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Fern Lindzon

JUNO Award nominee Fern Lindzon is a muti-faceted pianist/vocalist/composer with a technique Whole Note Magazine called “intricate, yet commanding”, and her latest CD Two Kites, “breathtakingly beautiful.” Montreal critic Irwin Block writes that Fern is a “rare and fascinating talent”, and the Los Angeles Jazz Scene’s Scott Yanow describes her as having “a warm and haunting voice along with excellent technique on the piano and an adverturous spirit.” Fern's highly original arrangements fly gracefully on the winds of contemporary jazz.

Fern’s second CD, Two Kites (2011), was nominated for a 2012 JUNO Award as Vocal Jazz Album of the Year. It has also drawn admiring comments from the New York pianist Fred Hersch and the British singer Norma Winstone, as well as from reviewers for The WholeNote, Los Angeles Jazz Scene and several other publications. Its launch was supported by a juried Special Projects award from Toronto Downtown Jazz. Fern’s first CD, Moments Like These (2008), was also critically well received and led to a feature article in The Globe and Mail and a concert recorded for broadcast in 2009 on CBC Radio’s Canada Live. Fern has been heard at leading jazz clubs in Toronto, Ottawa, Montreal, Vancouver and Victoria, at jazz festivals in Ontario. Fern will be releasing her third CD, Like a Circle in a Spiral on Thursday, May 8 at the Jazz Bistro in Toronto.

"... Fern Lindzon is a musician who dances to the beat of her own heart... a musician who is secure in her sense of herself, her art and her craft." (Mark Miller- Liner notes, Like a Circle in a Spiral)

Praise for Two Kites:

"Lindzon is a vocalist of rare talent and innate musicality, and she takes chances with repertoire and approach. She brings a light and sure touch to everything she sings on Two Kites, soaring on the updraft of Jobim’s title bossa nova, exploring a medley of Yiddish songs and breathing slightly ironic life into the ancient bar room standard “Basin Street Blues.” Lindzon plays piano well enough to forego singing, creating a rapport with the band that most singers can merely envy." (Stuart Broomer, CBC.ca)

“On pianist/vocalist/composer Fern Lindzon’s sophomore recording, she explores themes of spiritual and emotional transcendence as well as the kinaesthetic experience of soaring through, around and above the natural elements of wind, sea and sky. The musical journey is an eclectic one…there is a unifying creative intent on this breathtakingly beautiful album.” Lesley Mitchell Clarke, WholeNote

Fern Lindzon Quartet at Chalkers Pub Saturday January 10

Source: All About Jazz
January 8, 2009

A piano player and singer of smooth elegance, Fern is also a member of the award-winning Sisters Of Sheynville all-female Folk Roots group. Trained as a Classical pianist, she turned to Jazz and has released an album of original music. Shell be accompanied by Mike Murley, Andrew Downing and Nick Fraser.

WHO: The Fern Lindzon Quartet

WHEN: Sunday, January 11th 7-10 p.m.

WHERE: Chalkers Pub and Bistro 247 Marlee Ave. ...
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“The musical journey is an eclectic one, featuring original material, Brazilian and Yiddish compositions as well as blues and a medley of Broadway standards—even so, there is a unifying creative intent on this breathtakingly beautiful album.” Lesley Mitchell-Clarke, Whole Note Magazine, July 2011

“Lindzon has emerged as a rare and fascinating talent, combining an artful and adventurous approach to her piano and vocals.” Irwin Block, Senior Times Montreal, July 2011

“A talented jazz singer-pianist from Toronto, Fern Lindzon has a warm and haunting voice that displays the influence of both classical and folk music along with excellent technique on the piano and an adventurous spirit... Two Kites serves as a particularly strong overview of her talents and it makes for a very enjoyable listen.” Scott Yanow, Los Angeles Jazz Scene, June 2011

“Lindzon has emerged as a rare and fascinating talent, combining an artful and adventurous approach to her piano and vocals.” Irwin Block, Senior Times Montreal, July 2011

“Toronto’s Fern Lindzon has been steadily honing her chops in the city’s jazz scene for a number of years, and on her varied second album the classical-turned-jazz singer/pianist delivers adventurous originals as well as some artful twists on classics... The album’s strongest moments come during the lengthy instrumental jams, where her stunning piano work and imaginative improvisation move into the spotlight.” Carla Gillis, Now Toronto, May 2011

"Fern Lindzon has chosen her material, and her collaborators, with unerring instinct. Each piece is musically shaped with great warmth and directness." KATIE MALLOCH, Tonic, CBC Radio 2

"Take a sensitive singer/pianist, choose an imaginative set of songs, add George Koller on bass, guitarist Reg Schwager and Don Thompson on vibes - but only one of them on each number- and you are already rounding third and heading home. It is difficult to choose favorites from this CD and Lindzon has created an album that might just be too good to be "popular", but real listeners to the music will find a great deal of pleasure in this tasteful collection of superior lyrics and melodies." JIM GALLOWAY, Whole Note Magazine, April 08

"A very talented pianist and singer from Toronto, Fern Lindzon has released a rather unusual debut CD. She is featured in duets with either guitarist Reg Schwager, bassist George Koller or vibraphonist Don Thompson. Duets, even more than solos, are particularly tricky because they leave each player very exposed, and the two musicians must work perfectly together or their missteps will be obvious. There is nowhere to hide.

But with musicians of this caliber, there is no reason for anyone to hide. Fern Lindzon, who takes vocals on eight of the 11 duets, is not shy to take chances yet she makes it all sound easy. She sings her own lyrics to Wayne Shorter's "Infant Eyes" (which is retitled "To See Through Infant Eyes") and her vocalese to "Moments Like These" which she uses as a prelude to her lyrics to "Stolen Moments." She turns the Jewish piece "Re'i" into a haunting ballad, contributes the playful "You Really Shouldn't, But…" (a thinly disguised "Well You Needn't"), and takes "Where Do You Start" as a solo piece. Everything works.

Clearly Fern Lindzon deserves to be better known on this side of the Canadian border. Moments Like These, which is available from www.fernlindzon, is a keeper." SCOTT YANOW, Los Angeles Jazz Scene, April 08

“Up next was the sultry vocal-jazz stylings of another top- notch Toronto-based pianist, Fern Lindzon, backed by the sublime guitarist Tony Quarrington and Ben Miller on bass. Lindzon’s delicate voice and Quarrington’s feathery guitar work together to make quiet music with a powerful impact.” -Sebastian Cook, “A beautifully eclectic chorus for freedom in Burma” The Live Music Report, December 2007

“…Then there's the Yiddish classic Chiribim…the middle section is infused with great jazz solos by saxophonist Jane Fair and pianist Fern Lindzon…I must mention the outstanding rhythm section… These ladies are terrific! They shift between swing, bulgar, Latin, and contemporary jazz with ease and absolutely nail each style…I really liked the musical arrangements of Fern Lindzon, who has a great understanding of the varied musical styles on the album.” -Keith Wolzinger, Sheynville Express, Sisters of Sheynville, Klezmer Podcast, December 2007

“Not to be missed is Tisch Nign II, which stands out as a short, sad and beautiful divergent piano composition by Lindzon and should be listened to and absorbed with eyes closed.” -Andy Levy-Ajzenkpf, Lithuanian Empire CD a cause for celebration, Canadian Jewish News, August 2007

“…beautiful and pensive hard-bop style jazz piano…Fern Lindzon’s solo performance begins with a short and subtle doina followed by a lovely classical style arrangement with hints of Shostakovitch’s innovative harmonic pairing…great solos by Fern on piano. It’s perfect.” -Eric Zaidins, The Lithuanian Empire, www.klezmershack.com October 2007

“Singers are the hot item these days, with lots of new voices on the scene; but we shouldn’t forget those who have established themselves over the years, proving themselves to be no flash in the pan. One such singer is Fern Lindzon. - Jim Galloway, WholeNote Magazine, April, 2005

“Critic’s choice” notices, WholeNote Magazine (Jim Galloway, 2003, 2005), Toronto Sun (Mary Dickie, 2006), Toronto Star (Geoff Chapman, June 2006; Ashante Infantry, October 2007) Interviews, Ralph Benmergui, Jazz FM91, Toronto, 2005

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Primary Instrument

Piano

Location

Toronto

Willing to teach

Beginner to advanced

Credentials/Background

Havergal College, Toronto- jazz choir, private piano and vocal students

Clinic/Workshop Information

the art of self-accompaniment and jazz improvisation. As a jazz pianist/vocalist I demonstrate how to accompany yourself on an instrument an improvise at the same time!