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September 4, 2025

Contemporary Instrumental Review: Lynn Tredeau - Time Dances Past

Release Date:  September 26, 2025

Label: Independent

Website

Time Dances Past will be Lynn Tredeau’s eleventh proper recording. I had previously covered Shifting Sands and Fellowship of Solitude. So, it’s been seven years since I had the opportunity to enjoy the solo journeys of this fine artist.

Lynn said it well when discussing the album, noting that Time Dances Past evokes the reality of an unstoppable passage of time and the silent ballet of moments slipping through our lives.

 

The album, comprising thirteen tracks, commences with the enchanting “Her Hands.”  This piece serves as a gentle introduction to solo piano music, creating an atmosphere of tranquility and introspection that is sure to captivate the listener.

 

Instrumental piano music can be moving, and it will engage your senses in so many ways. This one had a hint of sadness around it, yet the pure honesty and beauty of the music stood out to wash away those feelings that surfaced.

 

“Special Wish” continues with the slower tempo and gentle touch on the keyboard. It is similar to a lullaby in its feel and compositional structure. That is my first impression of the music; however, that may not have been the intention of the artist at all. Music such as this is always open to your interpretation.

 

“Small Town Summer” takes on a significantly different aspect of Lynn’s music. I could feel a lot of the “looking back” type of emotion here. Being from a small town myself, I then moved to a city, which was the path I took as a young, restless man. I would eventually return to that small town and live in the house where I grew up. Not everyone gets that kind of opportunity or meaning in their lives, but I did, and so did my children, who grew up in the same house. One song held so much meaning for me, and it made me realize just how fortunate I am.

 

“Thread the Needle” suggests a task that requires intense focus and concentration to complete, but the level of difficulty may not have been anticipated. The analogy of a quarterback completing a pass to an overcrowded defense on its receiver is a good way to put that term. The track took on a more serious tone to emulate that phrase. Even though the shift of thought here changes, the piano remains consistently beautiful and elegant.

 

“Daisies in Her Hair” is the shortest track, clocking in at 2:54. This composition has a light and airy feel about it. A musical poem for a beautiful girl or woman, perhaps? The daisies make the beauty held by that individual even more prolific. Short, sweet, and impactful.

 

“Falling Softly” is something we all would wish to do with an event in life that precipitates some event that involves a fall of some sort.  We all have been there before, and the key is getting back up on our feet again and walking forward. The keystrokes hold a promise or redemption through faith, even though it hurts to move through it all. This one hit my heart and brought tears to my eyes due to personal experiences and challenges I have overcome throughout my life. Still, the excellence of artistry through the piano got me to move on to the next track and feel what I needed to feel.

 

“Socks on Shoes” is a title that made me think of the innocence of a small child. The love behind that thought runs deep and true in my heart. It holds more meaning with each passing year as my children are at the stage in life where they may have their own family. Life is fleeting, and the simplicity of the track’s title is felt as Lynn’s talented fingers paint the picture of these thoughts so beautifully in my mind.

 

“It’s Complicated” says exactly what it means to each listener. People, places, and things that populate our lives can become a long string of knots that need unraveling. Music, however, particularly solo piano, does not have to be complex; it can be straightforward with no frills and can speak to you just as clearly. Life can be as complicated as we make it; the decision is ours to make.

 

“Capture the Breeze” is an excellent title for a song. To capture mother nature with one breath, a glance, a feeling of warmth, is one of the splendors of life we may take for granted. The song makes you think more about what that can mean on any given day. To me, the piano playing made me think this could be a love song, but a different kind of love, not for another person, for life itself. Now that is meaningful.

 

“Wild Horses” couldn’t drag me away. The Rolling Stones song was my initial thought, until the piano started to play. Lynn’s tempo is measured so beautifully in every track, and this is no exception. Her playing is soft and inviting. It’s as if Lynn is evoking a scene through her fingers for each listener. There is nothing gentle about wild horses traversing the land; however, their graceful steps and the strength of their muscles carry them like they are gliding through the air.

 

“When I Dream” can be revealing, magical, and at times mind-boggling to interpret the meaning. They are messages to your soul. The tempo of Lynn’s playing gets you in the right mindset to think about the title of the track and what meanings it may hold for you. We can dream in the day or night, either way, it’s energy pushed out to the universe seeking something. In the same token, it could be innocent thoughts streaming in and out of your consciousness.

 

“One Last Time” is finality. Does it have to be so finite? It depends on your thought process and interpretation. I can view it as a process of feeling or doing something, then moving on to the next level. Of course, the piano intimates some sadness because it’s the end of something, but a new beginning is on the horizon as we “Turn the Page .”

 

What an appropriate title to end an album. After all those emotional journeys I experienced through the piano playing of one person, it’s time for me to “Turn the Page.” And even so, another book awaits to be written by Lynn Tredeau using the piano to tell a story. Such a beautiful song, and the last note played closes the curtain perfectly.

 

All the moments I was reminded of that slipped through my life were my silent ballet, and they left an indelible imprint on my soul. I have the music to thank for that.

Keith “MuzikMan” Hannaleck-NAMR Founder

September 4, 2025

Tracks:

01. Her Hands (3:41)

02. Special Wish (3:17)

03. Small Town Summer (3:15)

04. Thread the Needle (3:06)

05. Daisies in Her Hair (2:54)

06. Falling Softly (3:18)

07. Socks on Shoes (3:21)

08. It’s Complicated (3:24)

09. Capture the Breeze (3:40)

10. Wild Horses (3:18)

11. When I Dream (3:42)

12. One Last Time (3:03)

13. Turn the Page (3:18)

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