Heavy Falls the Night

Elizabeth Shepherd is among Canada's most promising young talents and she has the widespread critical acclaim to prove it. The rave reviews for her first two studio albums as well as sold-out performances at prestigious venues like Tokyo's Cotton Club, London's Jazz Cafe and the Hollywood Bowl have been extremely gratifying for Shepherd, but the Toronto-based singer/songwriter/pianist has never been content to rest on past achievements. Shepherd's debut Start to Move (2006) and follow-up Parkdale (2008) were both JUNO nominated and described as 'pushing the boundaries of jazz'. with the release of her stunning third album Heavy Falls the Night, she pushes well past those boundaries to carve out her own niche of smart, sophisticated and adventurous music. Heavy Falls the Night takes the listener on an unpredictable musical ride. It's hard to pick a favourite track from such an eclectic album but, depending on your taste, it could be the dancefloor ready Seven Bucks, co-produced by Japanese mixmaster DJ Mitsu the Beats (Dwele, Jose James), and inspired by an NFB documentary. Or it could be the Taking - Shepherd's powerful tribute to the women who came before her - knocked out in Jazz 11/8 time. Or maybe it's the supremely soulful reworking of Anne Murray's 70s soft-rock radio staple Danny's Song, one of the few secular songs that made it past the gatekeepers in Shepherd's Salvation Army childhood home. Elizabeth's rhythmically intricate, groove-oriented tunes, sincere lyrics and distinct, soulful voice have earned her a worldwide following, and her fans will certainly not be disappointed by the explorations on this new record. Critics, hipsters and music aficionados from London to Tokyo have been spreading the word for a few years now, and will surely continue to embrace her music. But more importantly, with Heavy Falls the Night, Elizabeth Shepherd is destined to reach music lovers everywhere.