Redshift Records has a debut recording for us today by Canada’s Aerie Trio. Diane Berry is on flute, Nathan Jacklin, cello and Kathryn Le Gros, piano, clarinet and rainstick.
The three call Victoria, British Columbia home — a beautiful, historic city on the southern tip of Vancouver Island, just off the mainland’s west coast. While Victoria attracts posh tourists from around the world, the island’s mix of mountains, beaches and rainforests is a kind of environmentalist’s playground.
Berry has composed a fittingly lush tribute to the island entitled Water, Rock, Tree, Sky. The project began as a collaboration with chef Castro Boateng entitled The Art of Harmonizing Music and Food. Seven of the nine sections serve as tributes to Vancouver Island spots. Those, along with a prelude and coda, were paired with a dish from Boateng’s menu.
The album also features Maria Wang on cello and vocalist Marnie Setka-Mooney.
The performances are as timeless as the landscape they pay tribute to. There is a brightness at play here that captures the island’s unique wonder, no matter the weather.
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