Return To Jazz Of Lights
Today, 30th April 2026, marks International Jazz Day. What better way to celebrate than by giving Bill’s Return to Jazz of Lights a spin?
It may not be a “pure” jazz album as such, but Bill’s guitar work is always infused with a distinct jazz sensibility, and it’s very much present here.
It’s also exactly twenty years and one week since the passing of his brother, Ian. That makes the closing track, All These Days Are Gone (For Ian), especially poignant, a beautiful tribute that resonates all the more today, as we remember Ian along with the music.
From the Holyground recording and Smile Records release of Northern Dream in the early ’70s (1970, I think), to a vast and ever-evolving body of work that continues to grow, Bill Nelson has followed his own musical direction. Whether through the art-rock precision of Be-Bop Deluxe or the atmospheric, exploratory textures of Red Noise and far beyond, his music has always been driven by curiosity, craft, desire and a refusal to stand still.
Across the decades, Bill has built a catalogue remarkable not just for its size, but for its restless creativity, constantly shifting and experimenting. Yet through all these changes, his artistic integrity has remained untouched. He creates on his own terms, guided by vision rather than expectation.
That’s precisely why his work still matters now. In an age often shaped by algorithms and repetition, he represents something far rarer, authentic, independent artistry that values exploration over conformity. His music reminds us that progress isn’t about chasing the moment, but about continually moving forward, wherever the muse leads.
So tonight, I will be playing Return To Jazz Of Lights,
and After The Satellite Sings, on it's 30th birthday, as mentioned by Quitdreaming, in his post.
This was the album that I suggested that Bill Nelson play with Bill Frisell in a Jazz Club.