Marys interest for jazzmusic came without her even noticing! Very early she had a big interest for old MGM movies from the 30's, 40's, 50's and 60's and the musical scores in them. The same songs that later were rearranged and made in to jazzstandards. In her childhood years, her American father Paul used to play music for her from the American Hollywoodera from artists like Frank Sinatra, Ella Fitzgerald, Nat King Cole, Louis Armstrong and Bing Crosby, combined with Leonard Bernsteins musicals and classical work. He spoke about his years in NYC in the early 50's when he saw the original version/cast of West Side Story on Broadway, heard Martin Luther King speak live at the Apollo Theatre, and everything about the movies, music and the musicals. For Mary this felt like a magical world with all these mesmerising moments from the past. As a 14 year old she fell in love with the movie "Breakfast at Tiffanys", and other favorites at that time were "Singing in the rain" and "The wizard of Oz". A somewhat different moviechoice compared to other teens her age. Every night when her parents were watching the news between 7.30-8PM she was secretly "on stage" in the kitchen performing different musicalnumbers and singing along with the jazzfavorites. Dreaming that she was in a MGM movie strolling down the avenue like Judy Garland and Fred Astaire in "Easter Parade"... During the musical education at Kulturama in Stockholm she finally found use to all her knowledge in the jazz genre with all the standards she knew from her years listening to jazz records and watching old movies. She already had a big interest for the work from Gershwin, Berlin, Carmichael, Rodgers/Hammerstein, but it was now that she really fell in love with Cole Porters music. The sharp and witty lyrics, the melancholy in his music, the happy tunes, true lovesongs with true meaning that goes straight to the heart. She knew that if she were to write music for herself someday it would be in the spirit of her inspirerers...and she does!
‘Mary Nelson doesn’t just cover jazz...
she sings, writes and creates it.’
Easy, effortless, breezy, and boundless: a few words to describe Mary Nelson’s entrance into a room, as is her approach to jazz.
Mary Nelson’s trajectory as a jazz artist has been fairly normal: piano lessons when she was a child, listened and learnt music from her parents, inspired by the greats; Ella Fitzgerald, Nat King Cole, Billie Holiday. Then she adds Nelly Lutcher, a pianist from the 40s that only a hardened jazz aficionado would unveil as an influence. She is pleasant, thoughtful and to the point.
Her music showcases her intelligence and determination.
Mary creates jazz in its purest and vocal best. Something Old, Something New, Something Borrowed, Something Blue...’ is Mary’s new album released on Foxling Records.
From beginning to end, the album displays an intention to recast standards and recapture jazz from that mystical era gone by.
Mary emerges fully formed as a jazz vocalist from this album.There is a nice coexistence between Mary, Frida �-hrn and Peter Asplund who appear as guest vocalists.
Mary crafts a diverse collection of songs that densely demonstrate her elastic and adaptable talent. Daniel Palm, Fredrik Vislander and Hasse Sjölander contribute to great effect, melodies and intricacies with harmonic improvisations, and production that makes for very satisfying listening.
A soulful voice beyond her years. Mary’s interpretations and songwriting is bold and breathtaking. Creating and interpreting songs instead of repackaging music and spoon-feeding it back to us.
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‘Mary Nelson doesn’t just cover jazz...
she sings, writes and creates it.’
Easy, effortless, breezy, and boundless: a few words to describe Mary Nelson’s entrance into a room, as is her approach to jazz.
Mary Nelson’s trajectory as a jazz artist has been fairly normal: piano lessons when she was a child, listened and learnt music from her parents, inspired by the greats; Ella Fitzgerald, Nat King Cole, Billie Holiday. Then she adds Nelly Lutcher, a pianist from the 40s that only a hardened jazz aficionado would unveil as an influence. She is pleasant, thoughtful and to the point.
Her music showcases her intelligence and determination.
Mary creates jazz in its purest and vocal best. Something Old, Something New, Something Borrowed, Something Blue...’ is Mary’s new album released on Foxling Records.
From beginning to end, the album displays an intention to recast standards and recapture jazz from that mystical era gone by.
Mary emerges fully formed as a jazz vocalist from this album.There is a nice coexistence between Mary, Frida �-hrn and Peter Asplund who appear as guest vocalists.
Mary crafts a diverse collection of songs that densely demonstrate her elastic and adaptable talent. Daniel Palm, Fredrik Vislander and Hasse Sjölander contribute to great effect, melodies and intricacies with harmonic improvisations, and production that makes for very satisfying listening.
A soulful voice beyond her years. Mary’s interpretations and songwriting is bold and breathtaking. Creating and interpreting songs instead of repackaging music and spoon-feeding it back to us.
Johnnie Kai (drinkscandinavia magazine)
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