London Symphony Orchestra

Sparks: Eye Of London

Navona, 2022

8/10

Listen to Sparks: Eye Of London

The London Symphony Orchestra bring their inimitable talents to these original fanfare pieces by current composers, and it’s an effort that guides us through chaos, order, isolation, and triumph via their emotive skill set.

“Fanfare for Jacob Grayson”, by Beth Mehocic, opens with the booming percussion and tense strings making for a very cinematic approach of soft versus loud dynamics, and Gregory W Brown’s “(Of) Course” follows with swift and passionate interplay between the Orchestra’s many skilled players.

Halfway through, the tense and triumphant “New Day Fanfare” spotlights the composer Eric Klein with its meticulous string manipulation and thundering drums, while Sergio Cervetti’s “Gated Angel” rumbles with plenty of attention to mood in its precise ambience.

Nearing the end, the intimate gestures of “Ananke” flow with beauty and mystery in the Hans Bakker piece, and “For Whom The Bell Tolls: Overture” exits the listen with the best selection, where fluid melodies, charming percussive ideas and ebbs of bareness populate the multi-faceted finish of the Brian Wilbur Grundstrom original.

A very diverse body of work that navigates through soothing, abstract and animated song craft, the London Symphony Orchestra make the most of every superb moment here.

Travels well with: Jâca- Breakthrough; Rain Worthington- Passages Through Time

Jâca

Breakthrough

Navona, 2022

8/10

Listen to Breakthrough

As Jâca, Wesley Ferreira brings his clarinet and Jaxson Williams brings his guitar to these unique compositions by living composers, including themselves, and it meshes European and American folk traditions with much care.

“Rêve de L’Enfant”opens the listen with twinkling guitar and fluid clarinet, as the pair work off each other’s mesmerizing tone with much beauty, and “Tamacun” follows with playful guitar playing amid the animated clarinet that builds into a very lush climate.

Further along, Gus Viseur’s “Douce Joie” flows with a poetic quality that’s swift and upbeat, while “Sevillanas” emits much culture amid the warm strumming and meticulous wind progressions in the Paco Cortés original.

“Taistealaí Ama” and “Tico Tico no Fubá” exit the listen, where the former, an original from the pair, glows with a radiant intimacy that’s quite stunning, and the latter, a Zequinha de Abreu original, is quite animated, and showcases the colorful playing from the duo.

Ferreira and Williams have both enjoyed excellent, accomplished works on their own, and their combined strength makes for a rare combination of instruments that’s quite alluring.

Travels well with: Wesley Ferreira- Into The Green; The Music Of Jeffrey Jacob- Sequoias

Hans Bakker

Source Ground

Navona, 2022

8/10

Listen to Source Ground

The esteemed composer Hans Bakker returns with his sophomore effort on the Navona label, where solo piano, organ filled pieces and orchestral ensembles populate the diverse and powerful listen.

“Fanfare Ananke for orchestra” opens the listen with the London Symphony Orchestra and Miran Vaupotić’s conducting making for a flowing, intricate and cinematic demeanor, and “Two Pieces for piano” follows with Rangel Silaev’s lone piano emitting a very agile and expressive delivery of precise key acrobatics.

The keys again are present later on in “Three Pieces for organ”, where Frans Jan Wijma’s organ prowess is calm, reflective and sometimes haunting, while Maarten Wilmink takes over on organ for the dense, eerie album highlight that is “Toccata For Organ”.

Near the end, Annette Scholten’s lame sonore (musical saw) makes an appearance for the very unique, mysterious “Dare Voce”, and “Cantus for string orchestra” exits with the Moravian Philharmonic Orchestra and Vit Micka (conductor) offering their dynamic and meticulous skills.

A very compelling listen that spans bare and busy textures, the many players on hand sure do illuminate Bakker’s vision with incredible fluidity that allows each track to have its own distinct identity.

Travels well with: Dashing Vol. 3; Duo Sequenza- Yes… It’s Still A Thing!

Avner Finberg

The Four Seasons Of Isolation

Ravello, 2022

9/10

Listen to The Four Seasons Of Isolation

The violinist and composer Avner Finberg brings his inestimable skills to these 5 pieces that surround the pandemic and resulting lockdowns, where he sequestered himself for this musical essay about a year in isolation.

“Sirens” starts the listen with Finberg’s very animated and expressive string manipulation that’s very mood focused, and “Echo Chamber” follows with both swift and stirring progressions on his instrument that are poetic and heartfelt.

“The Ocean Between Us” arrives at the halfway point and is full of absorbing violin playing amid the ambient electronic backdrop, while “In Perpetuum”, the best selection, glides with a meticulous and exciting energy that really showcases the vast spectrum of the violin. “The Raven” exits the listen, and welcomes narration for the Edgar Allen Poe masterpiece that complements the mysteriousness of the finisher.

A very prepared effort that draws parallels to Vivaldi’s The Four Seasons, Finberg makes for a uniquely haunting, and engaging listen of unparalleled dexterity to tell his story.

Travels well with: Vincent Ho- Sandman’s Castle; Carl Vollrath- Old & New Poetry Vol. II

RJ LeBlanc

Heyday

Bent River, 2022

9/10

Listen to Heyday

The bassist and keyboardist RJ LeBlanc has been a prominent member of the Montreal jazz scene for well over a decade now, and this 4th album as leader might be his most ambitious to date, where a handful of players help flesh out the very diverse affair.

“Flamme” starts the listen with plenty of melody and grooves, as Nicolas Ferron’s swirling guitar and Kevin Warren’s complicated drums complement LeBlanc’s bass acrobatics, and “Casa Perdida” follows with a warm haze, where Erika Angell’s soaring voice radiates alongside Francois Jalbert’s agile guitar and Louis-Vincent Hamel’s precise drumming.

The halfway spot belongs to “Into The Sun”, where a dense climate emits some rock influences amid the chugging guitar, spacey synth and thick drums, while “Saturnales” enlists Eli Miller Maboungu's playful percussion, Elizabeth Shepherd’s mesmerizing voice and Rafael Zaldivar’s frisky key’s for the prog-friendly delivery that’s quite festive, too.

The title track lands near the end, and places Tommy Crane on drums and brings back Angell’s soft voice for the intimate album highlight, and “Childlike (pour Roland)” exits with Jérome Beaulieu’s swift keys and Ferron’s animated guitar for the busy, textured ‘90s nods.

An extremely eclectic body of work that’s as likely to remind you of Patti Smith as it is Weather Report or Nirvana, LeBlanc and company embrace rock, jazz, dubstep and even R&B into this fantastic listen.

Travels well with: Noah Lemish- Twelve; Ernesto Cervini- Joy

Various Artists

Dashing Vol. 3

Navona, 2022

8/10

Listen to Dashing Vol 3: Even More Sounds Of The Season

The festive series that is Dashing continues, and there’s plenty of new compositions and arrangements of holiday songs we all know and love to be enjoyed.

John Wineglass’ “The Toy Factory: Little Elves, Fairies and Snowmen” starts the listen with the Filharmonie Brno and Pavel Šnajdr’s conducting making for a busy and very precise chamber display of fluid winds, playful percussion and booming brass, and “Hodie”, by Carol Barnett, follows with the Kühn Choir of Prague’s harmonic voices under Lenka Navrátilová’s skilled conducting.

Further on, “Remembering December” places Gavin Frazier Brown on piano and Diana Cantrell on vocals for the poetic, expressive intimacy, while “O Tannenbaum” is populated with Vox Futura’s sublime singing and Andrew Shenton’s conducting for the very pretty, stirring album highlight.

Making our way towards the end, Richard E. Brown’s “Gesu Bambino” benefits much from the JFO Brass Trio and Roman Buchal’s well timed trumpet for the cautious interplay, and “O Holy Night, O Glorious Light” exits with the Kühn Choir of Prague, Lenka Navrátilová (conductor), Marcel Javorček (piano) and Walter Hofbauer (trumpet) layering the finish with a dreamy elegance that’s quite powerful.

A collection of songs that can be celebrated all year, the orchestras, ensembles, and choirs make for much diversity and even more skill, and just might have you wishing for a blanket of snow to cover the ground…

Travels well with: Vincent Ho- Sandman’s Castle; Duo Sequenza- Yes… It’s Still A Thing!

Santi Debriano & Arkestra Bembe

Ashanti

Jojo, 2022

8/10

Listen to Ashanti

The bassist and composer Santi DeBriano taps into West African Language for this 8th record as leader, and with his Arkestra Bembe at his side, the 10 songs celebrate food, drink, dance and music.

“Angel Heart” opens the listen with much warmth, where playful bass is complemented by soulful sax and Robby Ameen’s agile drumming, and “Ashanti” follows with Mamiko Watanabe’s fluid piano amid the bright brass and strategic bass lines.

At the halfway point, the intimate “Till Then” swirls with much care in the dynamic jazz landscape, while the aptly titled “Spunky” benefits much from Adrian Alvarado’s precise guitar alongside the animated horns.

“Mr. Monk” and “Portrait” exit the listen, where the former is both firm and cautious, with the stunning rhythm section making this the album’s best, and the latter offers a platform for DeBriano’s stunning bass plucking to shine.

A truly collaborative effort that really does illuminate TK Blue (alto sax), Tommy Morimoto (tenor sax), Ray Sero (baritone sax) and Emile Turner (trumpet), there’s much culture, imagination and timelessness to be enjoyed.

Travels well with: Rodney Whitaker- Oasis; Harvie S and Roni Ben-Hur with Sylvia Cuenca- Wondering

Alexander Tchobanov

Eclectic Sounds

Navona, 2022

9/10

Listen to Eclectic Sounds

The esteemed pianist Alexander Tchobanov brings his meticulous playing to pieces by L.V. Beethoven, Béla Bartók, Pantcho Vladigerov and Alexander Vladigerov, across the aptly titled affair.

Beethoven’s “Sonata No. 30 Op. 109” opens the listen with fluid and swift finger acrobatics that incorporate firm versus soft moments of incredible playing, and Bartók’s “Sonata Sz. 80” follows with a strategic rumbling that cultivates an animated and very expressive climate.

On the back half, Pantcho Vladigerov’s “Piano Pieces Op. 15 No. 1 Prelude” emits both grace and adventurousness in its careful exploration, and Alexander Vladigerov’s “Dilmano Dilbero Variations Op. 2” exits with very quick and atmospheric progressions that are quite stunning.

A careful listen of contrasting textures that are as meticulous as they are memorable, this is a solo piano recording that is a must for those with an ear for the instrument.

Travels well with: Vincent Ho- Sandman’s Castle; Peter Drew- Symphony No. 1 “Reminiscence”

Dan Israel

Seriously

Self-Released, 2022

9/10

Listen to Seriously

The Minnesota artist Dan Israel is in fine company here, where David J. Russ (drums, vocals, percussion), Mike Lane (bass, vocals, keys) and Steve Brantseg, plus others, accompany him for these rootsy tunes that cover the personal and political spectrum.

“Happy For Now” starts the listen with bright and melodic Americana that strums warmly amid the crisp drums and breezy climate, and “Seriously” follows with a louder approach of thicker ideas that thump with grit, too.

“Taking The Fall” occupies the middle spot and benefits from Colleen Martin-Oake’s harmony vocals in the intimate, folk friendly delivery, while “Set Each Other Free” recruits Katie Gearty’s harmony pipes for the rhythmic roots rock.

Closer to the end, “Take Off Again”, the best track, offers a precisely textured, lush Americana tune that’s full of meticulous guitar playing, and “The Hang Of It” exits with bouncy bass lines and some classic rock spirit that flows with a raw energy.

Israel takes cues from Minnesota legends like Dylan, Westerberg and Louris and pens some really genuine and memorable tunes for these turbulent times, and we certainly need more of that.

Travels well with: Jesse Norell- Aorta Borealis; Barrell Flash- A Guide To Dancing Alone

Moon Letters

Thank You From The Future

Self-Released, 2022

8/10

Listen to Thank You From The Future

The Seattle prog-rockers Moon Letters return with another batch of charmingly odd tunes that are harmonic, complicated and often point towards the ‘70s.

“Sudden Sun” gets the listen off to a quick and textured start, where thick guitars and thumping drums are met with tuneful singing, and “The Hrossa” follows with a thicker approach that turns into a more soulful climate of groove filled rock.

In the middle, "Mother River” benefits much from the agile drumming amid the swirling guitars and orchestral backdrop, while “Isolation And Foreboding” carries a cinematic quality that’s packed with playful synth gestures that unfold with a quirky, cinematic quality.

Close to the end, “Fate Of The Alacorn” offers a dreamy lead that quickly escalates into a soaring, busy prog-rock anthem, and “Yesterday Is Gone” exits with a haze of dynamic interaction between the many instruments that are complemented by the airy flute.

An outfit who parallel the greatness coming out of Norway in the area of prog-rock, Thank You From The Future illustrates much growth from Moon Letters, and is a great representation of modern prog sounds.

Travels well with: Jordsjø- Pastoralia; Tusmørke-Nordisk Krim

Madeline Rosene

Everyday Existential Crisis

Self-Released, 2022

9/10

Listen to Everyday Existential Crisis

The rising songstress Madeline Rosene returns with a sophomore album, where her sharp lyrics and universally enjoyable melodies make an instant impression.

“Out Of My Mouth” starts the listen with soul and pop meeting at a very warm place, where Rosene’s expressive singing is met with crisp drums and a cozy groove, and “Words” follows with a poetic, intimate display of dreamy song craft.

The title track lands in the middle and unfolds almost like a lullaby, as much beauty enters the powerful delivery, while “Lobotomy” emits a very pretty version of indie-pop that’s thoughtful and vocally agile amid the punchy rhythm section.

“The Kill” and “Sugar” exit the listen, where the former is a bit ominous with a firm electro-pop appeal that’s also hip-hop influenced, and the latter strums with some folk-rock nods and illustrate Rosene’s diversity.

Perhaps a future household name. Rosene has the voice, the songs and the songwriting chops to make a worldwide dent, and you’ll likely find yourself smitten over these 10 tracks.

Travels well with: Amanda B. Perry- My Time; Kelly Smith- Moon Child

Vincent Ho

Sandman’s Castle

Navona, 2022

9/10

Listen to Sandman’s Castle

The inimitable composer Vincent Ho brings us both solo and duo pieces here, where the musicians Vicky Chow, Susanne Ruberg-Gordon, Ben Reimer, Beth Root Sandvoss, and Evelyn Glennie flesh out his diverse and exciting vision.

“Nostalgia” opens the listen with Glennie’s glowing vibraphone in the intimate and dreamy landscape, and “Three Preludes” follows with Sandvoss’ stirring cello and Reimer’s well timed drumming illuminating the orchestral demeanor.

At the halfway point, the animated piano of Chow makes for a very playful climate in the mesmerizing “Supervillain Études”, while the title track allows for Glennie’s tam-tam prowess to shine in the bare, ambient gestures that are quite mysterious.

The final track, the rowdy “Kickin’ It”, places Ruberg-Gordon on piano alongside Reimer’s furious drumming for the wild and very memorable exit.

A listen that explores the beauty of nature and is never short on classical influences, there’s also chamber and rock nods populating these very exploratory and well thought out compositions.

Travels well with: Duo Sequenza- Yes, It’s Still A Thing!; The Lowell Chamber Orchestra- Miniature Symphonies

Sicard Hollow

Brightest Of Days

Self-Released, 2022

8/10

Listen to Brightest Of Days

The progressive bluegrass wizards Sicard Hollow return with a sophomore album, where the Nashville quartet bring a punk and psychedelic spirit to the improvisational and technical 8 tracks.

The title track is placed in the lead off position, where poetic singing and warm guitar are met with swift fiddle and plenty of melody, and “Where I’m At” follows with intricate mandolin and a bit of grit in the flowing bluegrass.

At the halfway point, “Escape The Unknown” is not short on harmonies amid the emotive fiddle acrobatics and more rugged demeanor, while “Metamorphic Prophecy” is a bit blurry initially before settling into a meticulous, soaring album highlight.

The final two tracks, “Bound To Die” and “Forecast Of Life”, don’t disappoint either, where the former emits much beauty alongside the careful stringed interaction, and the latter exits with a quick, dynamic and timeless bluegrass appeal.

Alex King (guitar, vocals), Will Herrin (mandolin, vocals), Matthew Rennick (fiddle, harmony vocals) and Parrish Gabriel (bass, harmony vocals) make up the band, and if your interests are anywhere near bluegrass, you’re going to be understandably impressed with their charming and innovative formula.

Travels well with: Fireside Collective- Across The Divide; Kitchen Dwellers- Wise River

Various Artists

Sustain Vol. 3: Solo Works For Piano & Organ

Navona, 2022

8/10

Listen to Sustain Vol. 3

This 3rd installment in the Sustain series focuses on piano and organ, where the work of 5 composers is performed by 4 musicians.

Jacob E. Goodman’s “Ten Variations On Fragments Of A Mussorgsky Theme” opens the listen with Lucie Kaucka’s firm and eloquent piano playing that spends 10+ minutes mesmerizing us with its strong attention to mood, and “Piano Etudes No. 3”, “No. 8” and “No. 10” follows with an initial bareness that rumbles low, but can also be turbulent and nearly abrasive in its artistic exploration of the John A Carollo composition.

On the back half of the listen, Armen-Levon Manaseryan’s swift and playful finger acrobatics make Hayg Boyadjian’s “Variations On A Theme By Bach” the album’s best, while Bruce Babcock’s “Alternative Facts For Organ” has James Walker manipulating the organ with moody, eerie and dense playing.

Boyd Jones handles the final track, Sydney Hodkinson’s “Organmusic”, where six movements showcase very agile playing and a highly animated presence of light versus dark textures.

An extremely well thought out affair, the artists show us just what is possible with solo piano and organ settings, as they highlight current composers amid a classical influence in an updated fashion.

Travels well with: Carl Vollrath- Old & New Poetry Vol. II; The Lowell Chamber Orchestra- The Suite

Yang Chen

Longing For_

People Places, 2022

9/10

Listen to Longing For_

A Toronto artist with a multi-faceted approach to songwriting and a knack for unorthodox percussion, Yang Chen collaborates with friends who are also composers for this highly experimental outing.

“EUPHORIC” opens the listen with a dreamy ambience, where Yaz Lancaster’s vision is fleshed out with creative, twinkling sounds, and “All Good Pieces Have Two Things” follows with fragmented, jarring bouts as well bare moments of sublime beauty in the Andrew Noseworthy piece.

At the midpoint, Sara Constant’s “silt” presents colorful textures that’s interpreted from watercolour images and emits electronic processing with intrigue, while “til the dam breaks” shifts into R&B territory with eloquent singing and plenty of steel pan that makes the Sarian Sankoh track the album’s best.

Landing near the end, Stephanie Orlando’s “crank/set” finds itself in ambient waters, where a bicycle is used as an instrument, and the psychedelic closing track, “Nighttime renewals towards more friendship, more love, like snowfall, I want to sing with you”, takes nods to Chinese pop music with Connie Li’s vision alongside Chen’s execution.

An aesthetically fascinating body of work, Chen’s sonic journey is one that’s iconoclastic, avant-garde and completely captivating.

Travels well with: An Laurence- Almost Touching; Warp Trio- Warp Trio’s Pandemic Disco Fantasy

Kühn Choir of Prague | Lenka Navrátilová

Voices Of Earth And Air Vol IV

Navona, 2022

8/10

Listen Voices Of Earth And Air Vol IV

A celebration of human commonality that welcomes the Kühn Choir of Prague and the conductor Lenka Navrátilová, together they showcase 6 veteran composers who offer pieces that are very much sentimental to their journey.

Heidi Jacob’s “Lilacs” opens the listen with Kristýna Fílová’s soaring soprano and Amina Robinson’s narration amid the sublime choral harmonizing, and “My Hiding Place”, by Lydia Jane Pugh, follows with very intimate singing and soft instrumentation in the highly soothing delivery.

In the middle, Robert Lowry’s “How Can I Keep From Singing?” welcomes Ray Fahrner’s arranging to the poetic and pretty album highlight, while “That Music Always Round Me”, a Fahrner composition, alternates between bare moments and busy vocal layering that flows with a spiritual demeanor.

Approaching the end, John Robertson’s “Choruses About Music, Op. 16” unfolds with 3 movements of stirring voices that blend pitch and tonality with much grace, and the album exits on the very expressive and eloquent Marty Regan piece, “Alleluia”, where some more firm moments are mixed into the waves of intimacy.

A listen that further cements just how powerful storytelling can be, the collective voices here are captivating, enlightening and timeless.

Travels well with: The Music Of Jeffrey Jacob- Sequoias; The Music Of Rain Worthington- Passages Through Time

Julie Scolnik/Sophie Scolnik-Brower

J.S. Bach Complete Sonatas For Flute & Piano

Navona, 2022

8/10

Listen to J.S. Bach Complete Sonatas For Flute & Piano

The mother-daughter duo of Julie Scolnik (flute) and Sophie Scolnik-Brower (piano) come together here for a two disc listen of rich, harmonic and emotive compositions from Johann Sebstian Bach.

“Sonata in C major BWV 1033” opens the listen with the dreamy flute and graceful keys meeting at a place of much sophistication, as both calm and swift progressions are present, and “Sonata in G minor BWV 1020” follows with the meticulous finger acrobatics from Scolnik-Brower complementing the poetic flute.

“Sonata in A major BWV 1032” exits the first half of the listen, and certainly isn’t short on melody, where the pair interact with a flowing chemistry, while “Sonata in E flat major BWV 1031” leads disc 2 with much beauty, as intimacy and adventurousness are both present amid the timeless songwriting.

The listen ends with “Sonata in E major BWV 1035”, the best selection, where a stirring, sublime introduction segues into very animated flute prowess and complicated, mesmerizing piano playing.

When Bach penned these pieces, the flute was still quite inferior to the recorder, but he showed us what was possible with the instrument. Scolnik takes that lead, and with her daughter, they put a fresh layer of paint on some already great songs that can be enjoyed in an entirely new light.

Travels well with: Lee/Thomas/Kampen/Hale- Globe Travel Homeland; Daniil Trifonov- BACH: The Art Of Life

Izaak Opatz

Extra Medium

Mama Bird, 2022

8/10

Listen to Extra Medium

The mountain man and Montana resident Izaak Opatz makes a very interesting form of Americana, and this time it comes with a romantic quality that traces his travels across the East Coast and to Los Angeles.

“Passenger Seat” starts the listen with warm acoustic guitar and Opatz’s expressive singing in the eloquent folk climate that has him playing accordion, too, and “Chinook Wind” follows with a fuller approach of scrappy drumming from Malachi DeLorenzo and punchy country rock, complete with bright horns that you could and probably should dance to.

Halfway through, “Big Sandy” brings both grit and melody to the agile rootsy delivery that benefits from Dylan Rodrigue’s bass and keys, while “Married With Kids” offers a fuller display of brisk folk-rock that’s eccentrically charming and showcases Albert Hickman’s guitar prowess.

Close to the end, “Shampoo”, the best track, is both firm and cozy with a rhythmic version of Americana, and “In The Light Of A Love Affair” exits the listen with a bare, acoustic guitar fueled finish that pays close attention to mood and welcomes Louisa Stancioff’s backing vocals and aching pedal steel thanks to Jordan Bush.

An exceptional multi-instrumentalist and songwriter, there’s no lack of Americana artists today, but few are as great a storyteller and memorable as Opatz.

Travels well with: Riley Downing- Start It Over; The Deslondes- Hurry Home

Timo Vollbrecht FLY MAGIC

Givers & Takers

Berthold, 2022

8/10

Listen to Givers & Takers

The saxophonist, composer, bandleader and scholar Timo Vollbrecht brings his long running ensemble to these very rich tracks that documents the dynamic interaction between the 4 musicians during a studio session while on a 12-date tour.

“Pau” opens the listen with Vollbrecht’s soulful and warm brass alongside Elias Stemeseder’s twinkling piano in the stirring climate, and “Move” follows with a charming dreaminess that benefits much from quivering sax and atmospheric synth thanks to Stemeseder.

Further on, “Midwood” showcases Dayeon Seok’s agile drumming amid Vollbrecht’s hazy sax prowess, while “Brighton Blues” is a more textured affair that welcomes Keisuke Matsuno’s spirited guitar work that complements the moody brass and light drumming.

The title track lands near the end, and emits a timeless and meticulous version of jazz that’s mature and melodic, and “Your Body” exits the listen with a busy meshing of acoustic versus electronic sounds that are as adventurous as they are memorable.

These songs were essentially birthed on the road and honed on the stage, and it sure does make an impression with its delicate moments versus sci-fi friendly electronica which cultivates a post-rock tinted jazz listen that’s highly original.

Travels well with: Hal Galper- Ivory Forest Redux; Trio Xolo- In Flower, In Song

Audrey Silver

Let Me Know Your Heart

Messy House, 2019

8/10

Listen to Let Me Know Your Heart

A veteran jazz vocalist who resides in New York City, even though Audrey Silver is fluent at both piano and cello, on Let Me Know Your Heart the songstress handles American flute duties.

“When I Look In Your Eyes” starts the listen with muffled trumpet before Silver’s graceful and expressive vocals set in, and the soft and sensual “Comes Love” follows and builds into a playful jazz stunner.

In the middle, “Ever Since The World Ended” uses strategic organs in the finger snappin’ fun as the tune unfolds into a fuller collaboration with strong percussion, while “Giraffe Song” flows with bouncy melody and light subject matter that can’t help but make you smile.

Deeper cuts offer us the soothing and agile “Some Day Tomorrow”, and “New Year’s Eve” yields a festive setting that’s lyrically relatable. “Can’t We Be Friends” ends the listen with dynamic interplay between the musicians on a frisky delivery with forthright subject matter about the downfalls of love.

Silver is in great company here, as her esteemed band help flesh out these 6 originals and 8 covers, and her flawless alto vocals sound better than ever as she continues her warm, creative prowess on this 4th album.

Travels well with: Diana Krall- Turn Up The Quiet; Aimee Mann- Charmer