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“…One delectable song after another.”
– David McClellan, The Fulcrum, University of
Ottawa, ON
After a whirlwind 2007 with the release of her demo-EP
“Fresh Air”, Mary Kastle’s musical
voice is starting to prick some ears. Following two
Canadian tours and significant critical acclaim, 2008
found her receiving a FACTOR demo award to start laying
the foundations for a full-length studio debut. “Another
Swing” is the culmination of that effort - a 4-song
EP co-produced with long-time collaborator Paul Shatto
that showcases her best songwriting to date.
“Another Swing” embodies Mary’s conceptual
approach of bridging the divide between jazz and contemporary
pop songwriting. Like chapters in a sonic novel, every
song captures a different scenario through sound, colour,
and lyric. The opus kicks off with the grinding reggae
of Perfect all the Time, with its driving guitar riffs
and lazy horn lines, which deliberates the struggles
of being put down by your peers. Then the subtle groove
of Secret Garden walks us into a dreamy reminiscence
of two old lovers who meet randomly on the streets of
New York. Down the Wire uses a schizophrenic distorted
piano intro to tap into the paranoia of a 21st century
fatalistic society, while Fresh Air, the final movement
of the suite, gives us a soft landing with its gently
prodding chorus and harmonies reminiscent of Wayne Shorter
and late era Miles Davis.
Since graduating with her Bachelors of Jazz Studies
in Piano from Capilano College, Mary has found herself
most at home on the genre-bending fringes of both the
jazz and roots circuits and has been deftly building
up a following around her hometown of Vancouver, BC.
She’s embraced all aspects of the music business
and having landed a job as Label Manager at the indie
roots label Black Hen Music, has been using her knowledge
to develop her own label Starbird Records in preparation
for her 2009 full-length debut. The forthcoming project
will be produced by Juno-Award winning avant-folk producer/guitarist
Steve Dawson and released in Canada through Festival
Distribution. Mary will tour extensively throughout
North America and Europe in support of this recording.
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