Thank you to everyone that purchased the album, attended concerts and wrote kind words about the work. The highlight of the year was definitely receiving the JUNO nomination and the Jazz Artist of the Year Award at the Western Canadian Music Awards, but every article, facebook message, email and in-person conversation about the album meant so much to me as well.
We have gone on to perform the music all over Ontario and Alberta and many songs have continued to have life beyond the album - they were arranged by Daniel Hersog for the Vetta Chamber Ensemble f. Joan Blackman, Jane Hayes, Julia Nolan and myself (which was nominated as Classical Group of the Year at the 2021 Western Canadian Music Awards) and by Kelly Proznick for the JUNO nominated men's choir Chor Lioni under the direction of Erick Lichte.
It's all beyond my wildest dreams. So, a big thank you to all of you for the support!
Here are a few examples of some of the responses from the press:
"Best known as a superbly swinging accompanist, Vancouver bassist Jodi Proznick steps out with a moving, highly personal album that demonstrates her composing and songwriting abilities." ~ SUN SONGS named one of the Top 10 Jazz Albums of 2017, Peter Hum (Ottawa Citizen)
"As in her songwriting and in her talent for playing the contrabass, she is able to pull off magic that is as near perfection as bass-playing could possibly be." ~ Raul De Gama, Toronto Music Report
"Featuring emotionally charged material, (Proznick's) Sun Songs is a powerful artistic statement" ~ Kerilie McDowall, Downbeat Magazine April 2018
"She’s broken with the instrumental format of her 2006 debut, Foundations, to write a collection of songs that look at love from multiple perspectives. The tone is often bittersweet, understandably, but Proznick’s resilience shines through." ~ Alexander Varty, Georgia Straight
"In the small but spacious landscape of the Vancouver jazz scene, there is no one that embodies female power better than Jodi Proznick. As a Juno-nominated professional bassist, composer and educator, Jodi is changing the game for female players through her art and her work as a teacher." ~ Clarice Scop, Sister Jazz BC Blog
"The lead song to the album Listen was inspired by a period of time Proznick spent by a river's edge, and carries a message of resilience despite hardship." Claire Henning, CBC News
And I had a wonderful chat with Kris Mcdermott about creating from the mess for Vancouver is Awesome that you can read here.
Our video for single the "Listen" was debuted by the Vancouver Sun. Mike Usinger wrote, "Fittingly, Proznick’s bittersweet but beautifully melodic “Listen” makes an uplifting soundtrack for the video’s more super-natural moments. That the song also verges on hypnotically meditative makes sense considering the story behind Sun Songs, Proznick’s first album since 2006’s critically lauded Foundations."
Also a big thank you to Mary Kastle and Laura Murray for all of the behind the scenes work with grant writing and publicity. It truly takes a village to release an album.
P.S. - Just in case you are interested in purchasing a hard copy, you can still do so through my shop!
