Jaclyn Guillou - To the City (2011)

"To The City, the debut studio CD of Jaclyn Guillou is polished and playful. Jaclyn’s voice has rhythm, movement, and unique expression. When you layer this over a cast of players who can sculpt notes with their instruments, you have an album that is so rich with dimension you need a pair of 3D glasses to listen to it. There are a number of standout tracks on this CD one of which is “That’s All”. Guest vocalist Denzal Sinclaire raises the bar high with his impeccable phrasing which is met every step of the way by Guillou and Evan Arntzen’s clarinet. Little Red Shoes is fun song that highlights some of the playfulness of the album. The smooth tinkling of the vibes is a good contrast to the fullness of Chris Davis’s trumpet and Rod Murray on trombone. The title track To the City has a cosmopolitan feel to and when you listen you will hear shades of Guillou’s story in every line. Jaclyn Guillou has surrounded herself with outstanding musicians that support her beautifully without giving up any of their own presence, making this album interesting to listen to. There is a reason she was chosen as a Galaxy Rising Star...Jaclyn Guillou is the whole package." ~ ! Earshot (review by Shelley Gummeson)

"Guillou sings with a purity that keeps this jazz-pop grounded. Piano-based with some savory touches of clarinet and trumpet, To The City sounds playful yet classic. It’s possible to imagine Guillou has a sparkle in her eyes and it’s that kind of joy the album radiates." ~ The Province (review by Tom Harrison)

"BC has produced another rising star, someone perhaps to follow in the footsteps of international jazz artist Diana Krall in the years to come." ~ Review Vancouver

“Guillou’s originals have the brassy, mellow glow of jazz standards as if they were plucked straight out of the vault and given a gently modern spin.” ~ Slocan Valley Current

Personnel: Vocals – Jaclyn Guillou; Piano – Randy Porter; Vibraphone – Tom Beckham; Bass – Michael Rush; Drums – Joe Poole; Piano (tracks 1, 5) – Bruno Hubert; Vocals (track 7) – Denzal Sinclaire
Trumpet (tracks 3,4, 8, 10, 13) – Chris Davis; Tenor Sax (tracks 3, 10) & Clarinet (track 7) – Evan Arntzen; Trombone (track 3) – Rod Murray; Percussion (track 8, 9, 11) – Rafael Geronimo