Jaclyn Guillou - Winter for Beginners

Styles: Vocal
Year: 2014
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 45:38
Size: 104,8 MB
Art: Front

(5:06)  1. Land of the Silver Birch
(4:23)  2. In a Wooden House
(5:16)  3. When the Leaves Fall
(5:13)  4. Winter for Beginners
(6:24)  5. Spring is like a Promise for Beauty
(4:53)  6. Summer Where? (Mr. Sun)
(4:34)  7. Clouds
(4:31)  8. Castle Garden
(5:15)  9. Poetry Man

If ever there was a voice that could balance an icy chill with fireplace comfort and warmth, it's this one. On Winter For Beginners, Jaclyn Guillou's intoxicating voice takes the ear through an odyssey of the seasons, communing with nature in all of its beauty, be it rich or stark. Guillou's originals are built in a contemporary and exploratory vein, eschewing form(al) simplicities for something more complex and meaningful, yet everything is easy and natural to grasp; she bridges modernity with accessibility in seamless fashion. At times, it's her way with words that catches attention and draws in the ear ("In A Wooden House" and "Castle Garden"), but she's just as likely to charm with the tonal purity of her wordless lines. Those heavenly sounds, which alternately move in step-wise fashion, create angular beauty, walk in tandem with guest cellist Peggy Lee, or simply take in the surroundings, aren't a key ingredient here; they're the key ingredient.

Seven of the nine tracks featured herein come from Guillou's fertile mind, but she bookends the album with two vastly different covers that speak to her diversified musical portfolio a beautiful recasting of a traditional number called "Land Of The Silver Birch" and a modern jazz-folk-soul inflected take on Phoebe Snow's "Poetry Man." Both numbers fit in perfectly with her original material, both in sound and spirit. All nine songs truly come together to form a travelogue of sorts. Guillou's companions on this journey do a splendid job bringing her thoughts to musical life. Pianist Bruno Hubert provides directional guidance and serves as a source of support; guitarist David Blake's lines refract and glow in the sonic atmosphere; special guests tabla player Neelamjit Dhillon, producer/trumpeter Brad Turner, and Lee add new layers of depth to the work; and the bass-drum team of James Meger and Andrew Millar add subtle touches and provide momentum and power when needed. It's a team effort, but it's also Guillou's show. And with a voice like that, it shouldn't be any other way.
~ Dan Bilawsky  http://www.allaboutjazz.com/winter-for-beginners-jaclyn-guillou-cellar-live-review-by-dan-bilawsky.php

Personnel: Jaclyn Guillou: vocals; Bruno Hubert: piano; David Blake: guitar; James Meger: bass; Amdrew Millar: drums; Brad Turner: flugelhorn (5), trumpet, triangle (6); Peggy Lee: cello (1, 3, 8); Neelamjit Dhillon: table (6).

Winter for Beginners

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Jaclyn Guillou - To the City

Styles: Jazz, Vocal
Year: 2011
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 58:39
Size: 142,8 MB
Art: Front

(4:04)  1. Sunny Sunday
(4:30)  2. To The City
(4:02)  3. Little Red Shoes
(4:47)  4. Hiding Town
(5:15)  5. California
(5:16)  6. All or Nothing at All
(5:16)  7. That's All (Feat. Denzal Sinclaire)
(3:52)  8. Sweethearts In Love
(5:55)  9. Attends
(4:05) 10. Honey Blues
(3:51) 11. O Pato
(3:01) 12. No Moon at All
(4:39) 13. You Are (Bonus Track)

"To The City, the debut studio CD of Jaclyn Guillou is polished and playful. Jaclyn’s voice has rhythm, movement, and unique expression. When you layer this over a cast of players who can sculpt notes with their instruments, you have an album that is so rich with dimension you need a pair of 3D glasses to listen to it. There are a number of standout tracks on this CD one of which is “That’s All”. Guest vocalist Denzal Sinclaire raises the bar high with his impeccable phrasing which is met every step of the way by Guillou and Evan Arntzen’s clarinet. Little Red Shoes is fun song that highlights some of the playfulness of the album. The smooth tinkling of the vibes is a good contrast to the fullness of Chris Davis’s trumpet and Rod Murray on trombone. The title track To the City has a cosmopolitan feel to and when you listen you will hear shades of Guillou’s story in every line. Jaclyn Guillou has surrounded herself with outstanding musicians that support her beautifully without giving up any of their own presence, making this album interesting to listen to. There is a reason she was chosen as a Galaxy Rising Star...Jaclyn Guillou is the whole package." ~ ! Earshot (review by Shelley Gummeson)

"Guillou sings with a purity that keeps this jazz-pop grounded. Piano-based with some savory touches of clarinet and trumpet, To The City sounds playful yet classic. It’s possible to imagine Guillou has a sparkle in her eyes and it’s that kind of joy the album radiates." ~ The Province (review by Tom Harrison)

"BC has produced another rising star, someone perhaps to follow in the footsteps of international jazz artist Diana Krall in the years to come." ~ Review Vancouver

“Guillou’s originals have the brassy, mellow glow of jazz standards as if they were plucked straight out of the vault and given a gently modern spin.” ~ Slocan Valley Current http://www.cdbaby.com/cd/jaclynguillou

Personnel:  Vocals – Jaclyn Guillou;  Piano – Randy Porter;  Vibraphone – Tom Beckham;  Bass – Michael Rush;  Drums – Joe Poole;  Piano (tracks 1, 5) – Bruno Hubert;  Vocals (track 7) – Denzal Sinclaire
Trumpet (tracks 3,4, 8, 10, 13) – Chris Davis;  Tenor Sax (tracks 3, 10) & Clarinet (track 7) – Evan Arntzen;  Trombone (track 3) – Rod Murray;  Percussion (track 8, 9, 11) – Rafael Geronimo

To the City

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Jaclyn Guillou - The Lover's Walk

Size: 72,8 MB
Time: 31:22
File: MP3 @ 320K/s
Released: 2014
Styles: Jazz Vocals
Art: Front

01. The Lover's Walk (6:21)
02. Burning Question (4:40)
03. If You (3:40)
04. Restless (5:02)
05. The Road (4:19)
06. Sometimes (3:53)
07. Goodbye December (3:24)

A treasure that is quietly evolving into one of the premier vocalists of our time. ~Brent Black

I pursue my craft slightly different than most critics. I'm honest...The female jazz vocalist sorority is a tightly clustered pack of individuals that are essentially releasing different versions of the same album and no new ground is being cut. Send me a release filled with covers and I am not terribly impressed. Send me a release with seven original and diverse compositions that allow your own artistic voice to shine through then you have my undivided attention.

Welcome Jaclyn Guillou and The Lover's Walk...

This is a release brimming with subtle sophistication and an intimate execution that is at times flawless. Organic, ambient, ethereal and contemporary may sum the release up in four words. While the plethora of female vocalists lurking about often leave me cold. The Lover's Walk succeeds on multiple levels including the Belgian trio that does far more than just accompany Guillou. This esteemed piano trio provides counterpoint and nuanced texture as needed, these are far more than afterthoughts but instead key pieces to Jaclyn Guillou's harmonic puzzle. The journey of love, almost cliché yet the compositions here take a trite conceptual notion and elevate the concept to an emotive quality rarely reached.

Tone, phrasing, and execution are all there. Guillou is an engaging and often introspective lyricist that brings an old word charm to tunes such as the exquisite "The Lover's Walk" while showing a range of influences on "Goodbye December." Over the past eighteen months I have listened to more female vocal releases than I can remember. Jaclyn Guillou is a breath of fresh air and The Lover's Walk is indeed a release to remember!

Personnel: Jaclyn Guillou: Vocals; Bram Weijters: Piano; Piet Verbist: Bass; Toon Van Dionant: Drums.

The Lover's Walk

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