1 CD
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€ 19.95
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Label Challenge Records |
UPC 0608917359329 |
Catalogue number CR 73593 |
Release date 22 November 2024 |
"... Very good, captivating and sometimes moving compositions ... are characterized by a clear, clean and spatial sound..."
jazz-fun, 23-11-2024ANA PILAT is a vocalist, lyricist, and vocal pedagogue whose musical journey began early in her native Istria, Croatia. The essence of her heritage is evident in her rich voice and heartfelt interpretation. In addition to performing at children’s song festivals, she recorded her first album with a vocal group at only 16.
Over the years, Ana has performed with modern and world music ensembles, as well as various Big Bands. In 2019, she recorded the album “Sonce Ljubo,” rooted in traditional music, with the chamber ensemble Violoncelli Itineranti. Their collaboration earned them second prize at the Alberto Cesa Award in 2020 and a special mention at the Music Miela Contest in 2021.
Ana’s commitment to voice discovery is also reflected in her academic achievements. She graduated with honours in Jazz Singing from the Conservatory G. Tartini of Trieste in 2021, all while completing a four-year training programme at the “School of Uncovering the Voice.” Her dedication to learning led her to participate in workshops with renowned artists such as Marta Gomez and Rachel Gould. She further expanded her expertise by earning a degree in pop/jazz vocal pedagogy from JAMK University of Applied Sciences in Finland, where her thesis examined the impact of group singing on well-being. Her talent as a lyricist has been recognised by distinguished musicians like Norma Winstone and Egberto Gismonti. Additionally, her co-written song “Tides” reached the semi-finals of the International Songwriting Competition in 2023.
In 2024, Ana made her debut with “Songs from an Unknown Land” at the International Festival Trieste Loves Jazz, featuring compositions by Klaus Gesing. The lyrics she wrote for his compositions offer a gateway into a world of emotion and depth, reflecting the ever-evolving nature of human experiences. Ana’s unique stage presence and delivery bring a compelling sense of storytelling to the project. Now based in Helsinki, Ana offers holistic singing lessons and continues to explore the psychology behind the art of singing.
The big band was first founded in 1966 under the name “The Orchestra of TV and Radio of the Latvian SSR”. Later it was renamed “The Variety Orchestra of the Latvian TV and Radio”; the first bandleader was Ringolds Ore. Henceforward, such Latvian jazz legends as Alnis Zakis, Gunars Rozenbergs, and Maestro Raimonds Pauls have taken the lead in the orchestra. The only professional jazz big band in Latvia was liquidated in 1996.
After its revival in 2012, it operates under the wing of the state concert agency “Latvijas Koncerti”. The Latvian Radio Big Band has played a significant role in the history of jazz in Latvia. The big band’s legacy to Latvian culture is priceless – currently, the sound library of “Latvian Radio” holds over 9,000 recordings featuring the band. The creative driving force behind the orchestra till 2019 was the musician, producer and the artistic director Māris Briežkalns.
Since 2012, the big band has performed with such musical stars as James Morrison, Seamus Blake, Randy Brecker, Kurt Rosenwinkel, Marius Neset, Allan Harris, Jojo Mayer, Richard Bona, Michael Pipoquinha, Ruthie Foster, Diane Schuur, and many others.
The big band has been nominated twice for the Grand Music Award - the highest form of state recognition in the field of music in Latvia. The award was established in 1993. In 2016, the band was nominated for excellent performances in the year 2015, but in 2014, in the category “Concert of the Year” for the concert programme “Mare Balticum”, featuring Australian multi-instrumentalist James Morrison.
As a part of the Latvian centenary celebrations, the Latvian Radio Big Band was welcomed with sold-out venues standing ovations in two prestigious American concert halls - in the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts in Washington, D.C. and in the Lincoln Center in New York, also joining Randy Brecker in the Jazz Baltica festival in Germany.
Each of the Latvian Radio Big Band performances is like an energy exchange between the musicians and the audience. Today the collective is an integral part of the Latvian culture scene and they are preparing new and interesting projects under the leadership of artistic director Kārlis Vanags.
... Very good, captivating and sometimes moving compositions ... are characterized by a clear, clean and spatial sound...
jazz-fun, 23-11-2024
... a great combination that can be both arousing and relaxing - depending on your mood...
er em online, 17-11-2024
... The result is music that expands on classic big band jazz with subtle nuances of chamber music, in which Gesing's solos are inscribed like delicate lines of sound.
Jazzthing, 25-10-2024