Tap dancer Petra Haller and pianist Meg Morley continue their longstanding partnership, one that eschews any sense of hierarchy between their mediums, and instead invites a rich interplay and an embodied approach to freeness. Quicksilver keys waltz with even quicker footwork.
—Corey Mwamba, Freeness, BBC3 Radio
Modern jazz visionary, Petra Haller is introducing a fresh dimension to her debut album Shoulders I Stand On with the release on vinyl March 12th 2024, providing a novel listening encounter.
London-based Petra Haller, celebrated by Jazzwise magazine as a Rising Jazz Artist of 2020, has been pushing creative boundaries by integrating tap dance into the jazz and improvised music scenes. Over the years, her auditory experiments in partnership with the gifted Meg Morley have yielded rich, rhythmic conversations, which got their full expression in the album Shoulders I Stand On recorded at Ocean Sound Studios in Giske, Norway, in November 2022.
Comprising nine compelling tracks, Shoulders I Stand On brings to life an intriguing interplay between the rhythmic essence of tap dance and the harmonic charm of the piano. Whether it’s the nuanced exchange in tracks like "Forever and a Day," Morley's melodious contributions in "Call of the Birds" and "Fearless," or the intense tension in “Thicker than Blood," the album stretches the boundaries of the contemporary jazz form.
“Shoulders I Stand On” stands out in the jazz landscape for its unique incorporation of tap dance, reminiscent of the rare instances we've seen such collaborations: Fred Astaire with the Oscar Peterson Quartet in the '50s, and Derek Bailey and Will Gaines in the '90s. This album, however, breaks new ground. Haller and Morley refresh the bond between jazz and tap dance, leading listeners on an unexpected musical journey.
Destined to be a valuable addition to any vinyl collection, "Shoulders I Stand On" offers not just an inviting soundscape, but a symbol of fresh possibilities in jazz music. The album is a tribute to the influential figures in Haller’s artistic journey and an exploration of the innovative space in the jazz genre.
For more information on how to add Shoulders I Stand On to your vinyl collection and stay updated on future performances, please visit Petra Haller's Bandcamp page.
London-based Petra Haller, celebrated by Jazzwise magazine as a Rising Jazz Artist of 2020, has been pushing creative boundaries by integrating tap dance into the jazz and improvised music scenes. Over the years, her auditory experiments in partnership with the gifted Meg Morley have yielded rich, rhythmic conversations, which got their full expression in the album Shoulders I Stand On recorded at Ocean Sound Studios in Giske, Norway, in November 2022.
Comprising nine compelling tracks, Shoulders I Stand On brings to life an intriguing interplay between the rhythmic essence of tap dance and the harmonic charm of the piano. Whether it’s the nuanced exchange in tracks like "Forever and a Day," Morley's melodious contributions in "Call of the Birds" and "Fearless," or the intense tension in “Thicker than Blood," the album stretches the boundaries of the contemporary jazz form.
“Shoulders I Stand On” stands out in the jazz landscape for its unique incorporation of tap dance, reminiscent of the rare instances we've seen such collaborations: Fred Astaire with the Oscar Peterson Quartet in the '50s, and Derek Bailey and Will Gaines in the '90s. This album, however, breaks new ground. Haller and Morley refresh the bond between jazz and tap dance, leading listeners on an unexpected musical journey.
Destined to be a valuable addition to any vinyl collection, "Shoulders I Stand On" offers not just an inviting soundscape, but a symbol of fresh possibilities in jazz music. The album is a tribute to the influential figures in Haller’s artistic journey and an exploration of the innovative space in the jazz genre.
For more information on how to add Shoulders I Stand On to your vinyl collection and stay updated on future performances, please visit Petra Haller's Bandcamp page.
