Karen O

Montreal mother and daughter, who have always shared a passion for music, take their partnership to the next level with a new album. Dreamers is a delight. The globe-trotting, stylistically voracious collection of duets is a tribute to the pair’s varied influences, from the breezy Quantas Voltas Dá Meu Mundo, by Brazil’s Djavan; to the mischievously twisted Somebody, by late American jazz saxophonist Steve Lacy; Valser en mi Bémol, by Quebec’s Catherine Major; classical great Benjamin Britten’s Corpus Christi; and Turkish treat Ben Seni Sevdugumi, by the late Kazim Koyuncu.

Karen Elson announced, via her Instagram, her sophomore album, entitled "Double Roses", to be released April 7th, featuring a brilliant cast of characters and produced by Jonathan Wilson. The first single, "Distant Shore", features Benmont Tench, San Sonic and Laura Marling. The image and artwork was made by Theo Wenner and Fabien Baron. Karen says: "It's been a long time coming and I'm so happy to share all that's been haunting me".

My musical life has been punctuated by special encounters with saxophonists. A deep dive into Steve Lacy’s music after his death resulted in formative projects, notably The Rent (Ambiances Magnétiques, 2010). My organisational talents made possible orchestral projects with Anthony Braxton (2007) and Roscoe Mitchell (2016) as well as a delightful Canadian tour by Evan Parker (2011). However, my daily work is animated especially by relationships with alto players in cities where I’ve resided: John Oswald and Karen Ng (Toronto) and Jean Derome and Yves Charuest (Montréal). Pal o’Alto is a homonymic nod to a tune by Lee Konitz, who died during the 2020 pandemic while this record was being produced. Konitz’s music has also affected me profoundly and, while a straightforward tribute is not really my purview, I like to imagine that his spirit lurked as I made this music with these four dear pals. — Scott Thomson