Willow is a singer/songwriter who is fresh, fun and engaging. Her sound is a hybrid of folk, jazz and blues. Her voice is warm and intimate with a velvet texture.
Willow’s lyrics tell real stories and are sung with honesty and conviction. Her first full length original CD, You Still Do, draws the listener into her musical world with a blend of rich moving love songs and mature lyrics.
Her soft blues folk compositions, her inviting arrangements, all marketable and smooth, are often compared to those of Norah Jones and Eva Cassidy. Her alto voice has been likened to that of Karen Carpenter’s for its intimate deep rich sound. Willow always sounds as if she’s singing just for you – right into your ear.
Willow grew up in the country and moved to the city - Montreal - in her teens just in time to explore her love for dancing, theatre and music. This led to a university degree in Fine Arts specializing in jazz guitar and vocals. Her vintage Gibson guitar (ES 335) is her baby and is always on stage with her.
Growing up, Willow's home was always alive with music ranging from classical to jazz to good rock & roll and lots of great American Songbook singers – Ella, Frank, Tony, Sarah Vaughn and her favourites: Carmen McRae and Rosemary Clooney. This gave her a firm grasp of good music and how to tell a story and make it real. Willow then fell in love with the songwriting genres of James Taylor and Sting. This melting pot of influences has inspired her to create her very own sound on You Still Do.
After graduation, she performed in Montreal with a variety of musical groupings including the Montreal Jazz Big Band. This was followed by singing engagements all over the world – Japan, the Middle East, Spain and England. She cruised the Mediterranean and Caribbean seas performing to audiences seven days a week. This experience taught her how to craft a stage show and entertain with her songs.
This brings us back to Montreal where Willow completed her first CD, You Still Do, produced with her song-writing partner and husband Kerrie Moss and her long time musical partner Larry Cassini. It has been received with glowing reviews: “She writes songs that are tasty.†(Ralph Boncy, L’actualité, Octobre 2006).
Summer 2006, she brought down the house night after night during a featured concert series at the Metropolis as part of the Montreal International Jazz Festival. Alexandre Vigneault from La Presse came to the Savoy for one of her nine concerts and wrote this review: “It’s a real treat to savour her silky voice and that chic melancholy.â€
Willow is getting air play on CBC radio, and the new Planete jazz radio station formerly known as Couleur Jazz (91.9 FM). They have been playing her tunes daily since they were blown away by her unique style.
It’s when she plays her own material that she is the most captivating. — Alexandre Vigneault, La Presse
Willow is a young woman full of energy who has vowed never to pretend. — Ralph Boncy, L’actualité
To purchase the CD "YOU STILL DO" visit:
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