Songwriting/composition

Composition

'Dave Nelson is a generous, inspirational and hugely talented collaborator, with a gift for composition which is both rigorous and innovative in spirit.' Stephen Finegold

Dave's jazz compositions range from much of the material performed by Tongue & Groove, his 5-piece World-Jazz ensemble formed in 1992, to Jazz Excursions – originally a suite for solo piano and now the overall title for all his solo work.

Dave was musical director of Calderdale Theatre School for 15 years and has written incidental music for most of their performances during that time. He was also M.D. for Cragg Vale Gamelan, the legendary 25-piece percussion group based in West Yorkshire, and wrote much of the music for it, including Lifelines (collaborating with artist Stephen Finegold) for saxophone, flute, piano, percussion orchestra and 2 dancers.

Cragg Vale Gamelan at Square Chapel Halifax

More recent work has included all the material for Gongfusion (in which gamelan instruments were blended with other world instruments such as didgeridoo and hammer dulcimer, but also with digital beats and other electronica), and Songs for Orpheus for choir and band.

Dave is currently working with long-time collaborator and saxophonist Peadar Long on a new project. (See Performance page)

Songs
In addition to his incidental music, Dave has also written lyrics (as well as the music) for several of the Calderdale Theatre School shows which include The Siege, The Battle for Badger's Wood, A Matter of Life and Death and Island of the Mighty.

'Calderdale Theatre School has benefited for many years from Dave's composition skills. We remember with particular affection the Battle For Badgers' Wood at Square Chapel years ago, when he not only wrote great music and songs and played at all the shows, but also spent many hours giving enthusiastic coaching to the children/young people. Thanks Dave!' Graham and Maria Heafford

He has also co-written many songs as part of his project work in schools; notably with Cockburn College in Leeds (RACA project) and with The Elastic Band at Sowerby Bridge High School (Yorkshire Youth and Music Project)

Dave is currently writing songs with lyricist Esther Waite and musician/producer Lee Smith, and is looking for more opportunities to develop this facet of his work.

Arrangements
Dave is a highly experienced musical arranger, having arranged music for every ensemble with which he has ever worked, plus a lot more besides. For 10 years until 2006 he was musical director for the highly acclaimed Bloody Big Soul Band (featuring Doris and the Dinnerladies) — a 24 piece soul band with a 10 strong horn section — and arranged countless Soul and Tamla Motown songs from the 60s and 70s for the group.

Dave is currently working with the Hebden Bridge Junior (brass) Band arranging ‘70s Ska, R&B and Soul numbers to enhance their more traditional repertoire, and then leading rehearsals of his arrangements with the band.

Teaching songwriting/ composition
Composition teaching is always tailored to suit a student's requirements, but there are two main areas:

• working on basic ideas looking in particular at harmony (chords), form/structure, lyric writing, rhythm work, composing a melody, arranging a piece of music and using notation or sequencing software.

• a more mentoring/coaching role comes into effect when more experienced students have generated ideas and created music, then need advice as to how to develop it.

As well as being a keyboard player, Dave also sings, and plays guitar, bass and percussion and has a good working knowledge of all orchestral and brass band instruments. His ability and experience have helped many a student to obtain high marks in GCSE and A level music.