Following on from her sold out album After Dark on Jazzman records, Amanda Whiting is making a name for herself on the British jazz scene. From Wales, the home of the harp, Amanda has taken her classical roots and forged them in the path of jazz harpist Dorothy Ashby and Alice Coltrane. Her unique style resulted in her nomination for the Jazz FM "2021 Instrumentalist of the Year." She has toured extensively with Matthew Halsall and the Gondwana Orchestra performing at jazz festivals around the world. More recent collaborations have included touring with Chip Wickham, Greg Foat, and Rebecca Vasmant. She also performed at the We Jazz festival, Finland in November 2021. 2022 will see the release of her new album Lost in Abstraction and performances in Helsinki and other festivals throughout the year. She will also be performing at XJazz Berlin and We Out Here with the Rebecca Vasmant Ensemble.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
CD
|
|
JMAN 132CD
|
Welsh harpist Amanda Whiting returns on Jazzman Records following on from her successful debut album After Dark (JMAN 125CD/LP, 2021). New explorations and global changing events have led Whiting to Lost in Abstraction. The Reynolds/Thorne/Whiting trio is joined again by the mesmerizing lines of flautist Chip Wickham, resuming their conversation reminiscent of Dorothy Ashby and Frank Wess. Lost in Abstraction was written during a period of the unknown when Whiting, like most, explored her own sense of self. The world paused, with no timeframe, and the fragility of life was laid bare. A time when humanity was left searching for purpose. Freedom and the dependable structures of familiarity were dissolved in most aspects of life. But music stayed constant. Creativity kept weaving its thread, connecting music and its makers in an indissoluble bond. The album explores the questions and realizations whilst confined. The spiritual findings, the playful curiousness and the reflective moments of loss. Whiting's writing indulges the listener with the spiritual ethereal washes of sound demanded of the harp, whilst also embracing her influences across many genres. Classically trained, her roots are evident. But with an emotionally charged energy and spiritual questioning, a new soundscape of modernity has emerged. So often associated with Ashby and Coltrane, the harp finds itself in the hands of a new voice which tells the story of a period of time where the world was unified in reflection. So, what is that feeling when you resonate? When your breath steadies and you let go. Lines no longer restrict or choke. Energies envelop, yet set you free. Are you lost or found? Personnel: Amanda Whiting - harp; Chip Wickham - flute; Aidan Thorne - bass; Jon Reynolds - drums; Baldo Verdú - percussion.
|
|
|
Artist |
Title |
Format |
Label |
Catalog # |
|
|
LP
|
|
JMAN 132LP
|
LP version. Includes download card. Welsh harpist Amanda Whiting returns on Jazzman Records following on from her successful debut album After Dark (JMAN 125CD/LP, 2021). New explorations and global changing events have led Whiting to Lost in Abstraction. The Reynolds/Thorne/Whiting trio is joined again by the mesmerizing lines of flautist Chip Wickham, resuming their conversation reminiscent of Dorothy Ashby and Frank Wess. Lost in Abstraction was written during a period of the unknown when Whiting, like most, explored her own sense of self. The world paused, with no timeframe, and the fragility of life was laid bare. A time when humanity was left searching for purpose. Freedom and the dependable structures of familiarity were dissolved in most aspects of life. But music stayed constant. Creativity kept weaving its thread, connecting music and its makers in an indissoluble bond. The album explores the questions and realizations whilst confined. The spiritual findings, the playful curiousness and the reflective moments of loss. Whiting's writing indulges the listener with the spiritual ethereal washes of sound demanded of the harp, whilst also embracing her influences across many genres. Classically trained, her roots are evident. But with an emotionally charged energy and spiritual questioning, a new soundscape of modernity has emerged. So often associated with Ashby and Coltrane, the harp finds itself in the hands of a new voice which tells the story of a period of time where the world was unified in reflection. So, what is that feeling when you resonate? When your breath steadies and you let go. Lines no longer restrict or choke. Energies envelop, yet set you free. Are you lost or found? Personnel: Amanda Whiting - harp; Chip Wickham - flute; Aidan Thorne - bass; Jon Reynolds - drums; Baldo Verdú - percussion.
|
|
|
Artist |
Title |
Format |
Label |
Catalog # |
|
|
10"
|
|
JMAN 124LP
|
From Wales, the home of the harp, Amanda Whiting has taken her classical roots and forged them in the path of jazz harpist Dorothy Ashby. She has toured extensively with Matthew Halsall and the Gondwana Orchestra performing at jazz festivals around the world. More recent collaborations have included recording with DJ Yoda and Chip Wickham and touring Wickham's latest album including appearances at Ronnie Scotts and Le Petit Halle, Paris. Whiting's first album was recorded as a trio for CD in 2013, and pays tribute to Coltrane and Ashby with her own take on standards. She's joined by Deej Williams (bass) and Tony Robinson (drums). Here, Jazzman Records have taken a selection of tracks for inclusion on vinyl. Housed in a beautiful bespoke flip-back sleeve; edition of 500.
|
|
|
Artist |
Title |
Format |
Label |
Catalog # |
|
|
CD
|
|
JMAN 125CD
|
Taking cues from Dorothy Ashby and Alice Coltrane at their most delicate, renowned Welsh harpist Amanda Whiting's mesmerizing Jazzman full-length After Dark arrives as soft as moonlight to gladden the soul and delight the ear -- without forgetting to bring the swing. Summoning the nocturnal mood suggested by the album's title, Whiting's harp flows and cascades, dances and alights, broods and haunts, informed by a deep understanding of both classical and jazz music, ultimately revealing a top-drawer composer with rare melodic gifts at the top of her game. From the melancholy opening track "Time Stands Still" to the more rhythmically unorthodox "Who Knows" to the achingly beautiful title track, the album is underpinned by a supportive band, John Reynolds on drums and Aidan Thorne on bass, who are perfectly suited to engage in an effortless, intimate musical dialogue. Already an inveterate international jazz festival performer with Matthew Halsall's Gondwana Orchestra, Whiting has supported and performed with a diverse range of DJs and jazz and pop artists including Jamie Cullum, DJ Yoda, Rebecca Vasmant, True Jazzchild, Danii Minogue, Jazzanova, and Chip Wickham (who features on three tracks on After Dark, adding a touch of the graceful warmth for which he has been so justly acclaimed). And as jazz harp teacher at the Royal Welsh College of Music and Drama, the Royal Birmingham Conservatoire, and RNCM, Amanda is as warmly received in the lecture hall as the concert hall. Be sure to expect more from Amanda in the not-too distant future.
|
|
|
Artist |
Title |
Format |
Label |
Catalog # |
|
|
LP
|
|
JMAN 125LP
|
LP version. 180 gram vinyl; tip-on sleeve. Taking cues from Dorothy Ashby and Alice Coltrane at their most delicate, renowned Welsh harpist Amanda Whiting's mesmerizing Jazzman full-length After Dark arrives as soft as moonlight to gladden the soul and delight the ear -- without forgetting to bring the swing. Summoning the nocturnal mood suggested by the album's title, Whiting's harp flows and cascades, dances and alights, broods and haunts, informed by a deep understanding of both classical and jazz music, ultimately revealing a top-drawer composer with rare melodic gifts at the top of her game. From the melancholy opening track "Time Stands Still" to the more rhythmically unorthodox "Who Knows" to the achingly beautiful title track, the album is underpinned by a supportive band, John Reynolds on drums and Aidan Thorne on bass, who are perfectly suited to engage in an effortless, intimate musical dialogue. Already an inveterate international jazz festival performer with Matthew Halsall's Gondwana Orchestra, Whiting has supported and performed with a diverse range of DJs and jazz and pop artists including Jamie Cullum, DJ Yoda, Rebecca Vasmant, True Jazzchild, Danii Minogue, Jazzanova, and Chip Wickham (who features on three tracks on After Dark, adding a touch of the graceful warmth for which he has been so justly acclaimed). And as jazz harp teacher at the Royal Welsh College of Music and Drama, the Royal Birmingham Conservatoire, and RNCM, Amanda is as warmly received in the lecture hall as the concert hall. Be sure to expect more from Amanda in the not-too distant future.
|
|
|
|