Elizabeth Shepherd

Whether youre a hipster, a purist or a Diana Krall-loving softie, she will win you over. Montreal Gazette (CAN)

Vocalist/pianist Elizabeth Shepherd arrived on the international scene in 2006 when her debut release Start To Move was voted one of the top jazz albums of the year by the listeners of the influential Gilles Peterson Show on BBC Radio Worldwide. Since then, the Toronto-based soul-jazz innovator has released three widely acclaimed studio albums and toured extensively in North America, Europe and Japan. She has sold out legendary clubs from Tokyo to Detroit, played festivals like Montreal and North Sea Jazz Festivals, shared the stage with Victor Wooten, Branford Marsalis and Christian McBride, and opened for Jamie Cullum at The Hollywood Bowl.

Elizabeth is the only jazz vocalist to ever have been long listed for the Polaris Prize Canadas most prestigious music prize. The three-time JUNO nominee (Canadas Grammy equivalent) has received widespread praise for her original compositions, but on her fourth album Rewind Elizabeth showcases her skills as an arranger and interpreter, breathing new life and soul into songs both familiar and forgotten.

With upcoming release The Signal, Shepherd joins the ranks of an exclusive group of artists committed to uncompromising and playful exploration, unafraid of falling between the genre cracks. Highlights include her collaborations with Lionel Loueke (Herbie Hancock, Gretchen Parlato) one of the most celebrated guitarists of his generation which are both sublime and funky. The subject matter for the songs covers topics as wide-ranging as Monsanto and motherhood, witchcraft and war. Her trademark rhythmic groove is always at the core of Shepherds writing, while her fluid, sensual, breathy voice is as compelling and haunting as ever.

Theres a maturity to Shepherds songwriting here, as she clearly doesnt set out to prove anything, and in effect, does so much more. The Signal plays as a series of 11 seamlessly woven songs, hearkening back to the golden era of the Album: a purposefully crafted audio journey that begs another visit, time and time again. Far from sitting neatly in any camp, The Signal will outlive trends and fads and reward music-lovers with each new listen.

Praise for Elizabeth Shepherd's "Rewind" - in stores now:
"Soulful coolness" USA Today
"One of the year's most pleasant surprises" London Evening Standard (UK)
"Stunning....original and exciting" Seattle Post (US)
"Extraordinary talent" RBB Kulturradio (GER)
"A hugely original musical mind at work" Toronto Star (CAN)
"A studio marvel by an inventive risk-taker" All About Jazz (US)
"Imaginative arrangements with a laid-back hipness" The Irish Times
"Bound to intoxicate American jazz fans" LA Jazz (US)
"An album for any kind of discerning music fan" CBC Music (CAN)
"Displays a profound understanding of the expressive power of the human voice" Helsingborgs Dagblad (SWE)
"Completely unique delivery and style" Jazzrytmit (FIN)
"A deeply involving album" The WholeNote (CAN)
"Idiosyncratic vocals, intriguing arrangements, and polished keyboard work." JazzTimes (US)
"Sensationally original arrangements.... ravishing album" Properganda Magazine (UK)
"Smartly crafted with genuine staying power" ICON Magazine (US)
"Extraordinary" The Examiner (US)
"A pure breath of fresh air from Canada" Ultra Audio (US)
"A constantly surprising delight" Blinded by Sound (US)
"Simply a lovely record." EXCLAIM Magazine (CAN)
"Shepherd unstandardizes some of the great standards, making them new without violating their integrity." International Review of Music (US)