David Helfand’s music often reflects his journeys. Playing Celtic harp, mandacello and a variety of other string instruments, Helfand has created albums that attempt to evoke the mood of his experiences and the places he has visited.
Like so many musicians, Helfand got started as a drummer for a garage rock band.
“My big aspiration as a kid was to be a rock ‘n’ roll drummer, to the horror of my mother,” Helfand said. “At that particular point I was really inspired by Ginger Baker from Cream and Mitch Mitchell, who worked with Jimi Hendrix.”
Helfand eventually discovered string instruments when he found a guitar in his parents’ attic that had only three strings. Allowing two of the strings to drone on while playing melody on the third, Helfand had inadvertently created a sound similar to the sitar. After discovering a mandolin in a small music shop in Ithica, N.Y., he began a love affair with stringed instruments that has yet to cease.
But while Helfand played acoustic instruments, he was still interested in big sounds.
“I started getting into 1970s British progressive rock,” Helfand said. “King Crimson, Yes, Emerson, Lake and Palmer and of course Jethro Tull. They would be doing these really big, theatrical concept albums and come around and do them live.”
The idea of concept albums stuck with Helfand, and many of his releases deal with larger structural themes. Helfand’s latest release, “At the Edge of the Cornish Sea,” was inspired in part by an extended trip to England, as well as his feelings after the terrorist attacks of Sept. 11.
The atmosphere of Great Britain infected the album, and many of the songs are inspired by events during the trip.
“The biggest part of the experience that really seeded the energy of the album was a visit to Tintagel, which is the ruins of the castle where King Arthur would have been conceived,” Helfand said. “It’s really where that story began. It’s way up this mountain bluff overlooking the ocean. It’s where the album begins, with this really intense moment.”
Helfand’s music has attracted a number of local musicians. Violinist David Burham, who plays with The Sugar Beets and the Eugene Symphony, has recorded on a number of Helfand’s albums.
“We speak different musical languages, but somehow we communicate,” Burham said. “His music is like Celtic soul moving over expansive dreamscapes.”
Another musician who has worked closely with Helfand is local bass player Jeff Schenck. Schenck and Helfand have worked together for a number of years, touring England and collaborating on Helfand’s “Cornish” album.
“We met while working for a program that taught music to at-risk youth,” Schenck said. “As a bass player, I’m into a lot of rock and blues, along with some jazz. Dave got me into some Celtic and Middle Eastern styles. His music is really a melange of those influences, kind of like Celtic impressionist sound paintings.”
In the future, Helfand said he had hopes to return to Britain in order to bring back the music inspired by that country. He also has some plans for future recorded works.
“I have another idea for a concept album that I wrote awhile back,” Helfand said. “I also have just a lot of odd songs that I’ve written over the years that don’t fit in with any overlaying concept. So I might record an album of just tunes.”
Helfand will be performing with a group at Cozmic Pizza at W. 8th Ave. and Charnelton Street Saturday at 8 p.m.. Admission will be $7 at the door.