The Magpie Suite - an evocative and transformative musical journey for expanded jazz orchestra and 4 voices - was born from a moment of awe. During a residency at the Banff Centre for the Arts in January 2018, composer Sarah Jerrom observed a gathering of magpies and crows performing a dance in the middle of a winter storm. 

At the time, Jerrom was working on deeply personal composition defying the stigma and taboo surrounding pregnancy loss. This experience not only captivated her but also set the narrative trajectory for this new piece. The complex world of magpies became a rich metaphor woven throughout the suite’s musical narrative.The suite, which had its premiere on April 6, 2023 in Toronto, is a masterful blend of storytelling and music, guided by the folkloric nursery rhyme One for Sorrow. It takes the listener on a journey through the eyes of its main character, Woman/Magpie, exploring profound themes such as feminism, infertility, grief, hope, and love. 

Each of the suite’s eight movements offers a distinct musical experience, seamlessly integrating elements of classical and jazz performance. A quartet of vocalists led by Jerrom adds another dimension to these dynamic and immersive soundscapes. Magpie is a tour de force, an emotional odyssey, a narrative of resilience, transformation, and the magic of storytelling through music.

As you can see, all the elements are there to develop a dramaturgy, a blend of jazz and classical music. This work is contemplative, questioning, engaging our intellect. It’s music to be shortened on stage or enjoyed privately in its discographic form, and a real favorite for the quality of this creation.

Personnel: 

Sarah Jerrom - Voice, Compositions, Narrative

Conductor: Christian Overton

Voices: Laura Swankey, Galen Sedlak, Jackson Welchner

Woodwinds: Laura Chambers (fl, afl, picc); Chieh-Ying Lu (ob);

Tara Davidson (as, ss, fl); Mike Murley (ts, ss, cl); Kirk MacDonald (ts, cl); Shirantha Beddage (bs, bcl)

Trumpet & Flugelhorn: James Rhodes (lead); Kevin Turcotte, Brian O’Kane

French Horn: Olivia Esther

Trombone: William Carn, Zach Smith, Emily Ferrell, Tom Richards (bs tbn)

Piano: Nancy Walker

Bass: Rob McBride

Drums: Ernesto Cervini

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The award-winning Oregon-based jazz singer-songwriter Halie Loren is proud to release her new full-length album Dreams Lost and Found out now via Nettwerk/Justin Time Records. This collection of songs explores themes of longing, seeking, and seeing with new eyes — the falling away of old illusions and outgrown desires, finding new visions for love and life, allowing some dreams to die to make space for new dreams to be born. The album captures the live essence of her music, that has led to tours and performances for audiences worldwide. The 14-song effort sees Halie lend her take on standards, originals, and her personal favourites.  

Halie adds: “This album marks my return to a more jazz-oriented musical sound, but forged in a completely new environment of creativity (quite literally, in that I traveled to Montreal to record for the first time) that brought my improvisational spirit to the forefront—in no small part inspired by collaborating with masterful musicians Taurey Butler on piano, Morgan Moore on bass, Sam Kirmayer on Guitar, and Jim Doxas on drums. Though I have performed for years with most of these amazingly talented people, we’ve never before recorded together… to me, it was like we were dancing on the edge of the unknown when creating these songs. It felt very alive in the moment, and I think that comes through the music”

Halie is excited to celebrate her new album release with a run of shows in the Pacific Northwest as well as other stops scheduled (and more to be announced soon) where she’ll entertain crowds with album standouts like “Sukiyaki (You Took Your Love Away)”,  “Stop This World” and “For All We Know” and more. Find the full list of tour dates below and for more information visit www.halieloren.com. 

Halie Loren is an international, award-winning jazz singer/songwriter. She brings a fresh and original perspective to time-honored musical paths, channeling her innate understanding of connectedness across musical boundaries to forge bonds with diverse audiences in North America, Asia, and Europe. Her multi-genre and multi-lingual musical blend across her ten albums to-date has earned several national and international awards in multiple genres as well as significant critical and chart success along the way, with her albums consistently reaching #1 on the Billboard Japan, iTunes (Canada and Japan) and Amazon jazz charts.  

An award-winning songwriter since her early teens, Halie began garnering international acclaim as a recording artist when her debut jazz album They Oughta Write a Song was named the Best Vocal Jazz Album of the year at the 2009 JPF Independent Music Awards. She was subsequently signed for distribution in Asia by JVC/Victor Entertainment and in North America with Canadian-based jazz label Justin Time Records. Loren's accolades in more recent years include an Independent Music Award for her original song “Thirsty” in 2011, a Best Vocal Jazz Album 2012 award in Japan’s Jazz Critique Magazine for her album Heart First, (which also reached #1 on Canada’s iTunes Jazz chart), and a total of four Billboard #1 albums on Japan’s jazz charts since 2013. Her video for “Noah”, the 2nd single from her 2018 release From the Wild Sky album produced by UK tour-de-force Troy Miller (Amy Winehouse, Gregory Porter, Diana Ross), won an Emmy in 2019 for Best Music Video as presented by The National Academy Of Television Arts & Sciences (NATAS) Southeast Chapter.  

Along with recording and songwriting successes, Halie’s live performances have brought her around the world several times, with performances on 4 continents thus far, including tours across the U.S., Canada, France, the U.K., Japan, Italy, Egypt, China, Hong Kong, Taiwan, South Korea, Egypt, and Haiti. Her concerts range from intimate clubs to grand halls to festivals, from solo to classic jazz trio to lush orchestral collaborations.

Buy and listen here

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US Vocalist Lizz Wright Marks Illustrious 20 Year-Career With New Studio Album Featuring Angelique Kidjo & Meshell Ndegeocello

Acclaimed vocalist Lizz Wright encapsulates an illustrious 20-year career as one of the great modern American singers with new album, Shadow, the studio debut on her label Blues & Greens Records (with licensing/distribution through Lightyear Entertainment/Virgin Music), set for release on April 12, 2024.

On Shadow, Wright pens five originals with special guests Angelique Kidjo and Meshell Ndegeocello appearing on two separate songs (“Sparrow” and “Your Love”). Renowned for her singular writing style across six critically-acclaimed studio albums, Wright also beautifully weaves into her recordings unforgettable renditions of songs by artists she loves. Shadow’s producer and longtime collaborator/music director Chris Bruce(Seal, Bettye LaVette, Sheryl Crow) with Wright brought “Sweet Feeling” by Candi Staton into her world as part of the pre-production process of listening to an array of songs. 

Wright comments, “I first heard Candi Staton as a child because of her gospel singing, which my father loved. I didn’t realize that she also sang contemporary music until years later. Her voice is like no other and sounds honest and at home in anything she sings, no matter the genre.”

On “Sweet Feeling,” Wright digs her heels into the blues without apology. Making a home in the blues city of Chicago, she signals that now is the time and place to lean back and be in it. Wright says, “I’m excited to be singing the blues more now. It has a boldness, but it also comforting. Singing the blues in Chicago is like finding sap in a great old tree. The blues is in the spirit of the city.”

For the music video of “Sweet Feeling,” Wright sings on stage at the legendary Green Mill jazz club on Broadway in Uptown, Chicago. Sweeping views of the Chicago skyline, Lake Michigan and the iconic ambience at the Green Mill set the backdrop for Wright’s performance. The filming aesthetic of “Sweet Feeling” pays tribute to both past and modern Chicago blues. Video credits include: Angelo Valentino Margentina (Director Of Photography), Halley Buenrostro (Cinematographer), Carlos Bernal (VHS Camera Operator), and Monica Haslip (Art Director).

Blues & Greens Records is Wright’s innovative label venture designed to position artists to build sustainable and wholesome careers. Blues & Greens Records seeks to create a healthy ecosystem for artists as it uplifts and centralizes humanity in the music business with wellness offerings and sound business practices at the forefront. 

Click here for Lizz Wright website

Louise van den Heuvel is a dynamic Dutch bass player and composer. 

She's known for blending modern music technologies and effect pedals in her compositions rooted in the contemporary electronic/jazz scene. 

Louise founded the up-and-coming Belgian electronic jazz trio Dishwasher_, collaborated with renowned artists on stage such as Zwangere Guy & Lander Gyselinck and Bruno Vansina Orchestra, and is part of Stéphane Gallands ‘The Rhythm Hunters’,The Gallands, and the neo soul group STACE. For her latest project, Sonic Hug, Louise composed the whole repertoire by herself. 

The self-titled album, recorded with producer Koen Gisen, features a stellar line-up of some of the leading figures in the Benelux (jazz) scene: Hendrik Lasureon keys, Daniel Jonkerson drums and Sam Comerfordon reeds (live replaced by Werend Van Den Bossche). 

The band is set to play a Jazz Lab tour in April and May 2024 after their album release on 5th of April 2024 via W.E.R.F. Records.Her own creations expose themselves as elaborated melancholic songs filled with elegant grooves, crystalline vocals and experimental jazz excursions. She’s brilliantly using her own musical voice, literally, since you will also hear her sing (for the first time!) on some of the tracks. 

Surrounded by three musicians in the front of the new Belgian jazz generation (known from acts such as schntzl, Bombataz, Profound Observer, OttoKintet, Dishwasher_,KinGajo, ...) Sonic Hug became a very personal, unique new project. Influenced by the sounds of Scandinavia and artists such as ADHD, Nala Sinephro, Floating Points, Y Otis and Joni Mitchell, the vibe of Sonic Hug is etheric, elegant, melodically narrative, and always searching for a grasping groove.

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Nature Is A Mother is the second full length album from songwriter, bassist and vocalist CharliePyne. The new album is a collection of original compositions that chart a contemplative course through magnetic contemporary jazz, featuring powerful vocals with bold lyrics, taking in elements of both Latin American and classical influence with folk undertones.

Pyne describes her new recording as: “an exploration of my life so far, as a woman, a mother and someone working in the creative industry. I hope to tell stories that everyone can relate to, from a modern female viewpoint. I really feel like I’ve found my voice with this album, and can’t wait to share the music!”

Since graduating from the Guildhall School of Music and Drama in 2009, Charlie Pyne has built a thriving career on her solid groove, classic playing style and infectious cheerfulness. Her skill as an exemplary bassist has led to collaborations with a wide range of leading figures in jazz such as Yazz Ahmed, Noel Langley, Zoe Rahman, Brigitte Beraha, Shirley Smart, Karen Street, Nikki Isles, Sophie Alloway, Tori Freestone, Ilario Ferrari, Alcyona Mick and Martin France to name just a few. Her new album Nature Is A Mother is the first recorded release since her 2018 debut ‘Dancing Shadows’ and charts a progression fuelled by both the inspirational work with those aforementioned and Charlie’s own development as an artist – the result is her very best work to date.

On Nature Is A Mother, Pyne has assembled a dynamic ensemble of Luke Pinkstone on tenor sax, Liam Dunachie on piano and Katie Patterson on drums: trusted players and the same group who lend their expertise to Charlie’s debut album. When performing together and on first listen to the new album, the collective understanding between each artist is deeply apparent, allowing space for all to shine while gelling seamlessly as a unit.

Having performed on iconic stages in the UK at places such as Royal Festival Hall, Ronnie Scott’s, the Purcell Room, Pizza Express Jazz Club, and Jazz In The Round, both Charlie Pyne and her band are undoubtedly experienced touring professionals. Their album launch shows are likely to become seminal moments on this years’ jazz calendar and a chance to experience the hypnotic impact of Nature Is A Mother in a live setting. A unique gratifying work, Charlie Pyne’s endeavours are set to become a musical highlight of 2024.

Buy and listen to the album here

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UK-based Parisian bassist, vocalist and composer Amy Gadiaga has announced the release of her debut EP All Black Everything, an expansive, boundary-pushing 5-track collectionset for release on the Jazz re:freshed label on April 5th 2024.

Showcasing prodigious bass playing and a voice brimming with power and emotion, All Black Everything is a profound exploration of self-acceptance that presents both a celebration and acknowledgment of Gadiaga’s deep-seated darkness.Inspired by the 2020 Black Lives Matter movement, All Black Everything confronts racial identity complexities and the challenges of being a societal 'black sheep’ and sees Gadiaga courageously transform her insecurities into a narrative of self-empowerment. 

All Black Everything’s lead single Paloma Negra, an adventurous, unpredictable track pervaded by shimmering jazz grooves and Mexican rhythms is out now and available to listen to HERE.

“Paloma Negra is a tribute to black artists as they contribute to shifting culture all over the world” explains Gadiaga. “I wrote it during the height of the Black Lives Matter movement at a time when I was really into Mexican folk music. The title means Black Dove in Spanish and it’s a recurring theme in Mexican folk songs.”

Born to parents of Senegalese, Gambian, and Malian descent, and hailing from the outskirts of Paris, the multitalented Gadiaga has been making waves in the UK music industry since she moved to London aged 18. With a fresh and unique style that bridges the old school jazz tradition of musicians such as Betty Carter and Wayne Shorter with the raw, rootsy modern sound of artists such as D’Angelo, Stevie Wonder and Twinkie Clark, Gadiaga’s breadth of ambition and revitalising approach have brought early critical acclaim and ardent fans.

Signalling the arrival of a significant new voice on the London music scene, All Black Everything communicates the liberating essence of embracing individuality and presents a journey through Gadiaga's personal struggles, standing as a testament to art's transformative power and encouraging listeners to find strength in their uniqueness. “All Black Everything is very much an exploration and embracing of one of my archetypes in life which is the black bird/black sheep” she explains. “That feeling of not thinking you belong anywhere, of being misunderstood and really tending to your own. No helping hand. But it’s ok sometimes because you also feel like nobody can compete with you, you’re one of a kind.” 

All Black Everything is released on the Jazz re:freshed label on April 5th 2024.

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