Sandy Foster

Artist Information

Biography

“Easy-going, seemingly effortless vocals…
If you’re a jazz aficionado, you’d be remiss to not check out Ms. Foster” TIMES & TRANSCRIPT

“With a voice like warm caramel and a musical style that samples jazz, blues, Latin, ballad and swing, Sandy is definitely in a class of her own.” POST GAZETTE

“array of intelligent well honed jazz originals.” EJAZZNEWS

“ earthy yet crystalline voice…finds profundities in common place events.” KELOWNA CAPITAL NEWS

"Sandy Foster blows through your stereo speakers like a breath of fresh air. Her sprightly lyrics, blithe delivery and fun personality brighten every room she graces. MAGIC 99 (Kurt Leavins)

”Prolific jazz singer-songwriter…able to communicate her emotional life so deeply through her music.” EDMONTON JOURNAL

WHO IS SANDY FOSTER?
Based in Edmonton, AB, Sandy Foster is a singer, songwriter, artist, writer, and educator. She performs “soul-drenched eclectic jazz” in solo to quintet format and dependent on the performance requirements will more than likely appear with piano, flute, upright bass, guitar and/or drums.

“Just like a good rain refreshes the ground, important musical experiences drench our souls spiritually, intellectually, emotionally and even physically. Music isn’t just pleasant or interesting for me, it is a deeply personal and relational mode of communication. Audience and artist develop these experiences together – and the unique connections created within each performance are fascinating to me.

Eclectic jazz refers to my propensity to mix and match arrangements, playing with genres, to more accurately support either the lyric or message that I feel is important to be conveyed. Finding new ways to honour sentiments by creatively adjusting genres is appealing to me. It’s important to me to show respect for the songwriters whose music I cover. As a writer, I love to explore genres – it’s a fun way to travel the globe.”

“My greatest goal is to serve well through my art –to communicate encouragement, and provide a musical environment that allows for reflection and interpersonal connections between audience and artist, song and soul. I am too content, too thankful to spend much time in angst, but I have experienced and observed enough tragedy to avoid being insensitive or glib. And I love to laugh – life is way too short to take oneself too seriously.“

MUSICAL INFLUENCES
Vocalists: Natalie Cole, Nat King Cole, Harry Connick Jr., Connie Kaldor, Eva Cassidy, Ella Fitzgerald, Astrud Gilberto, Antonio Carlos Jobim
Songwriters: Rogers/Hart, Connie Kaldor,Duke Ellington, Antonio Carlos Jobim.

PERFORMANCES
Performances with Sandy Foster, singer/songwriter, offer engaging soul-drenched eclectic jazz. Vintage vocals are woven into warm classics and fresh originals. With six releases since 2003, featuring nearly 50 originals, listeners can expect seasoned, smooth, sensitive vocals reminiscent of the classics, unexpected arrangements, thought-provoking original compositions, tasteful standards and heartfelt delivery. Available from solo (vocals/keys) to quintet format, performances deliver a relaxed, entertaining, family friendly environment with something for everyone.

Programs include a wide variety of songs performed within an attractive array of jazz stylings (swing, blues, ballads, Latin), which may be formatted to suit house concert, soft-seat theatre, showcase or ambiance format. A seasonal program featuring nostalgic and innovative arrangements of Christmas selections is also available.

Instrumentation

Sandy may appear from solo to duo to trio to full band depending on the booking. Sandy Foster (vocals/keys) as band leader will always be there and more than likely will appear with piano, standup bass, guitar, and drums depending on the performance.

Discography

Indigo Rain (Apr 2009) Written to span sentiment and solemnity, this collection reflects the thinking, waiting, longing and hoping of nearly every season of blue. Seven originals, three arrangements including Connie Kaldor’s Biggger Than Anywhere Else and Hank Cochran’s Make the World Go Away feature Foster’s vocals, song writing, arranging, and instrumentals along with the gifted musicianship.

Caramelize (Mar 2007) The swirl of toffee seemed the closest parallel to life and relationships as expressed in this collection. Bronze, shiny, delicious and fragrant caramel lovingly created from timeless ingredients, this title “confectiously” describes this box of assorted sweets.

spruce it up (Nov 2006) Sparkly seasonal sounds scintillate as Foster delivers her fourth album for the fourth consecutive calendar year. Featuring nine songs, this project includes innovative arrangements of Frosty the Snowman, The First Noel, Joy to the World and I’ll Be Home for Christmas along with three sparkly originals. Designed to reflect the simplicity, symbolism, and spirit of Christmas, this album continues to offer swing, Latin, ballads and blues in the tasteful arrangements listeners have come to expect.

marooned (June 2005) Metaphorical, momentous, and mesmerizing, recorded live in studio, this album has a romance perfect for both inspiration and relaxation. Marooned garnered a 2006 GMA Covenant Award, IOMA nominations, national airplay, inclusion in Top Ten Jazz charts, and rave reviews. "Marooned, is comparable, both musically and vocally, to the best CDs by Diane Krall, Molly Johnson, or Holly Cole." Scott D. Brown

orangify (Aug 2004) Warm as sunshine; this energetic assortment of 14 originals and 1 standard cuts a wide swath of styles with clear, smooth vocals, thought provoking lyrics and soul satisfying delivery. Nominated for Jazz/Blues Album of the Year (SHAI Awards 2005) and 2005 WCMA Outstanding Christian Record of the Year.

purplexed (Jan 2003) A collection of 10 originals and 2 standards ranging in style from swing to blues to ballad to Latin. Nominated for Jazz/Blues Album of the Year (VIBE Awards 2004).

Links

• MySpace

Audio

• Cerulean Serenade
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• Time To Go
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• Tell Me Yes
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• Still (Caramelize 2007)
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• Who Knows Where the Time Goes (Caramelize 2007)
  Listen  
• 'Snow Wonder I Love You
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• It All Falls on Me
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• Marooned
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Video

Sandy Foster - City TV - Caramelize CD Release 2007

Photo Gallery

Press

• 2010 REVIEW QUOTES - COLLECTION [+ Show ]
  

  "Sandy Foster's latest effort would be best served up with a nice, dry red wine and a dimly lit room..."Sandy Foster's latest effort would be best served up with a nice, dry red wine and a dimly lit room. Fans of her past work will notice that, like the wine, Foster's voice gets better with time, as she displays a new maturity in terms of both her tone and phrasing. It is a high-water mark in her recording career, to date". Kurt Leavins, MAGIC 99
  
  “…she obviously enjoys shaping strong melodies and bringing real sincerity to the material. Her sound and savvy efforts at self-promotion have helped her win recognition internationally and here at home on radio stations like Magic 99…” R. Levesque, EDMONTON JOURNAL
  “I recently had the honor of hearing Sandy perform live at her CD release party at Lula Lounge, June 4th, 2007. In one sentence – she is flawless! She made singing look so easy, as if she was having a conversation with melody and harmony as her two friends. The musicians who played with her were just absolutely amazing including Kevin Andrews on flute/drums (who was just so sleek with the groove and those brushes), Charlie Austin on piano (he made his piano work look like first nature, absolutely no stress, just focus and finesse), Wes Yaciuk on guitar (I particularly loved his finger work on many a solo that he took that nite, it seemed like a seamless flow of notes) and Toronto’s own Dave Young on upright bass (this guy has chops! amazing speed, that’s all I have to say).
  I noticed throughout both sets that night, Sandy never stopped to take a drink of water in between songs, I later asked her about that. Her response was ‘when you sing for five hours at a time at some gigs, two-45 minute sets are fairly straightforward’. My next thought was – ‘Five Hours!’ This is not a jazz musician, this is a jazz perfectionist, she’s not in a class by herself, she’s creating her own class of music from scratch.” Francesco Emmanuel, Muse’s Muse
  
  
  
  Sandy Foster blows through your stereo speakers like a breath of fresh air. Her sprightly lyrics, blithe delivery and fun personality brighten every room she graces. (Kurt Leavins, Magic 99)
  
  “Grab an eggnog, cuddle up with your honey and relax to this wonderful CD(spruce it up). When you get to the last two tracks turn off all but the Christmas tree lights turn to your sweetheart and say I love you.” Joe Montague, Riveting Riffs Joe
  
  “I’m even more convinced now that Sandy is a certified jazz crooner, one of the finest in her field, her voice is soft and smooth, and she has such great tone and control. … Sandy’s liner notes displays that she is an artist who realizes how much one’s life-work and music are intertwined, and that life is not measured by what we own, but who we have in our lives and what we do with our time, for the benefit of all around us. She’s also one who acknowledges the presence of God in her life and music career.” Francesco Emmanuel
  
  “ She has a sultry, sexy, seductive and immediately captivating voice, which would threaten to lull the listener right to sleep, if she didn't keep picking up the tempo throughout. She knows how to hold a note and set a mood.” Richard Amery, Daily Miner & News (Kenora, ON)
  
  “Sandy draws listeners into her world, but yet tells it in such a way that anyone can relate to her songs. With three albums under her belt, and with critical recognition for her work to date, Sandy's Marooned truly is a lovely, well written and produced standard jazz album.”
  Francesco Emmanuel , The Muse’s Muse
  
  “Sandy Foster can be considered among the greats of modern Canadian jazz vocalists standing beside the likes of Holly Cole, Diane Krall and Molly Johnson even if her talents are just beginning to receive recognition. “
  Scott D. Brown, www.fullspectrumottawa.com
  
  “All the great Canadian jazz players and singers in this genre should take note of what exactly has been accomplished here... pure unadulterated brilliance in performance, in composition, and in production. The rest of the world needs to simply applaud and give the girl a standing ovation for a job well done!”
  Colin Lynch - October 06 2005 www.rcat.ca
  
  “Sandy Foster’s warm, inviting jazz makes for one of the coolest listens I’ve heard in a while. Her easy-going, seemingly effortless vocals are the real treat here, but it’s backed up by some awesome swing and jazz music... If you’re a jazz afficianado, you’d be remiss to not check out Ms. Foster.
  Eric Lewis, Life & Times Reporter Times & Transcript, Moncton, N.B.
  
  “Foster has an earthy yet crystalline voice and a superb backing combo that boasts three fine economical solists for piano, flute and guitar.
  Foster usually has a deep spiritual content with her personal songs where she strives to keep this jazz-pop “transparent, authentic and warm”. She finds profundities in common place events such as on You speak, and the ballad Play a Song for You.
  But like Foster, I too am a total sucker for Antonio Carlos Jobim and her restive take of Quiet Nights of Quiet Stars is worth the price of admission alone.” Bruce Mitchell, Kelowna Capital News
  
  “Edmonton’s own Sandy Foster is back with her third album, once again delivering tonnes of jazzy soul and warmth to her eager audience. The independently released Marooned is a wonderful medium for Foster to express her joie de vivre as well as her loneliness and sadness. What’s so great is that she reaches both ends of the emotional spectrum with as much ease and as much conviction. She’s got great control of her friendly, soul-filled voice, which she generally keeps pretty toned down and laid back. Her choice of music is fairly eclectic, ranging from classic standards to some mighty decent originals.” Ray’s Reviews
  
  “Composer & jazz singer Sandy Foster asserts her CD project right away with her array of intelligent well honed jazz originals. Sandy exhibits the ability to thrust her music at us with melodic invention. Plus, her out & out sauce of technique is both rhythmic & vocally emotional. Her fastidious vocalise lies underneath a musical surface which covers a stirring involvement with both her craft & her music. Croon on girl! There's no "Ill Wind" Here.”
  George W. Carroll/The Musicians' Ombudsman EJAZZNEWS
  

• Foster stays true to her colours [+ Show ]
  

  Sandy Foster has a fascinating musical quirk. Every one of the jazz singer's albums is themed aro...Sandy Foster has a fascinating musical quirk.
  
  Every one of the jazz singer's albums is themed around different colours. Each CD is a collection that stands on its own, yet feeds into a family. There is Purplexed (2003), Orangify (2004), and Marooned (2005). (Sandy's note - also Spruce It Up (2006) and Caramelize (2007))
  
  Tonight at River West Christian Church, Foster releases her sixth album - Indigo Rain. Backing her is St. Albert drummer Reno Guimond, former St. Albert flautist Kevin Andrews, bass player Dave Olsen and Wes Yaciuk on guitar.
  
  The 11-track CD was recorded over a three-day period in the church's fireside room, a quiet space with lots of angles that helped create its meditative ambiance.
  "I knew this one had to be blue a purple blue. An indigo rain that creates the moods and hues of blue," says Foster.
  
  A music teacher at Edmonton's Belmont Elementary, she has a very clear vision of her music's direction. "It's about space and fluidity and being able to relax. It's open fun and it gives you a chance to think about things. It's intimate without being suffocating."
  
  Tucked away in Spruce Grove, the singer/songwriter has one of those gorgeous voices that is tranquil and serene, sultry and sexy. Endowed with a naturally lush range, her vocals have a similar mesmerizing quality to Diana Krall and Norah Jones. With Foster's strong command of just about any song she tackles, it's so easy to sit back, close your eyes and let her ferry you to another realm.
  Produced with Rene Worst, Indigo Rain is split between eight originals and three covers - a remake of Eddie Arnold's Make the World Go Away now playing on Magic 99, Connie Kaldor's Bigger Than Anywhere Else and her Scottish grandmother's favourite hymn Beautiful Isle of Somewhere.
  
  But its in her originals such as Cerulean Serenade, freely available on www.myspace.com/sandyfoster, that she really comes into her own. In addition to the mature songwriting talent, her vocal interpretationis highly nuanced with equal parts sadness and joy.
  
  "It was a song I wrote for the wedding of my neighbour's son and daughter. It's a blessing song. I didn't want to leave people sad. I'm too much of an optimist."
  
  And then there's Tell Me Yes, a song with a hint of country that almost didn't find a spot on the album. But on the last recording day, she adjusted the arrangement.
  "When we recorded it, it was over the moon, more than I imagined it to be. And Wes added this beautiful guitar stuff and perfectly captured the sentiment."
  
  Opening for Foster is Sherwood Park's Suzanne Vaartstra, A Celtic multi-instrumentalist and her bassist Dave Olsen.

• Out of the blue, new disc from city singer [+ Show ]
  

  Singer, elementary school music teacher and soccer mom Sandy Foster doesn't pick songs on a whim. O...Singer, elementary school music teacher and soccer mom Sandy Foster doesn't pick songs on a whim. Over six albums, she's injected a lot of personal experience into writing and performing.
  
  Her new CD, Indigo Rain, offers a set of tunes all caught up in blue - not the blues, exactly, but jazzy shades of blue, both melancholy and bright as the blue sky. The airy, sometimes wistful feel hints at a more expansive artistic direction for the local chanteuse.
  
  "I wanted to create a unity on this album and to let people hear the space," Foster says. "It's all about space and fluidity and being able to think about the really important things that are in your heart. Some of these songs are about pretty intimate feelings, but the metaphor of different hues of blue allowed the songs to stay really wide open."
  
  The mostly original songs are the product of a "season of struggle and instability", she says.
  
  Apart from the vocalists heartfelt but versatile pipes, the most notable presence on the album comes in the keen flute sound of Kevin Andrews. Regular Foster collaborators, bassist-producer Rene Worst and guitarist Wes Yaciuk, fill out the core band.
  
  Foster leads a quintet, including Andrews and Yaciuk, Saturday at 8 pm to mark the release of Indigo Rain. The show is at River West Christian Church, 19815-45th Avenue. Tickets are $15 in advance form Tix on the Square (780-420-1757) or $20 at the door.
  

• Caramelize Review [+ Show ]
  

  Muse’s Muse Review of Caramelize July 16, 2007 Technical Grade: 10/10 Production/Musicianship Grad...Muse’s Muse Review of Caramelize July 16, 2007
  Technical Grade: 10/10
  Production/Musicianship Grade: 10/10
  Song writing Skills: 10/10 Performance
  Skill: 10/10
  CD Review: Canadian Jazz perfectionist Sandy Foster has released her fifth album in five years!
  I feel I should repeat this – five albums in five years. That’s one heck of an accomplishment that not many artists can boast of, in fact; it should be a world record. Somebody needs to call Guinness Book of World Records, this should be checked out.
  Caramelize is the latest by Sandy Foster who has delighted jazz audiences with all her previous efforts: Purplexed – 2003, Orangify in 2004, Marooned – 2005 and Spruce it Up released late 2006. Caramelize is a mix of seven original compositions, three jazz standards (Bye, Bye Blackbird, My Romance, That’s All) and an original arrangement of a folk classic - (Who knows where the time goes).
  ‘Still’ starts off the album, with its mellow rhumba beat and Sandy singing the main melody line followed in close pursuit by flute. This is a great album opener. Definitely a dancing tune this one.
  ‘Let’s go for a walk’ is a soft semi-swing number, there’s a short piano solo in the bridge, where each note appeared to be carefully chosen. This, in addition to the ending piano line made the song priceless.
  ‘Blind Fish’ has this melodic and eloquent flute solo, followed by a silky bass solo. Sandy has this way of fitting the words right into the groove of the beat.
  ‘Stay awhile’ has this happy, familiar feeling to it, the arrangement of the chord progression and melody line after the verse lifts the song beyond the horizon. There’s a chirpy guitar solo, with such a warm tone, it did great justice to an already strong track.
  ‘To be two’ and ‘Where can you be’ are more somber, mellow piano focused numbers. They fit in amongst the happier songs and sort of add variance to what would otherwise be a very snappy, cheerful jazz album.
  ‘Who knows where the time goes’ is a lovely piano piece, I particularly liked how the chorus line was repeated, in a sort of syncopated fashion, the lines appeared to fit right on top of each other.
  ‘Bye, Bye Blackbird’ has such a snazzy guitar solo, followed by one grandeur, cascading piano solo. It was an excellent interpretation of this jazz favorite.
  ‘That’s All’ closes off the record, it is such a romantic song, and a fitting way to leave any listener – jazz critic or not; in a content state, and ready to play the album, all over again.
  René Worst was in charge of mixing and producing the record, while Tony Chamberlist handled engineering, mixing and mastering duties. Music on the album was handled by Kevin Andrews on flute and drums, Glenn Durksen on upright bass, Sandy Foster on keys and vocals, Andrew Glover – keys, Wes Yaciuk on guitar with guest appearances by Miles Black on keys and René Worst on upright bass.
  On a side note, I recently had the honor of hearing Sandy perform live at her CD release party at Lula Lounge, June 4th, 2007. In one sentence – she is flawless! She made singing look so easy, as if she was having a conversation with melody and harmony as her two friends. The musicians who played with her were just absolutely amazing including Kevin Andrews on flute/drums (who was just so sleek with the groove and those brushes), Charlie Austin on piano (he made his piano work look like first nature, absolutely no stress, just focus and finesse), Wes Yaciuk on guitar (I particularly loved his finger work on many a solo that he took that nite, it seemed like a seamless flow of notes) and Toronto’s own Dave Young on upright bass (this guy has chops! amazing speed, that’s all I have to say).
  I noticed throughout both sets that night, Sandy never stopped to take a drink of water in between songs, I later asked her about that. Her response was ‘when you sing for five hours at a time at some gigs, two-45 minute sets are fairly straightforward’. My next thought was – ‘Five Hours!’ This is not a jazz musician, this is a jazz perfectionist, she’s not in a class by herself, she’s creating her own class of music from scratch.
  Like her previous two albums I’ve reviewed this is another fine accomplishment, fit to be right alongside all the great jazz classics of our time. I look forward to hearing Sandy’s sixth release in six years.
  

• Caramelize & Spruce It Up Reviews [+ Show ]
  

  Full Spectrum Ottawa Votes Sandy Foster Best Unknown Artist of 2006 Sandy Foster is a jazz singer/s...Full Spectrum Ottawa Votes Sandy Foster Best Unknown Artist of 2006
  Sandy Foster is a jazz singer/songwriter of great respect from Edmonton. … has a top notch singing voice and why she has had to release her music independently and not through a jazz label in Canada or elsewhere is a shame. Marooned, is comparable, both musically and vocally, to the best CDs by Diane Krall, Molly Johnson, or Holly Cole and it is about time she is recognized for it. Scott D. Brown
  
  Spruce It Up Review
  Brett Holmes reviewed Sandy Foster’s Spruce It Up (Nov 2006) and had this to say:
  Only 301 sleeps til Christmas!!! I know. I know. I know what you are saying. Christmas in. . .February? The theme of Christmas is a difficult one to master and convey as interesting when it comes to classic tunes we hear year in and year out. Yet obvious thought has gone into making this project special. As I heard the voice stylings of Sandy Foster, the combination of Jazz and Christmas made a wonderful combination, like hot apple cider and cinnamon sticks over the holidays….
  
  Joe Montague Review of Caramelize
  It is still amazing to me that more people outside of Alberta Canada do not know about the luxurious smooth vocals of jazz singer/composer Sandy Foster…The petite blonde singer proves once again that it is only a matter of time before the rest of North America is drinking in her music…Caramelize was recorded live at Mike’s Place in Edmonton and was not digitally altered. You can listen to the full 4:33 of the first track “Still” at Sandy Foster’s myspace site www.myspace.com/SandyFoster. Visiting the site however should come with a warning to make sure you have your credit card handy because by the time you listen to this good Canadian jazz vocalist you will want to visit one of the on-line stores where her music can be purchased.
  Please visit the following link to read the full review: http://www.tollbooth.org/2007/reviews/sfoster.html
  
  
  Edmonton Journal Review of Caramelize
  Foster’s Jazz Confection (Roger Levesque, Edmonton Journal, Friday March 23, 2007)
  When it comes to summing up the process of her latest recording project, local singer Sandy Foster kept thinking about the process of making candy.
  
  “The swirl of caramel seemed the closest parallel to life and relationships as expressed in this collection”, explains Foster in her liner note for the new independent release Caramelize (available via Indiepool). If you think that title suggests the tunes are sweet confections, you would be partially correct because, most of the tracks are love songs. This may be Foster’s most personal collection yet – she wrote or co-wrote 7 of 11 tracks – and it surveys a range of relationships from friendship lost and found to the singer’s relation to God.
  
  Produced by René Worst, it features pianist Andrew Glover, guitarist Wes Yaciuk, and flautist Kevin Andrews among others with Foster taking over the keyboard for four tracks. While she’s not a vocalist to take many chances, she obviously enjoys shaping strong melodies and bringing real sincerity to the material. A spare take of Bye, Bye, Blackbird is one of the most challenging tunes on the album.
  
  Someone is noticing. Caramelize is Foster’s fifth release in about four years (including a recent Christmas album). Her sound and savvy efforts at self-promotion have helped her win recognition internationally and here at home on radio stations like Magic 99.
  

• The Muse's Muse Review of Marooned [+ Show ]
  

  Marooned is Sandy Foster's third studio album, released June 2005. The last three years has seen the...Marooned is Sandy Foster's third studio album, released June 2005. The last three years has seen the dawn of this latest Edmonton Jazz crooner. Sandy debuted Perplexed, January 2003 which was nominated for Jazz/Blues album of the year (VIBE Awards 2004), her sophomore effort, Orangify was nominated for Jazz/Blues Album (SHAI Awards 2005). From the sound of things, Sandy's music can never be marooned on anyone's shelf for long, it might be a permanent fixture in your CD player though.
  
  Soft, standard jazz formats are accompanied by piano, guitar, upright bass, flute, drums and soprano sax. There are a few slow-paced, comtemplatative piano numbers, along with a couple of swing tunes, there's also three mambo/latin-flavoured pieces. The album opener, 'T'aint what you do,' written by Sly Oliver and James Young, just has that jiving, groovy, finger snapping, feet clicking kinda feeling. The title track that follows suit shuffles along in a mambo vein, Sandy does a great job of adding vocals ever so elegantly. 'Play a song for you, ' a beautiful prayer-like tune for all the children in this world, pauses now and then for Sandy to offer up her musical thoughts.
  
  Her mid-range vocal style has a tone similar to that of Sade and
  Norah Jones; soothing, calming the listener (it certainly calmed me!) The duo 'Meet me there' where she's accompanied by vocalist/saxophonist Dave Babcock is laid-back and
  sultry. Dave's deep croon allows Sandy's voice to take on a different shape entirely, rather than crowding her out with his vocals and sax playing, the entire song has just enough breathing space to allow all three melody lines to exist interdependantly.
  
  In fact, no instrument overpowers each other, but rather works cohesively to produce this well crafted, subtle jazz piece of art. What is derived here, is the level of maturity each musician brings to the table. It is said that we are only as good as the people we associate ourselves with, in this case, Sandy has just the right talent behind her voice.
  
  Each song has it's own story, which Sandy briefly reveals in the liner notes of the CD jacket. She gives the listener a look into her world, both musically and lyrically.
  
  She is a jazz singer/songwriter, telling tales of her life, her family, her loved ones, joys and sorrows. It is for that matter a rather personal, heartfelt album. It is an album about the very existence of our humanity. It is a positive record of hope.
  
  Sandy draws listeners into her world, but yet tells it in such a way that anyone can relate to her songs. With three albums under her belt, and with critical recognition for her work to date, Sandy's Marooned truly is a lovely, well written and produced, standard jazz album.
  
  
  

• Oct 12 Full Spectrum Ottawa Review of Marooned [+ Show ]
  

  Sandy Foster can be considered among the greats of modern Canadian jazz vocalists standing beside th...Sandy Foster can be considered among the greats of modern Canadian jazz vocalists standing beside the likes of Holly Cole, Diane Krall and Molly Johnson even if her talents are just beginning to receive recognition. Not just a voice (and a gorgeous one at that), Sandy composes and writes all of her own music. Marooned contains 11 songs of which nine are originals and except for a collaborative effort on, "Meet Me Here" all were written and composed by Sandy herself.
  
  This is Sandy's third CD (following Purplexed (2003) and Orangify (2004)) and she seems to be on the cusp of star-recognition for her hard work. Highlights of the CD include a beautiful rendition of the Sly Oliver/James Young song, "T'Ain't What You Do," a song about facing loss, "Thankful," and a foray into pop sensibilities with "Cranberry Jazz." The latter song begs the question of whether Sandy was listening to a Connie Kalder album at the time she was inspired to pen it to paper as the make-up of and the ending lyrical surprise has the humour of Kalder written all over it.
  
  Sandy ends the CD with another striking cover. "Quiet Nights of Quiet Stars," a song by Antonio Carlos Jacobs and Gene Lees, is approached with smooth vocals and is a fitting outro to an album that begs for CD player time during those restful hours of quiet contemplation.
  

• Oct 6 RCAT Media Review of Marooned [+ Show ]
  

  Sandy Foster has remarked 'Life is too short to be marooned'. The fact that we can all be ostracized...Sandy Foster has remarked 'Life is too short to be marooned'. The fact that we can all be ostracized into oblivion and segregated from relationships by the busyness of our lives is part of the main thinking behind the title track but this is an album that is everything BUT marooned. It is the consequence of being gifted vocally, musically, and creatively and Sandy Foster IS remarkably and irretrievably gifted! I'd like you to relax for a moment..and take in what I am telling you... you are about to read a review of one of the most remarkable albums ever to have been born in Canada... reading takes patience... listening takes you on a heart and soul meandering journey... in the company of Sandy Foster!
  
  T'aint what you do opens this remarkable album and the first thing that happens is a case of shock. That semi-acoustic guitar and finger glided piano compliments Sandy's jazzy vocal to a tee and you're wondering how it is that the girl isn't a guest on just about everyone's favourite jazz presentation around the world. Move over girls... Sandy's on the airstrip about to take off on a much anticipated world tour!
  When we get to the amazing songwriting epitaph that's Marooned we are treated to a rather extraordinary writing talent that could never be pushed aside. The song opens with some lovely upright bass and Sandy's vocals are complimented with an equally lovely flute that's both skillfully conceived and skillfully played. What's particularly striking about this song is the cleverness in the lyrical emphasis that Sandy delivers. You see, not many jazz singers can get away with this without being called 'great' jazz singers... and Sandy is one of the 'greats'. As if this wasn't enough of a testimony to Sandy Foster's remarkable vocal, then Play a song for you will almost certainly do the trick! The delightfully candlelit opening mood is challenged by the vocal prowess that keeps you mesmerized.. what a girl! Insatiably appetizing piano and emotion driven vocals make this magnificent song shine and I would absolutely LOVE to see these guys live... come to think of it... they're only a few hours away and so I'll get that sorted for sure!
  
  Do I worry about you? With inspiration sprung forth on a plane trip... this song is an absolute classic of the highest magnitude ... beautiful vocals... astonishing bass playing and drum, guitar, and piano work that deserves an award for just being brilliantly executed.. it's all here in abundance. Then there's the song itself... I mean... wouldn't you love to have been responsible for writing these lyrics??? Of course you would!
  
  Thankful Well I'm thankful that I have the pleasure of writing this review and oh dear me what a pleasure this song is! I could swear there's a hitherto unexplored part of our imagination that has wings and an undercarriage! This song took me flying all over the place and there wasn't a hint of engines or fuel... it all happens on the beautiful vibrato and sustain that Sandy Foster has acquired, developed, and so obviously mastered! Keep your eye out for those lovely piano and bass inserts... a little jazz tapestry got wove in the composition here and it's as colourful and as vibrant as any jazz tapestry you could ever hope to find!
  This is the bit where the breeze of writer's anxiety comes... you see, to get into writing a review 'properly' you have to listen to the album about three times... you have to try very hard to engage the performer's world and provide a bridge to the world of the intended audience. The thing is.. three times is NOT enough... it would not be just... it would not be fair! However, on first listening.. You speak surpasses everything you ever expected to be made possible in female vocalized jazz! On third play... you are skillfully observant and it's great when you realize that your thoughts and perceptions were very much confirmed on first listening. You speak is a work of absolute class! Electrifyingly beautiful singing, and undeniably brilliant musicianship is what this track really is... it's ok.. you go on now and play it however many times you like... and you will!
  
  Cranberry jazz opens with a nice tight intro that leads into another of Sandy's songs that makes me wish she lived next door... then I could say 'How the %^&* did you manage to sing like that?!!!". I haven't tapped my toes this much in ages! Watchout for the superb guitar solo that makes you want to rush out and buy a dead expensive Gibson semi or whatever it is that can have you make numerous attempts at learning the delightful riffs. A superb song... very New York Jazz... very Sandy Foster!
  
  Meet me here is perhaps one of the best things that happened to me this year after pressing the play button! The magic in Sandy Foster's voice continues to enthrall and the lyrics are so well crafted and THEN Dave Babcock arrives and you almost want to dwindle into nothingness as his incredible vocal sends your sense up the wall, around the floor, and behind the radiators with sheer disbelief! The production must have been an absolute joy to work on and who knows what was going through the minds between the headphones during the mixdown!
  It all falls on me has little touches of some of the greatest jazz singers in the world all in one mouth... I guess it really does all fall on Sandy Foster! Piano work on this track is magnificent... but then the band have coped with the enormity of their skills and tasks so well throughout this entire album that it leaves you in a state of complete and utter wonderment! What a band... what a track!
  
  Subject to the whether is such a clever song with it's metaphoricalisms. I have to say it again... wouldn't you love to have been responsible for writing this song? AND wouldn't you love to have a voice like that! Careful attention should be paid here to what happens between the vocal parts and the guitar and piano parts.. it's almost like the instruments, including the vocal, were born on the same day, at the same time, to the same mother! Mention should also be made in referencing the bass and drums also.. you see any bass player will tell you that 'working out' with a drummer requires an attention to detail that takes time to master. These guys have long since passed the point of no return and, like the guitar and piano -players, have truly mastered their craft to the 'nth degree!
  
  Quiet nights of quiet stars . Now it gets a bit sad knowing that this is the last track on the album... when the joy has unfolded to where it's at! It's a very dreamy jazz song that's performed and produced to the kind of standard you'd expect to line up for to witness at the Royal Albert Hall. Again, we have a completely professional package to unwrap when listening to this song and it's all contained in the instruments and the voice that were naturally put together to astonish the ears and the heart!
  All the great Canadian jazz players and singers in this genre should take note of what exactly has been accomplished here... pure unadulterated brilliance in performance, in composition, and in production. The rest of the world needs to simply applaud and give the girl a standing ovation for a job well done!
  
  
  

• A More Mature Foster emerges on Marooned [+ Show ]
  

  Saturday, June 11, 2005 Ever wonder how we can have busy, successful careers and still feel emotion...Saturday, June 11, 2005
  Ever wonder how we can have busy, successful careers and still feel emotionally marooned? That thought occurred to Sandy Foster when she was writing the title song for her third and latest album, marooned. Chances are it's something that won't happen to the prolific Edmonton jazz singer because she's able to communicate her emotional life so deeply through her music.
  It doesn't hurt either that Foster made a serious career change since her last recording, choosing to leave her job as a school teacher to be a full-time homemaker and mother of three, and to find more time for her music.
  You can hear the results tonight at 7:30 in a live performance when she debuts the new album at Planet Ze Art Gallery, 10055-80th Ave. (Tickets are $40 advance from Tix on the Square, $25 at the door; part of the proceeds from admission and album sales go to Compassion Canada. The gallery will serve light refreshments.)
  Some might be familiar with Foster through her work with the Paper Bag Band on the albums Purplexed(2003) and Orangify(2004). While those discs involved a very upfront focus on her Christian faith, the songs on Marooned are less about belief and more about experience. At the same time, Foster's confidence with phrasing and songcraft make it her most mature project to date.
  The Red Deer-raised (born) Foster admits that therapy is a "part of my songwriting process". For instance, trying to encapsulate the experience of loss ina song helped her deal with such difficulties ina very real way - which is not to suggest that Marooned is full of sad ballads.
  You might call it thoughtful, but most of the 11 tracks take an easy, mid-tempo stroll as the self-taught singer's pliable vocal cords easily navigate a spare backing provided by members of Flextime Trio - pianist Matt Day, guitarist Wes Yaciuk, drummer Kevin Andrews - along with bassist Glenn Durksen. Rob Hewes co-produced the album at Turn Key Audio during a marathon week in April.
  Guest Dave Babcock adds his vocals and soprano sax to good effect on Meet Me Here. Foster also includes a couple of covers as bookends to the album, the playful T'Ain't What You Do and a lovely rendering of the Antonio Carlos Jobim bossa nova Quiet Nights of Quiet Stars that's reminiscent of Astrud Gilberto.
  Foster's spell seems to be working. Los Angeles-based Bolero Records will include two of her tracks on a special compilation to be released in August, and she's made some friends in Denmark, too - connections she hopes to eventually build into a European tour.
  Check www.paperbagz.com for more information.

• SUMMER 2005 TOP TEN JAZZ ALBUM CHARTING [+ Show ]
  

  June/July/August 2005 CHART RESULTS - Top Ten Jazz Charts (unless otherwise noted) as per Last Tang...June/July/August 2005 CHART RESULTS - Top Ten Jazz Charts (unless otherwise noted) as per Last Tango Productions press information.
  
  CBC
  Full servicing requested for all sister stations
  Halifax Weekender features T’ain’T What You Do
  Northern Lights (Winnipeg) Play a Song for You was featured on Andrea Ratuski’s June 24th broadcast!
  New Music Canada (Vancouver) Sandy Foster added to pop-singer/songwriter pages - click to hear eight of the eleven tracks from marooned.
  
  CFBX 92.5 FM 5 (Kamloops, BC)
  #6 - July 31
  
  CKUA 94.9 FM (Edmonton/Calgary)
  Roger Levesque’s Time for Jazz featured Quiet Nights of Quiet Stars from marooned on June 11, 2005
  
  CKXU – FM 88.3 (Lethbridge, AB)
  #8 on Top 30 Albums and Top Ten Jazz – Jul 12
  #6 -July 17
  #8 -July 24
  #9 – August 1
  #4 – August 8
  #7 – August 15
  
  CFCR 90.5 FM (Saskatoon, SK)
  #4 Jazz Add – June 20
  #5 Jazz Add, #5 - Jun 27
  
  Sky Jazz Internet Jazz Radio (Oshawa, ON)
  The Discovery Program featured a track from Marooned through the week of June 27 and added Sandy to their artist links.
  
  CILU FM 102.7 (Thunder Bay, ON)
  #9 – June 21
  #3 – June 28
  #2 – Jul 5
  #3 – Jul 12
  #3 – Jul 19
  #5 –Jul26
  #5 – August 1
  #6 – August 9
  #8 – August 16
  
  CKLU – FM 96.7 (Sudbury, ON)
  Top 30 Albums for June 30th
  
  CKCU 93.1 FM (Ottawa, ON)
  Over My Head radio programme - Sunday, June 26 featured their annual all-Canadian show. Sandy’s Play a Song for You debuted as the second song.
  
  CSCR Fusion Radio (Toronto, ON)
  #7 July 26th
  #7 August 2
  #7 August 9
  
  CFRE 91.9 (Toronto, ON)
  #2 Jazz Add – June 19
  
  CHMR-FM 93.5 (St. John’s, NF)
  #2 Jazz Add – June 20-21
  #7 – Jul 4 - 5
  #3 -July 11 - 12
  #4 – July 18 – 19
  #4 – July 25 - 26

Setlist

The prolific songwriting of Sandy Foster lends itself to an everchanging repertoire, always fresh including a wide range of styles. Programs include a wide variety of songs performed within an attractive array of jazz stylings (swing, blues, ballads, Latin), which may be formatted to suit house concert, soft-seat theatre, showcase or ambiance format. A seasonal program featuring nostalgic and innovative arrangements of Christmas selections is also available. Typical set length is two 45 minute sets.

Repertoire List
Ain’t Misbehaving
Ain’t No Sunshine
Almost Like Being in Love
Amazing Grace
A Nightingale Sang in Berk.
Anvil of Grief
A Quiet Place
As With Gladness
Autumn Leaves
Best Baby Ever

Beautiful Isle of Somewhere
Bigger Than Anywhere Else
Blackbird (Bye, Bye)
Blind Fish
Blue Christmas
Blue Moon
Blue Room

Cerulean Serenade
Child of God
Christmas Crossmas
CHRISTMAS
Christmas Time is Here
Cranberry Jazz
Cry Me A River

Dance with Me
Deep Blue
Do I Worry About You?
Don’t Get Around Much Anymore
Everything Happens to Me
Fields of Gold
First Noel
Fly
Fly Me to the Moon
Frosty the Snowman

Girl Talk
Girl From Ipanema
Gypsy Soldier

Have Yourself a Merry Li’l Christmas
Higher Highest
How High the Moon

I am a Servant
I’ll Be Home for Christmas
I’ll Be Seeing You
Into the Blue
Is You Is or Is You Ain’t
It All Falls On Me
It Don’t Mean a Thing
It’s Only a Paper Moon

Jingle Bell Rock
Joy to the World

Let It Be Me
Let’s Go for a Walk
Little Girl Blue
Livin’ on Love
Make the World Go Away
Marooned
Meet Me Here
Mind is On Vacation
My Romance

Nothin’ But Sea and Skye

One Note Samba
Only You
Over the Rainbow

Play a Song For Me
Please Come Home for Christmas

Quiet Nights of Quiet Stars
Route 66

Silver & Gold
The Sky is Always Blue
Snow Wonder I Love You
Some Children See Him
Someone to Watch Over Me
Songbird
Spruce It Up
Stay Awhile
Still
Stormy Weather
Straighten Up and Fly Right
Subject to the Whether
Sunshine
Swingin’ Shepherd Blues

Taint What Ya Do
Tell Me Yes
Thankful
That’s All
That’s Enough Blue
The Way You Look Tonight
This Can’t Be Love
This Masquerade
Time to Go
To Be Two
To Everything There is a Season
Too Clever

Wade in the Water
Walk Wise
Wayfaring Stranger
What a Wonderful World
When Lights are Lit
Where Can You Be?
Who Knows Where the Time Goes
You Speak



Christmas Jazz
Christmas, Crossmas (S. Foster)
Spruce It Up ( S. Foster)
C-H-R-I-S-T-M-A-S
Please Come Home for Christmas
Silver and Gold
Some Children See Him
Silent Night
Christmas Time is Here
There is No Christmas Like a Home Christmas
Blue Christmas
The First Noel
What Child is This
When Lights are Lit on Christmas Eve
O Come All Ye Faithful
Joy to the World
As With Gladness Men of Old
I Saw Three Ships
Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas
God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen
I'll Be Home For Christmas

Basic Requirements

Calendar