Mimosa
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Mimosa

| SELF | AFM

| SELF | AFM
Band Jazz Cabaret

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Music

Press


"Mimosa June 04 2009"

Mimosa
By Tony Montague
Méli-mélo (Independent)

The musicians of Mimosa nail their cosmopolitan colours to the mast from the opening track of their third release. “Méli-mélo” is a fast-paced synthesis of Eastern European Gypsy music, klezmer, swing, pop, and vintage cabaret styles that’s sung both in French and English. The Mimosa sound has a marked Parisian flavour, with silky vocals from Rebecca Shoichet, sly keyboards and occasional accordion from leader Anna Lumière, and sinuous flute and saxes from Karen Graves. It suggests a homegrown version of Paris Combo, though the Vancouver band’s songs have a more global feel, and a bevy of local guests adds varied instrumental textures.

“Torpeur”, a suitably languid and breathy bossa nova, features Celso Machado on bird whistles and percussion; “Delama” includes sitar from James Hamilton; and “El Amor” is straight-ahead Cuban salsa, with Jack Duncan slapping the congas. All the songs were written or cowritten by Lumière, who demonstrates a firm grasp of different genres and rhythms. Méli-mélo is Mimosa’s strongest album to date—sexy and sophisticated, with a relaxed and natural flow. - Georgia Straight


"Disc Spins"

It's nearly impossible not to be charmed by the Parisian lounge-y delights of this Vancouver quartet (...). Together they've created a four-star soundtrack for after-hours maritinis and post-sex pillow talk. Lumiere's bubbly runs on the Fender Rhodes and Hammond B3 fuel this down-tempo swing machine, which simmers with subtle Brazilian beats. - The Westender


"Soirée langoureuse sur un air de jazz"

Mariant joyeusement le Swing au Bossa Nova brésilien, le tout teinté d'accents français, le quatuor vancouvérois a visiblement charmé son public. Il faut dire qu'un roulement d'épaule, un regard en coin et voilà, tous étaient sous le charme de (...) la chanteuse du groupe. - L'Express du Pacifique


"Mimosa ou la simple sympathie"

Les membres du groupe de Vancouver, Mimosa, arrivent à Rimouski avec leurs sonorités nées d'un mélange de jazz, bossa nova et pop. Le trait marquant de mon entretien avec ces 4 joyeux musiciens reste leur grande sympathie et la simplicité dans laquelle notre discussion s'est déroulée - Le Héron


"Malcolm Parry"

Victoria-raised Shoichet is confident in French (...) and her tone and range - she has sung with Johnny Ferreira, Amanda Marshall, Tom Cochrane, and on a ton of studio gigs - are smashing.
The band (...) had the 18-song show in the bag and even prompted some impromptu waltzing with a saucy number that would have been a hit in the same spot 115 years ago. - Malcolm Parry


Discography

Bucolique - © 2002 Mimosa (Socan) (621365048829)
Voyage - © 2004 Mimosa (Socan) (621365078727)
Méli-mélo - copyright 2009 Mimosa (Socan)
Available at CDBABY
http://cdbaby.com/cd/mimosasounds2

Photos

Bio

If Mimosa has been around this long, it's because the quality of the music has given it long legs. At the end of the 90s it started out as a hip lounge act, playing several nights a week in all the happening nights spots in Vancouver (the Railway Club, the Jupiter Lounge, the Backstage Lounge,..).

Becoming more established and getting its own vintage sound, Mimosa then launched into the Festival circuit and began touring (B.C., Quebec including the Montreal and Rimouski Jazz Festivals, United States) and signed a licensing and distribution deal with Saravah, a label in France. Mimosa was also featured in a one-hour long documentary produced by Pierre Beaudoin from French CBC, aired on TV5.

Over the years Mimosa has performed at many Canadian festivals (including the popular Festival du Voyageur in Winnipeg (2008) where they appeared in the TV series "Au coeur du festival", as well as Wintersong Festival, recorded and broadcast by CBC) and have been featured many times on CBC. This summer 2009 they released their 3rd album Méli-mélo, which received rave reviews and were featured once again on CBC, with a live broadcast as part of the Vancouver International Jazz Festival, and a podcast available on the CBC Radio 1 website.

The band consists of Rebecca Shoichet, a vocalist with many years spent playing with some of Vancouver's most established bands (Soul Stream, Famous Players, Kia Kadiri, Lache Cercel) as well as extensive Musical Theatre experience (for example, Joni Mitchell's"River"). Karen Graves is well known as a virtuoso sax and flute player (Joelle Rabu, the Temptations, Marylin Lerner, Maynard Ferguson, Mother of Pearl) and brings passion and incredible improvisations to the combo. Anna Lumiere is the main driver behind the wheel of the band, playing left-hand bass and keyboards and writing most of the music and lyrics in French, Spanish and English. The drum chair is shared by drummers Bernie Arai and Nino diPasquale, both incredible rhythm machines.

Mimosa is a cocktail with only the finest ingredients: Jazz, Brazilian sambas and French chansons. Stir or shake, sip, and get ready to feel good.