Review: O Mistress Moon: Canadian Edition | La Scena

La Scena

Jennifer King loves to introduce us to Canadian gems. For her latest project, she has chosen solo piano works by eight Canadian composers including Kevin Lau, Sandy Moore, Richard Gibson, Amy Brandon and Jean Coulthard. These names may not mean much to you yet, but here the whole is greater than the sum of its parts. 

As its name suggests, Mistress Moon takes as its theme the moon, the starry night and the space beyond. It invites us to rethink our relationship with nature, to rediscover a form of ancestral wisdom. The pandemic has forced us to change our lifestyles. It has also made us face the fragility of the world. Through the album, Jennifer King says she wants to help us, in her own way, to turn the page. One can only be charmed by the calm and meditative sweetness that emanates from her piano interpretations. Modern musical language often takes us out of our comfort zone and brings with it its share of anxieties, but it can also be intoxicating when the pace quickens. There are many moments when the music reaches heights of vitality. One can say that the album breathes renewal.  Justin Bernard