News - Lara Solnicki

The One and the Other is now available!

April 20, 2021

Dear friends, Happy April.

Called ” one of the year’s early standout albums”(—Jerome Wilson, All About Jazz), the album was listed in Dave Sumner’s The Best Jazz on Bandcamp March 2021 has been receiving a steady stream of very strong press from more than a dozen publications, including The Wire (UK), Culture Jazz (France), All About Jazz (USA), JAZZIZ (USA), Textura, Pan M 360, The Wholenote (Canada) and much more. Please visit my press page for updates.

I have also thus far also enjoyed a couple of really engaging interviews, with Hilary Robertson of UK based Harmonious World podcast (recorded April 2) and Kansas based Joe Dimino of Neon Jazz (recorded February 10).

The album’s available in digital format and CD format, with a 16 page booklet featuring all the poetry and liner notes by Toronto’s Poet Laureate (2019-2022) A.F. Moritz.

You can purchase The One and the Other through a variety of means, including:

Bandcamp
Amazon

Or (hard copies only), by emailing larasolnicki@gmail.com

A Dolby Atmos (3D music) version is also available for audiophiles, and can be purchased through Tidal and Amazon

The release of The One and the Other marks an important milestone. This is a recording project has taken several years to manifest, and was made possible with the generous support of the Canada Council for the Arts, the Foundation Assisting Canadian Talent On Recording (FACTOR), the Ontario Arts Council and the Toronto Arts Council.

Here’s to new the spring and new beginnings!

Lara

The One and the Other, New CD Coming March 12, 2021 on NYC based label Outside in Music

January 9, 2021

Jazz, free improvisation, contemporary classical music and contemporary poetry are key elements fused into this new art song project that began as an experiment to see how far I could push the inherent tension between music and text. The striking results of this new art song project are, arguably, cinematic.

YOU CAN LISTEN AND PRE-ORDER The One and the Other here

March 12, 2021 brings to fruition a process that’s undergone numerous stages of incubation for the past few years.

This song cycle is a process driven exploration into what I perceive as the inherent tension between music and text, where ‘one’ takes the lead with the ‘other ‘allocated to a subordinate role. Sometimes they are engaged in a courtship dance, other times they’re awkwardly at odds with one another. This tension is used to create narrative, drama and even composition techniques. At times the focus is on poetic imagery, with music ‘word painting’, as the term is defined traditionally in classical music; other times the focus is on musical elements, with text falling impressionistically into the background; at yet other times a guided free improvisation section may take-off as a kind of ‘illustration’ from a line of poetry. In “The One and the Other” three-part suite that names the entire project, poetry and music each take turns episodically and interchangeably taking the lead throughout the songs.

Says A.F Moritz: multi-award winning American-Canadian poet, and Poet Laureate of the City of Toronto 2019-2022:

“Lara Solnicki’s great vocal range is matched by an equal emotional range, from intimacy to mystery, from sorrow to rage, exultancy to regret. A poet of the most advanced kind, Solnicki is a master in her own modern and post-modern poetic mode, which makes powerful use of the techniques of discontinuity, surprising imagery and juxtaposition of images, and sudden unexpected leaps of thought and mood. The originality and enigma of the language, within an overall clarity, is involving, and expresses itself first emotionally. She finds a way to give language all the suggestiveness of music, the way that gracing the notes can give the piano a sense of the tonal continuity of horns and reeds and the voice.”

“Each song is a miniature movie,” says album producer, multi-instrumentalist and composer Jonathan Goldsmith, who also happens to be one of Canada’s most celebrated film composers. A Dolby Atmos Immersive Audio/3D Music version of the album will also be available.

The poets Charles Baudelaire, René Char, Sylvia Plath, Octavio Paz, along with composers Claude Debussy, Maurice Ravel, J.S Bach and free jazz are the album’s major influences.

The One and the Other personnel: Lara Solnicki (music, texts, vocals), Jonathan Goldsmith (producer, keyboards, electronics, electric bass, electric guitar), Peter Lutek (alto saxophone, electro-acoustic clarinet and bassoon), Hugh Marsh(electric violin), Rob Piltch (electric and acoustic guitars), Scott Peterson (electric and acoustic bass), Rich Brown (electric bass) and Davide Di Renzo (drums). Recorded, mixed and mastered by Jeff Wolpert, Desert Fish Studio, Toronto, Canada.

Please stay tuned for more developments. Wishing you all a happy and healthy 2021 year!

Lara

Happy 2019 everyone!

January 22, 2019

There is a lot on the horizon! This is taking much of my focus, currently…

California Tour with Jeremy Siskind: March 8-16

March 8 – Red Poppy Art House (San Francisco, CA)
www.redpoppyarthouse.org

March 9 – The California Jazz Conservatory (Berkeley, CA)
Making the Leap from Classical to Jazz Singing Master Class
www.cjc.edu/workshops

March 11 – Saddleback College (Mission Viejo, CA)
Performance and Master Class
www.saddleback.edu

March 14 – The Blue Guitar (South Pasadena, CA)
with Jeremy Siskind, piano and Henry Beal, bass
www.blueguitar.club

March 15 – Open House Concert (San Diego, CA)
For location, details and reservations please contact Deborah Wolfe at
dwolfe@wolfelegalgroup.com

March 16 – Open House Concert (San Diego, CA)
For location, details and reservations please contact Michael Oyster at
jmoyster@pacbell.net

This March marks my first tour of California, a period that, in this part of the world… could possibly be perceived as early spring! (Growing up in Canada, this is admittedly hard to grasp.) I’m excited to make music with, for, and to teach an entirely new cast of characters in such a spectacularly beautiful location…

I’ll be joined by the intensely musical, poetry savvy southern California based pianist and composer Jeremy Siskind!

We’ll be premiering new material from my sparkly mastered as- yet- unreleased third CD, “The One and the Other”, along with songs from my sophomore album “Whose Shadow?” (2014, Inner Circle Music) plus some interesting interpretations of standards and non standards.

The Bay Area

March 8‒ Red Poppy Art House, San Francisco

Our tour begins with a duo performance at San Francisco’s Red Poppy Art House. Seating is limited in this very cool listening room! Please visit redpoppyarthouse.org for advanced ticket sales and other details

March 9, Master Class‒The California Jazz Conservatory, Berkeley

I’ll be giving a vocal master class at The California Jazz Conservatory that is open for public registration, on a dense subject that I have obviously spent a considerable amount of time pondering and negotiating: Making the Leap From Classical to Jazz Singing is geared primarily for the experienced classically trained vocalist who has made the bold decision to cross over to the dark side. This class will offer a lot of technical information about technique, along with exercises for phrasing, swing and improvisation and finally ways to learn to hear yourself objectively in order to self- regulate your practice regime. For more information and registration please visit:
cjc.edu/workshops.

March 11‒ Performance and Master Class, Saddleback College, Mission Viejo

Jeremy and I then drive down the coast to Mission Viejo South of Los Angeles, for a performance and master class for students in the voice program at Saddleback College. The concert at The McKinney Theatre is open to the public. For tickets and details, please visit https://www.saddleback.edu/news/arts/Lara-Solnicki-Jazz-Vocalist.

March 14‒ The Blue Guitar Room, Arroyo Seco Golf Course, South Pasadena

Next, we will be joined by excellent Los Angeles bassist Henry Beal for a trio jazz show at The Blue Guitar Room. Please visit The Blue Guitar Room for all information.

March 15 and March 16‒ Two House Concerts in San Diego

Our tour ends with two House Concert in San Diego that are open to the public.

You are invited to catch us up close and personal. For the secret addresses, to reserve seating and all other pertinent details, please email

For March 15‒Deborah Wolfe at dwolfe@wolfelegalgroup.com

For March 16‒Michael Oyster at

jmoyster@pacbell.net

I hope to see you at one of the above events!

Lara

US Mini Tour!

February 7, 2018

I have just returned from performances in New York City, at The Cornelia Street Cafe (Feb. 6) and The Cell (Feb. 10), at Grasso’s (Feb. 9) in Cold Spring Harbor, NY and at the historic Deer Head Inn in Delaware Water Gap, Pennsylvania. A time of beautiful music and much laughter! It was exciting to debut some new originals featured in “The One and the Other” and see how the audiences responded. A great success all round.

Thank you Hot House, New York’s premier jazz guide, for this lovely blurb in the Spotlight section, February 2018:

“Lara Solnicki’s range alone has been captivating listeners since she began her career—but it’s her vulnerability and intimate connection to the lyric that resonates beyond the limits of her upper and lower registers. Each spontaneous interpretation of standard and original repertoire teems with individualism and vocal mastery”.

US Performances in February

December 11, 2017

I’m heading to New York City and to the historic Delaware Water Gap, Pennsylvania in February for my first US performances!

February 6, 2018— 8-9 pm Trio Performance at The Cornelia Street Café

Feb. 6, 2018 marks my New York City debut at one of my all-time favourite places to hang, The Cornelia Street Café. It will feature the excellent musicians, Spanish pianist and composer Marta Sanchez and fellow Canadian, Rick Rosato, bass. We’ll be performing a range of material, including my original music and poetry, songs from my second CD “Whose Shadow?” (2014, Inner Circle Music), and gems from The Great American Songbook. For more information, please visit corneliastreetcafe.com

February 9, 2018— 7-11 pm at Grasso’s restaurant and jazz club, Cold Spring Harbor, New York

I’ll be heading just out of the city to Cold Spring Harbor, New York, for an evening of standards at Grasso’s, joined by Marta Sánchez, piano and Peter Brendler, bass. Expect beautiful, pristine sound! Yeah!

Please visit grassosrestaurant.com for details.

February 10, 2018— 8-9 pm Pre-Valentine’s Day Quintet Performance at The Cell

Another debut in New York! This Pre-Valentine’s Day themed concert at the intimate Cell Theatre, features a wonderful quintet, including— Marta Sanchez, piano, Cuban alto sax player Roman Filiu, Rick Rosato, bass and Chilean drummer Rodrigo Recabarren. We will debut some new original music and poetry from “The One and the Other” CD, to be released later in 2018, material from “Whose Shadow?” as well as romantic songs from The Great American Songbook. I’m thrilled to be performing with these musicians for the first time! For more information thecelltheatre.org

February 14, 2018—7-11 pm Valentine’s Day at Deer Head Inn:

I’m super excited to be performing for the first time at Deer Head Inn in Delaware Water Gap Pennsylvania, “Home of Jazz in the Pocono Mountains!” This evening of Valentine’s Day inspired songs from The Great American Songbook features terrific musicians Skip Wilkins, piano and Matthew Parrish, bass. For details, please visit deerheadinn.com

February 23, 2018 7:30-10:30 pm at The Home Smith Bar

I’ll be back in Toronto, performing at one of my favourite venues, The Home Smith Bar at Old Mill Toronto with the wonderful Ted Quinlan, guitar and Roberto Occhipinti, bass.

Upcoming Projects

Many thanks to The Ontario Arts Council for awarding me a National and International Residency Grant! I will be returning to New York in 2018, dates TBD, mentored by the amazing composer and pianist Frank Carlberg!

Thanks again to the Ontario Arts Council for awarding me a Creation Grant to compose a new ekphrastic song cycle called “Rumination in Black and White”.

The One and the Other CD:

I am thoroughly enjoying this incubation process, arranging and recording with the unique musical mind and ears of producer, arranger, musician Jonathan Goldsmith. Stay tuned!

Chalmers Professional Development Projects Grant

And finally: Thank you to the Chalmers Foundation and The Ontario Arts Council for a really interesting summer in New York City, mentored by Greg Osby and others.

Wishing you all a great holiday, and looking forward to 2018!

Lara

Greetings!

March 1, 2017

Lots of excitement on the horizon…

New CD Recording “The One and the Other”

Thanks to FACTOR and The Toronto Arts Council, my next recording project “The One and the Other” was officially set in motion on February 20. This cinematic project of all original music fuses modern jazz, art pop, chamber music and poetry. This album is produced and arranged by the exceptionally talented musician, composer and producer Jonathan Goldsmith. One of the country’s most sought-after film and television composers, and the winner of three Gemini awards, he is also known for his work with Bruce Cockburn, Jane Siberry, The Art of Time Ensemble, Nick Buzz, Sarah Slean and many others. The album will feature myself, vocals, compositions and poetry/lyrics, Jon Goldsmith, keyboards, other instruments and electronics, Hugh Marsh, electric violin, Davide DiRenzo, drums and percussion, Rob Piltch, guitar, Rich Brown, electric bass and some other great artists to be revealed as the arrangements take shape. It will recorded by the amazing Jeff Wolpert at Desert Fish Studios.

Sunday Night Residency at The Toronto Temperance Society

January 22 I began a weekly residency every Sunday night from 7-10 pm with special guest musicians at The Toronto Temperance Society “a secret & sophisticated members only bar, dedicated to serious drinkers!” The food is excellent too!

**This is the only evening that non- members can attend. If you wish to attend and are not a member, then please message me at lara@larasolnicki.com. For details, please visit torontotemperancesociety.com and www.sidecarrestaurant.ca.

Jazz Vespers Service at Beach United

April 1, I return to Beach United Church for a Jazz Vespers service at 4:30 pm: “On a Clear Day You Can See Forever”, featuring myself, vocals, Ted Quinlan, guitar and George Koller, bass.

Happy March 2017 to you, and thanks for visiting!

Lara