PEGGY LEE & COLE SCHMIDT

FOREVER STORIES OF MOVING PARTIES

Earshift Music

Peggy Lee, Cello/composer; Cole Schmidt, guitars/composer; JP Carter, trumpet/electronics; Mili Hong, drums; Wayne Horvitz, piano/organ/Wurlitzer/electronics; James Meger, electric bass/synth bass/processing; Dylan van der Schyff, drums/percussion; Frank Rosaly & Sunny Kim, electronics; Erika Angell, voice/electronics; Lisen Rylander Löve, tenor saxophone/ electronics/voice; James Goddard, alto saxophone; Meredith Bates, violin; Melissa Hubert, flute; Sara Schoenbeck, bassoon.

Peggy Lee and Cole Schmidt are two of the most important composers and improvisers to have emerged from Vancouver, Canada.

“This project was born out of Cole and I playing in each other’s bands.  We decided to regularly get together to play as a duo, regardless of whether there was an upcoming gig or not.  We would improvise and workshop new compositional ideas,” Peggy Lee explained in her press package.

Of course this led to a musical closeness.  Their talents were woven together like a warm, winter sweater.  Original music covered them with creativity and a comfort that they hadn’t expected. You hear them and feel it on their opening song, “Blame” where Peggy Lee’s sensual cello work introduces us to the melody. JP Carter’s trumpet continues the strong song melody, along with his own improvisation.  This tune has a pop groove.  It is the first of 14 tracks that call attention to both the talented composers (Lee and Schmidt) as well as the ensemble arrangements that make this music unique. Schmidt says this piece was built on a melody that had been circling in his brain for a decade.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L1gzVzm_pdw

Although the title of this album seems to suggest it’s a duo project, Schmidt explains: “The initial concept for the record was hosting a party, one that included all kinds of people, and characters connecting on different conversations to different rooms of the house.”

A funny thing is that Lee and Schmidt have birthdays only a day apart and often share parties. Perhaps this sparked their concept.

On “It Will Come Back” Sunny Kim’s voice speaks inside the music, like a soothing instrument. She’s as comforting as Peggy Lee’s cello, and musical as the steady strum of Schmidt’s guitar. I do not understand her language, yet still I find beauty and contentment in her spoken word.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RO4DiSnbgcE

The diversity of this music, and the excellence of each musician, holds my attention in a plier-like grip.  Electronics fuel their original music, using several internationally celebrated musicians who anchor and secure these songs, like soldering irons burning this experimental jazz into our consciousness.  This album is abstract, improvised, and as explosive as Fourth of July fireworks.

Reviewed by Dee Dee McNeil

BUY NOW

Buy Us a Cup of Coffee!

Join the movement in supporting Making a Scene, the premier independent resource for both emerging musicians and the dedicated fans who champion them.

We showcase this vibrant community that celebrates the raw talent and creative spirit driving the music industry forward. From insightful articles and in-depth interviews to exclusive content and insider tips, Making a Scene empowers artists to thrive and fans to discover their next favorite sound.

Together, let’s amplify the voices of independent musicians and forge unforgettable connections through the power of music

You can donate directly through Paypal!

Subscribe to Our Newsletter