Some experiences are hard to put into words. In the album ‘This Is Water’, Memphis instrumental trio Light and Shade give grief, love and perseverance room to unfold through guitar, saxophone and drums.
Released on March 17, 2025, the group’s second album draws on personal memories and the everyday challenges people carry with them. Its music invites listeners to slow down, reflect and find comfort in sound.
A Long Friendship Finds Its Voice
Light and Shade grew from years of shared playing and a creative partnership formed in Memphis. Guitarist Jeff Williams and drummer Harvey Waldman have been making music together since they were 14. Williams met saxophonist Josh Aguilar in 2012, and their early writing sessions eventually became the foundation of the project.
That history gives the trio a natural sense of communication. Guitar, saxophone and drums each bring a distinct character to the arrangements, while the group’s instrumental format leaves space for listeners to form their own connections. A melody can carry sorrow, tension or warmth without spelling out a single interpretation.
The band’s background includes a wide range of musical influences, from progressive rock and hard rock to jazz, fusion and instrumental guitar music. Artists such as Pink Floyd, Stone Temple Pilots, Joe Satriani and Steve Vai have informed the musicians’ listening and playing. Light and Shade draw from those varied sources while shaping songs around their own experiences and musical chemistry.
Before Light and Shade, Williams played with Sacrum. The current project brings that experience into a different setting, where expressive arrangements and reflective themes guide the music.
Six Days at Young Avenue Studio
The band recorded This Is Water in six days at Young Avenue Studio in Memphis. Light and Shade produced the album, with Ethan Hunt engineering and mixing. The focused recording schedule lends the project an immediate quality, capturing performances shaped by the group’s years of playing together.
The album explores grief, trauma, tragedy and the trials people face in daily life. Its songs also carry a spirit of celebration, reflecting the band’s interest in the full range of human experience. The music’s emotional weight comes through in instrumental storytelling, with changes in tone and intensity creating a sense of movement.
Several tracks have particular significance for the musicians. “Queen Marie” is a tribute to Williams’ late grandmother. The final song, “The Other Robin Williams,” honors his father, who died of cancer at a young age. These personal dedications connect the album’s broader themes to specific memories and relationships.
Other songs the band highlights include “Storm in the Desert,” “Twiddle,” “Reggie B” and the title track, “This Is Water.” Each adds a different texture to the record, giving the album room to move between reflective passages and more energetic moments.
Music for Reflection and Resilience
For Light and Shade, This Is Water is intended to offer solace to people going through difficult times. The trio’s instrumental approach allows listeners to bring their own stories to the music. One person may hear a piece through the lens of loss; another may connect with its sense of persistence or quiet hope.
That openness is central to the album’s appeal. The songs don’t depend on lyrics to communicate their emotional purpose. Instead, the musicians build atmosphere through performance, arrangement and dynamic shifts. Listeners can follow the music closely or let it accompany a private moment of thought.
The record also reflects the value of creative collaboration. Williams, Waldman and Aguilar bring different histories to the project, yet the compositions hold together through shared purpose. Their work turns personal inspiration into music that can speak to experiences many people recognize.
Light and Shade are now recording their third album, This Is Fire, which will follow This Is Water. The title suggests another chapter in the group’s evolving work, with the trio continuing to develop its sound and instrumental storytelling.
About Light and Shade
Light and Shade is an instrumental band from Memphis, Tennessee, featuring guitarist Jeff Williams, drummer Harvey Waldman and saxophonist Josh Aguilar. Williams and Waldman have played together since age 14, and Williams and Aguilar began writing music together in 2012. The group released its self-titled debut in 2023, followed by This Is Water in 2025.
Finding Comfort in the Sound
With This Is Water, Light and Shade offer an album shaped by memory, loss and the effort to keep moving through life’s harder passages. Its instrumental songs leave listeners space to reflect, while the trio’s close musical connection carries each piece forward.