a favor if the first time you play it, you cuddle up in a favorite chair with a glass of wine or a cup of tea and just let the music take you wherever it may. I’d wager it will be a special place filled with memory and remembrance.