Gabrielle & Architect

You know those songs that last the test of time on your iPod? That was Verve Remixed for me. I happened upon the ethereal, catchy collections of remixes back in my University dorm days - but it was only later, once my jazz education truly began, that I realized those addictive tunes were classic jazz recordings reinterpreted by the biggest and baddest DJs of their time.

In 2011 I found my passion in jazz thanks to intensive instruction from jazz vocalist Helen White, M. Mus, and when it came time to record my first EP, the first thing I did was reach for my iPod. "Listen to this," I told her - as her ears perked up at the iconic sounds of Nina Simone singing "Black Is The Colour" beautifully remixed by Jaffa for Verve Remixed 2. The project was soon underway.

The search was now on for the perfect DJ to fit the feel and sound we were looking to achieve. We scoped out talent from across Canada - and soon we found the one: Joe Silva of Purespace Recordings. It was a complete fluke (albeit a lucky one) that he just so happened to be working in our own backyard, out of his studio in Winnipeg, Manitoba. A quick meeting later and we were on our way, recording tracks with Winnipeg's Ron Paley and Rick Boughton at ResoSound Studios with renowned Engineer Jordan Jackiew at the helm.

Staying true to the Verve Remixed collection, each track was recorded and mixed as true classic jazz standards, complete with live grand piano, drums, bass, horn and guitar.

Then the magic happened. Joe Silva took each track, disassembled, re-interpreted and remixed them into exciting dance jazz fusion. The result is truly modern interpretations of jazz standards made accessible to those yet introduced to the genre. Gabrielle & Architect was born.

In August 2013, we released our debut EP in partnership with vintage clothing purveyor The Eye Of Faith in Toronto - and brought together a cross section of performance artists to create a night of Mystery, Fashion & Burlesque at 3030 Dundas West. The show was true to our band's mandate, offering a total audience experience complete with a focus on fashion, visual excitement and most importantly, a high level of musicianship and artistry.

I hope you enjoy,

Gabrielle Ogilvie

Vocalist & Bandleader of Gabrielle & Architect