David Hyams and the Miles To Go band

The Australian Newspaper - Tony Hillier - January 05, 2009
From the review of the Woodford Folk Festival
December 27 2008 - January 1 2009.

“If intricate arrangements and instrumental acoustic expertise were the criteria, Perth's David Hyams and the Miles To Go Band were among the standout acts…”
- THE AUSTRALIAN NEWSPAPER

The Australian Newspaper - Tony Hillier - January 05, 2009
From the review of the Woodford Folk Festival
December 27 2008 - January 1 2009.

“If intricate arrangements and instrumental acoustic expertise were the criteria, Perth's David Hyams and the Miles To Go Band were among the standout acts…”
- THE AUSTRALIAN NEWSPAPER

Summer 2007

“Knowing the place" Album Review

“ if you enjoy acoustic instrumental bands with jazzy rhythm grooves like Lunasa or the numerous incarnations of David Grisman’s groups, than this Australian bunch is for you"
- Sing out Magazine

Summer 2007

“Knowing the place" Album Review

“ if you enjoy acoustic instrumental bands with jazzy rhythm grooves like Lunasa or the numerous incarnations of David Grisman’s groups, than this Australian bunch is for you"
- Sing out Magazine

DAVID HYAMS - "MILES TO GO" DH 001

Doug Spencer, Producer, The Planet (ABC Radio National)

As multi-instrumentalist, composer and record producer,
David has been popping up on Perth's stages and studios for
years. He's a real team player who's comfortable in very
different musical contexts. Those virtues are keys to the
high quality of his debut CD as leader. Its flavour is
predominantly but not exclusively Celtic. Several tunes are
intimately connected to favorite West Australian places.
"Miles.." is very lyrical, entirely instrumental and mostly
acoustic. David's fingerstyle guitar is the central
instrument and he wrote and produced all the music. Some of
the loveliest pieces sound like really good "traditional"
tunes that one's somehow managed to miss hearing before - no
small compliment to David's skills as composer. The leader
plays beautifully but doesn't hog the solo space; indeed,
it's the lovely textures, the ensemble playing, the deft
arrangements and the skilful deployment of the other players
which makes this album so special. The logical choices work:
no surprise that Dougal Adams' and Ormonde Waters' pipes,
flutes and whistles are right at home. So do the surprising
choices: if you think Marcus Dengate's electric bass would
sound out of place so far from jazzy-funky territory, you're
in for a pleasant surprise, and sparing, good use is made of
electric and pedal steel guitars, french horn, cello and
other "non-celtic" instruments".

My writing this review several months later than intended has
two benefits. Firstly, I can confrim that the album does not
lose its lustre with repeated hearings. Secondly, I've been
able to see just how well David and friends play this music,
"live". If you're reading this before the evening of April
28th, I'd warmly recommend you see them do so at Kulcha.
- THE PLANET - ABC RADIO

DAVID HYAMS - "MILES TO GO" DH 001

Doug Spencer, Producer, The Planet (ABC Radio National)

As multi-instrumentalist, composer and record producer,
David has been popping up on Perth's stages and studios for
years. He's a real team player who's comfortable in very
different musical contexts. Those virtues are keys to the
high quality of his debut CD as leader. Its flavour is
predominantly but not exclusively Celtic. Several tunes are
intimately connected to favorite West Australian places.
"Miles.." is very lyrical, entirely instrumental and mostly
acoustic. David's fingerstyle guitar is the central
instrument and he wrote and produced all the music. Some of
the loveliest pieces sound like really good "traditional"
tunes that one's somehow managed to miss hearing before - no
small compliment to David's skills as composer. The leader
plays beautifully but doesn't hog the solo space; indeed,
it's the lovely textures, the ensemble playing, the deft
arrangements and the skilful deployment of the other players
which makes this album so special. The logical choices work:
no surprise that Dougal Adams' and Ormonde Waters' pipes,
flutes and whistles are right at home. So do the surprising
choices: if you think Marcus Dengate's electric bass would
sound out of place so far from jazzy-funky territory, you're
in for a pleasant surprise, and sparing, good use is made of
electric and pedal steel guitars, french horn, cello and
other "non-celtic" instruments".

My writing this review several months later than intended has
two benefits. Firstly, I can confrim that the album does not
lose its lustre with repeated hearings. Secondly, I've been
able to see just how well David and friends play this music,
"live". If you're reading this before the evening of April
28th, I'd warmly recommend you see them do so at Kulcha.
- THE PLANET - ABC RADIO

“Knowing the Place” by David Hyams and the Miles to Go Band
Review by Fairbirdge Festival artistic director, Steve Barnes

One of my favourite pieces of musical merchandise is a tea-towel made to commemorate Shane Howard’s album “The River”, bearing the phrase “Some Songwriters Never Dry Up”. David Hyams is a musician and performer who not only never dries up, but like the river he never seems to stop moving.

“Knowing the Place”, his new CD, continues on the journey begun five years ago with his “Miles to Go” album, which launched the career of the eponymous band. Both albums are collections of ambitious, original instrumentals, belonging for the most part to the Celtic dance tune tradition but showing the influences of David’s many journeys in the worlds of contemporary and traditional acoustic music. Both albums have a strong sense of inspiration from places and journeys, physical and musical.

The new CD sets its stall out right away. “Flat Out Like Lizard Drinking” starts out with a Sam Bush-esque funk mandolin riff that soon underpins a bubbly set of reels on wooden flute and uilleann pipes. Just as you’re getting comfortable with this groove, the space opens out into a rhythmic didge followed by a multipart horn arrangement that would sit comfortably on a La Bottine Souriante album, leading back into a reprise of the opening tune. It’s all gloriously unexpected and inventive, and it rocks to boot.

I won’t go track-by-track, but suffice it to say that just about every track has the same rich combination of tasty tunes, fresh arrangements and impressive musicality. David’s lovely old Gibson mandolin appears beautifully recorded on a number of tracks. “Leaving Jinparinya” has some lyrical dobro as well as mandolin, blending with Ormonde Waters concertina, a mix you certainly don’t hear every day, and typifying the varied palette of instrumental colours throughout the album. “Worlds Colliding” is a particular favourite, drawing on the Donal Lunny trick of having a familiar Celtic tune rhythm emerging out of a seemingly unrelated opening riff, in this case a delicate fingerpicked guitar and mandolin figure. David’s fingerpicking is a prominent feature of several of the more lyrical tracks, particularly the gorgeous “Song for Indigo” and the closing cut “Back of Beyond” (a title inspired by a geographically challenged American tourist) on which cellist Jennifer Tingley shines.

The musicianship, production and recording quality are outstanding throughout, and special mention should be made of Dougal Adams on wooden flute and Ormonde Waters on concertina, pipes and whistle. These two are as impressive a front line as you’ll hear in any Celtic-inspired band in the country.

If you enjoyed “Miles to Go” then you’ll certainly be captivated. The overall theme, like the first album, is an exploration of the confluence between traditional Celtic folk and American-influenced New Acoustic styles, and it succeeds in staking out a patch of ground all of its own. The noticeable development in the intervening five years between the two albums is the band is now an established working unit, and that shows in the integrity of the sound.

This is an accomplished, mature and highly enjoyable album from a well-travelled, widely-listened musician and composer whose musical journeys look like taking him onward to some fascinating places.

Steve Barnes
- TRAD AND NOW MAGAZINE

“Knowing the Place” by David Hyams and the Miles to Go Band
Review by Fairbirdge Festival artistic director, Steve Barnes

One of my favourite pieces of musical merchandise is a tea-towel made to commemorate Shane Howard’s album “The River”, bearing the phrase “Some Songwriters Never Dry Up”. David Hyams is a musician and performer who not only never dries up, but like the river he never seems to stop moving.

“Knowing the Place”, his new CD, continues on the journey begun five years ago with his “Miles to Go” album, which launched the career of the eponymous band. Both albums are collections of ambitious, original instrumentals, belonging for the most part to the Celtic dance tune tradition but showing the influences of David’s many journeys in the worlds of contemporary and traditional acoustic music. Both albums have a strong sense of inspiration from places and journeys, physical and musical.

The new CD sets its stall out right away. “Flat Out Like Lizard Drinking” starts out with a Sam Bush-esque funk mandolin riff that soon underpins a bubbly set of reels on wooden flute and uilleann pipes. Just as you’re getting comfortable with this groove, the space opens out into a rhythmic didge followed by a multipart horn arrangement that would sit comfortably on a La Bottine Souriante album, leading back into a reprise of the opening tune. It’s all gloriously unexpected and inventive, and it rocks to boot.

I won’t go track-by-track, but suffice it to say that just about every track has the same rich combination of tasty tunes, fresh arrangements and impressive musicality. David’s lovely old Gibson mandolin appears beautifully recorded on a number of tracks. “Leaving Jinparinya” has some lyrical dobro as well as mandolin, blending with Ormonde Waters concertina, a mix you certainly don’t hear every day, and typifying the varied palette of instrumental colours throughout the album. “Worlds Colliding” is a particular favourite, drawing on the Donal Lunny trick of having a familiar Celtic tune rhythm emerging out of a seemingly unrelated opening riff, in this case a delicate fingerpicked guitar and mandolin figure. David’s fingerpicking is a prominent feature of several of the more lyrical tracks, particularly the gorgeous “Song for Indigo” and the closing cut “Back of Beyond” (a title inspired by a geographically challenged American tourist) on which cellist Jennifer Tingley shines.

The musicianship, production and recording quality are outstanding throughout, and special mention should be made of Dougal Adams on wooden flute and Ormonde Waters on concertina, pipes and whistle. These two are as impressive a front line as you’ll hear in any Celtic-inspired band in the country.

If you enjoyed “Miles to Go” then you’ll certainly be captivated. The overall theme, like the first album, is an exploration of the confluence between traditional Celtic folk and American-influenced New Acoustic styles, and it succeeds in staking out a patch of ground all of its own. The noticeable development in the intervening five years between the two albums is the band is now an established working unit, and that shows in the integrity of the sound.

This is an accomplished, mature and highly enjoyable album from a well-travelled, widely-listened musician and composer whose musical journeys look like taking him onward to some fascinating places.

Steve Barnes
- TRAD AND NOW MAGAZINE

“Dave Hyams’ Miles To Go band has become a fixture at many Australian festivals over the last few years. Its not hard to see why with this line up of instrumental talent. But it is really the skill and artistry of his compositions and their power to evoke place – from Ireland to the Fitzroy River – that tantalizes. "

Ken Ferguson, The West Australian Newspaper, 29 April 2003
- WEST AUSTRALIAN NEWSPAPER

“Dave Hyams’ Miles To Go band has become a fixture at many Australian festivals over the last few years. Its not hard to see why with this line up of instrumental talent. But it is really the skill and artistry of his compositions and their power to evoke place – from Ireland to the Fitzroy River – that tantalizes. "

Ken Ferguson, The West Australian Newspaper, 29 April 2003
- WEST AUSTRALIAN NEWSPAPER

David Hyams - Miles to Go - Dark Horse Records (DH001)

Fremantle-based guitarist David Hyams may not be well-known this side of
the continent, but that hasn't stopped him from producing one of the finest
Australian acoustic albums for years. This self-issued release begins with
a couple of creditable acoustic evocations of the west Australian bush,
but soon veers into territory not usually well covered by Australian
musicians - Celtic music.

With support from concertina, whistle and uilleann pipe player Ormonde
Waters, flautist/piper Dougal Adams, harpist Shellyt Cox and a host of
other W.A. musos, Hyams launches into some fine, fresh Irish and
Scottish-inflected tunes. Most are self-penned, including the notable
"Journey into Ireland", which has some rollicking dance music sandwiched
between haunting themes that recall a visit to Ireland. There is a
refreshing precision to the musicianship of David Hyams, whether playing
electric or acoustic guitar, or the more Celtic-sounding cittern or
mandolin. The same can be said of his guest musicians, who add classy
touches to an album that grows in stature every time you listen to it.

- HOBART MERCURY

David Hyams - Miles to Go - Dark Horse Records (DH001)

Fremantle-based guitarist David Hyams may not be well-known this side of
the continent, but that hasn't stopped him from producing one of the finest
Australian acoustic albums for years. This self-issued release begins with
a couple of creditable acoustic evocations of the west Australian bush,
but soon veers into territory not usually well covered by Australian
musicians - Celtic music.

With support from concertina, whistle and uilleann pipe player Ormonde
Waters, flautist/piper Dougal Adams, harpist Shellyt Cox and a host of
other W.A. musos, Hyams launches into some fine, fresh Irish and
Scottish-inflected tunes. Most are self-penned, including the notable
"Journey into Ireland", which has some rollicking dance music sandwiched
between haunting themes that recall a visit to Ireland. There is a
refreshing precision to the musicianship of David Hyams, whether playing
electric or acoustic guitar, or the more Celtic-sounding cittern or
mandolin. The same can be said of his guest musicians, who add classy
touches to an album that grows in stature every time you listen to it.

- HOBART MERCURY