I awoke this morning (afternoon actually) to discover that my second CD “Whose Shadow?” (Inner Circle Music) has been listed on Jazz History Online as one of the Best Vocal Jazz CDs of 2015! Thank you Thomas Cunniffe! It’s a real honour to be included among artists such as Tony Bennett, Kurt Elling and Dee Dee Bridgewater! For the complete listing, please visit www.jazzhistoryonline.com/Summation_2015.html.

www.innercirclemusic.com

More exciting news: This past October, I was awarded a Chalmers Foundation Career Development Grant from the Ontario Arts Council to study improvisation and composition for large ensemble with the legendary saxophonist and composer Greg Osby in New York! I’m still not sure when is the best time to go, but it will most certainly be this year.

This month, January 12-17, I return to New York for the Jazz Connect Conference. I’m very excited to reconnect with people I met last year, and to make new friends!

Some upcoming winter and spring Performances: Thursday February 25 I will return to one of favourite venues, Lula Lounge, with Ted Quinlan (guitar) and Mike Downes (bass) for 1 set of standards and “not- so” standards. Thursday April 21 I’ll be performing at one of our city’s most intimate listening rooms, The Old Mill Home Smith Bar, with Ted Quinlan and Andrew Downing (bass).

I’ll be returning to beautiful Guelph Ontario to the Manhattans club Fridays April 22 and June 24 with band TBD.

Finally, the great Greg Osby will be joining my trio in London, Ontario, as our very special guest May 15, for a concert at the Wolf Performance Hall as part of the Serenata series. For details, please visit www.serenatamusic.com.

Wishing everyone a year of great success and surprise!

Lara