TIM EDEY
Little Bird
To describe Tim Edey as a remarkable musician could be selling him short. Little Bird combines his prowess as a performer with his gift for creation. The cover promises 22 of his own works, spanning the years 1995 to 2024, taking us through from his early days as a working musician right up to the current day. Besides featuring his own writing, he also supplies all the instrumentation, going beyond his main combination of guitar and melodeon, with keyboard contributions on a truly historic piano.
Through the 17 tracks (some combining 2 tunes) we are taken on a journey from the opener, dedicated to Sharon Shannon, and inspired by her care for an injured bird It is a consummate demonstration of the delicate, almost sparse beauty that Tim can bring to his creations and serves as a benchmark against which the full range of the moods and styles that the album has to offer can be truly appreciated. On the way to the closing track ‘Shetland’ we are treated to a phenomenal range of jigs, reels, a waltz, a minuet and hoedown, soundscapes and an enormous amount of musical joy, moving from the fast and furious to the mournful and reflective, and leaving room for fun, a feeling carried over from his live shows.
What sets him apart is not just the virtuosity inherent in his playing, but the spirit that he manages to express as he does so. Tim’s gig appearances are unforgettable, for all the right reasons – the sheer life affirming joy he conveys at sharing music with an audience, whether he is appearing solo, or in the company of other artists. Somehow, he has managed to transfer this feeling into the recordings, possibly the result of taking pleasure in revisiting his own compositions, but whatever the reasons, it underlines that he has a rare and special talent.
Fans of well delivered sleeve notes will also be delighted by the copious descriptions of the stories, motivations and circumstances behind each of the offerings. There is a heartfelt quality to them that once again reflect on his persona as well as giving deeper insight into the music. He celebrates his family, places and journeys that have inspired him for a variety of reasons, from their beauty and inspirational qualities to their unintentional consequences. We are taken through the people who mean most (the title track inspired by the tenderness of Sharon Shannon in caring for an injured bird), his travels around the world and his professional progression from awe struck tyro to friend and colleague of similarly blessed world class musicians, spanning the globe from his native Kent to his Sottish home, from compatriot Capercaillie’s Donald Shaw to Kiwi Brendan Power – and a note for his great mentor and friend, Seamus Begley.
Overall, a fascinating and enjoyable insight into a remarkable musician’s capabilities and inspiration in equal measures. At the time of writing, he is about to set off on his annual Celtic Christmas tour, mixing in his own interpretations of seasonal tunes with a smattering of his own writing – he also appears frequently streaming live on a Saturday night via his Sleeping Songs Facebook portal and via which, all the above can be verified!
