MUSIC

ABOUT THE CURATORS

 “There’s a kind of alchemy at work, particularly in how she uses her warmly distinctive voice, malleable, poised phrasing and impeccable intonation to get inside the material and make it personal.” – The Irish Times

Christine Tobin is an Irish vocalist, songwriter, and composer. She was an integral part of the London jazz scene before relocating to New York last year. Renowned for her unique rich voice and original compositional style, she has eleven highly acclaimed CDs under her own name and four major awards under her belt. In a five-star review of Christine’s new CD PELT, her settings of poems and lyrics by poet Paul Muldoon, the BBC Music Magazine writes “The Album is a masterclass in songcraft.” The Guardian described her deeply expressive sound as “Tobin’s 24 carat voice.” She has led and produced various projects and in 2012 Sailing to Byzantium, her settings of WB Yeats poems, won a British Composer Award. The following year she won a Herald Angel Award at the Edinburgh Festival for her concert A Thousand Kisses Deep and in 2014 she won Jazz Vocalist of the Year at the Parliamentary Jazz Awards. Christine is also a regular guest presenter on BBC Radio 3’s Jazz Library program.

“One of my absolute favourite guitarists of his (or any) generation.” – John Kelman, allaboutjazz

Phil Robson is a multi-award winning, internationally acclaimed guitarist, composer & bandleader. Originally from the UK, he relocated to the NYC at the end of 2015 where he is rapidly becoming one of the major figures on the scene on his instrument. He's worked with many of the greats including David Liebman, Charles Earland, Steve Lacy, Maceo Parker, Barbra Streisand, The BBC big band and many more as well as leading my own bands featuring US stars such as Mark Turner, Billy Hart, Donny McCaslin, James Genus, Adam Nussbaum etc & well as working working with partner Christine Tobin.

ABOUT THE SPECIAL GUESTS

With five critically acclaimed CDs and a Grammy nomination for Best Jazz Vocal CD to her credit, Kate McGarry is recognized as an international jazz artist who brings authenticity and vitality to every song she sings. The Wall St. Journal has called her music, “... austere and elegant ... an exceptionally appealing blend of folk and jazz.” She was the recipient of the 2016 DOWNBEAT Rising Female Vocalist Award. Raised in a large Irish Catholic family in Massachusetts, Kate and her nine siblings were surrounded by diverse musical influences and spent many nights singing together. More concerned with the essence of a song than idiomatic limitations, vocalist Kate McGarry and guitarist Keith Ganz have managed to attract the attention of tomorrow’s jazz fans. Beyond their obvious affinity for swing, their eclectic repertoire ranging from Irving Berlin to The Cars, and her signature contralto convey a message with a crystal clarity that precludes the need for gimmick or effect. All that’s left is undeniably honest music that transcends the boundaries of age or genre. 

Keith Ganz is a guitarist, composer, arranger, producer and the partner of Kate McGarry. In addition to his Grammy-nominated collaborations with Kate McGarry, he has been the guitarist of choice for Harry Connick Jr., Kurt Elling, Luciana Souza, and many more acclaimed vocalists. He has also performed and/or recorded with a host of jazz legends including Christian McBride, Fred Hersch, Victor Lewis, Chris Potter, Andy Bey and many others. He has performed on David Letterman, The Oprah Winfrey Show, Ellen, The View and Australian Idol, and toured in four continents.

Born in Vancouver and raised in Nanaimo, British Columbia, Ingrid Jensen has been hailed as one of the most gifted trumpeters of her generation. After graduating from Berklee College of Music in 1989, she recorded three highly acclaimed CDs for the ENJA record label, soon becoming one of the most in-demand trumpet players in the global jazz scene. She has performed with a multi-generational cast of jazz legends ranging from Clark Terry to Esperanza Spalding. Ingrid has also performed alongside British R&B artist Corrine Bailey Rae on Saturday Night Live and recorded with Canadian pop icon Sarah McLachlan. In addition to her busy sideman and featured soloist schedule, Ingrid leads and writes for her own quintet, quartet and organ trio. Her own bands have garnered glowing reviews and a loyal fan base in Australia, South Africa, most countries in Europe, across Canada, the US, South America (including Brazil, Peru and Chile), Japan and Mexico. More recently, Ingrid has been performing with the Grammy-winning Terri-Lyne Carrington and her Mosaic Project.