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Kai Chareunsy
Olivia Murphy: Fateful Birds & Fledgling Stories
by Jerome Wilson
Olivia Murphy is a young composer and bandleader who has been establishing herself as a distinctive voice on the British jazz scene, leading a large ensemble that mostly performs her own compositions. She makes her orchestral recording debut on this album, which applies her musical ideas to themes of transformation and community derived from mythical portraits of birds. One of the most notable features of Murphy's writing is that she often does not separate her orchestra into individual ...
Continue ReadingOlivia Murphy: Fateful Birds & Fledgling Stories
by John Eyles
Throughout her career, Olivia Murphy has receiyed many awards which have been instrumental in promoting her blossoming career. In 2021, she received the prestigious and influential Peter Whittingham Jazz Development Award, which has been contested annually since 1990 to support an emerging jazz musician with their plans and ambitions. At the time she won it, Murphy was playing clarinet in the Moonrise Trio alongside vocalist Becca Wilkins and pianist Olly Chalk. In 2020, the trio's first EP, Tomorrow ...
Continue ReadingMaria Grapsa: Life
by Ian Patterson
It is surely a committed soul who pockets a master's degree in environmental engineering, only then to pursue a career in jazz. The title of Athens-born, London-based pianist and composer Maria Grapsa's debut album--and other indicators in the titles, music and cover --reflect her journey thus far, but it could just as easily stand for an affirmation of her dedication to this music. For if one thing emerges from these nine original compositions, it is Grapsa's unerring clarity of purpose. ...
Continue ReadingMaria Grapsa: Life
by Neil Duggan
Benefitting from ethnic diversity and multiculturalism, the jazz scene in the UK continues to evolve and thrive. One product of this cultural mix is Maria Grapsa. She has Greek origins but is now London-based. She has brought together a sextet featuring some of the UK's most exciting young talents for her debut album, Life. Life is a personal title. It reflects her own unusual journey to music via a master's degree in environmental engineering. The cover has a ...
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