Jonathan Crayford & Hayden Chisholm - Release and Return (2025) Hi-Res

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.