Chris Conway - Through Mirrors We Met

background
One fine day I had the idea to gather together many of the female vocalists I have worked with over the years and record an improvisation with each, accompanied by the piano. They come from many genres - jazz, world music, singer-songwriter, folk, Irish, Jewish, electronica and classical and blends between. Some were experienced improvisers, some had done little, but I wanted to make a little musical snapshot of each one.

With 9 of the singers I was lucky enough to record with live, face to face in my studio. In each case we recorded about 4 improvisations and selected our favourite. With the other 6 who lived further afield - Brighton, Bristol, London, Toronto, and Rio De Janeiro - I had to send them a piano piece to record with at their studio. Not quite the same, but most had several goes at it and sent me their best take - some were very spontaneous, some studied a little - their choice. Some were happier improvising lyrics, most sang wordless - again their choice. I did try to tailor my piano playing to each singers style.

I also thought it would be great to hear all 15 voices together, so I also had each singer record on the same backdrop of electronic music - Through Mirrors We Met. It was fascinating hearing each singer’s different ideas triggered by the same music. I edited them down and also constructed the interlude Mirror pieces of vocal trios from this.

So 15 singers gathered together to make this album, but never met to do so. We met through the mirrors of computers, the internet and, above all, music.


Collectively these vocalists have recorded on 34 of my albums over the years.
Victoria Bourne sings blues, jazz and in contemporary music theatre.
Lorraine Bowen is a singer-songwriter, comediene. and star of TV, radio and stage.
Vikki Clayton is a singer-songwriter in the UK folk-rock scene,
Mo Coulson is a singer-songwriter, Celtic harper and storyteller,
Kate Easton is a singer-songwriter and viola player.
Linda Faulkner is a vocalist in electronic music and other styles.
Ithamara Koorax is a Brazilian jazz star who has worked with Jobim, John McLaughlin, ...everybody!,
Jodi Krangle is a singer-songwriter on the filk scene and a jazz singer.
Bridget McMahon sings, writes and plays Irish music,
Debbie Robinson is primarily a jazz singer.
Georgina Sear sings in many styles and is in several classical choirs.
Linda Shanovitch is a singer-songwriter and works in Indian world music fusion.
Judith Silveris a singer-songwriter and also sings Jewish and choral music.
Chloe Singer is a singer-songwriter who also sings jazz and in a gospel choir.
Ola Szmidt is a singer-songwriter and works in electronica

influences
piano - Steve Kuhn, John Taylor, Azimuth, Richie Beirach, Rainer Brüninghaus, Bobo Stenson, Terry Riley, Alexander Scriabin, Marcin Wasilewski.
voices - Norma Winstone, Aina Kemanis, Urzula Dudziak, Flora Purim, Greetje Bijma, Lindha Svantesson, Jay Clayton, Lauren Newton, Jana Koubkova

trivia
The working title for the album was The Shevox Project.

Almost all of the tracks recorded live in the studio were first takes.

Each Mirror track features the artists on the next three tracks - they enter and leave the track in the order their tracks appear.

CC's favourite track - Through Mirrors We Met