Pedals is a strong and powerful collection of composed and improvised pieces by pianist Clay Hilman. Originally released in 1996, this is the second edition of the work. Most of the music is solo piano, but there are a couple of exceptions. The moods of the pieces range from light-hearted to very dark and turbulent, and some of them include sound effects of wind, water, and storms. A few of the pieces remind me of Dax Johnson’s dark intensity.

“Toy Boat” opens the CD with carefree musical effervescence, and the inside of the liner notes has instructions for making your very own toy boat. This piece is full of fun and childlike innocence. “Yellow” is an improvisation in E minor. Moody and melancholy, the piece has a beautiful flow to it. “Valentine Suite” is one of my favorites. Also in a minor key, the structure is classical (think Chopin), but the feeling is passionate and intense while remaining very elegant. “The Nones of March” is also very classical, but more like Mozart this time. The piece begins with the simple, haunting theme and then develops a series of variations with the sound of the ocean in the background, returning to the simple theme near the end. I really like this one, too! “Green” is a fascinating improvisation in G minor that includes cello. Dark and mysterious, this is an intense and evocative piece. “Dorian Sea” is a play on words because it’s an improvisation in C Dorian. Hilman’s fingers really dance all over the piano in this one, lightening the mood a bit. Pianists are compared to George Winston all the time, and I usually disagree with that, but “Blue” actually sounds like some of Winston’s early music, with a sometimes percussive touch and an effortless flow. “Gethsemane’s Prayer” begins with the sound of crickets and footsteps walking into the garden where Jesus prayed the night before he was crucified. This piece also has a very effective cello part that adds to the deep passion of the music. “Golgotha” refers to the hill where Jesus was crucified. It begins with the sound of the metal stakes being hammered and then of the cross being raised. The haunting melody is obviously very dark and turbulent, and as it develops, the sound of the wind fills the background. As the piano ends in the deep bass of the piano, the storm sounds take over as lightening cracks and thunder rolls. The last three minutes of the piece are storm sounds - a bit too long for these ears, but it’s easy enough to advance to the end of this excellent CD at that point.

Pedals is a sometimes mesmerizing, always interesting CD for the more serious music lover. It is available from clayhilman.com and cdbaby.com. Recommended!