Madeleine Peyroux Joins Art of Time Ensemble for SONGBOOK 7, 5/31 & 6/1

Art of Time Ensemble closes their 2012/13 season on a high note, welcoming world renowned jazz singer Madeleine Peyroux to the Enwave Theatre stage on May 31 and June 1. In Songbook 7, Peyroux steps outside her comfort zone to perform twelve handpicked songs from her favourite artists, including Billy Joel, Elvis Presley and George and Ira Gershwin. Due to the popularity of the concert, a new block of tickets for the almost sold-out performances was released Tuesday, April 30.

Dubbed "the 21^st century Billie Holiday", Peyroux's distinct voice and style has carried the jazz artist from busking on the streets of Paris to working with Rolling Stone's Bill Wyman and Steely Dan's Walter Becker. Peyroux makes her Art of Time debut fresh off a tour promoting her new #1 selling jazz album "The Blue Room".

Songbook 7 is the latest incarnation of Art of Time's acclaimed Songbook series, which invites a pop singer to select contemporary songs for a one-of-a-kind concert and perform them in exclusive arrangements by Canada's top composers. An equal collaboration between the singers and arrangers, the resulting works offer a different twist than if the singer covered the song themselves. Created by Art of Time's artistic director Andrew Burashko, Songbook debuted in 2007 and has since featured some of Canada's top artists, including Sarah Slean and Steven Page.

"The Songbook series excites me because we have the privilege of working with some of this country's most talented artists to reinvent songs we're all familiar with, while retaining the songs' essence," said Burashko. "This intimate concert will showcase Madeleine Peyroux, a singer I've long admired, like you've never heard her before. The arrangements are a stunningly beautiful departure from Madeleine's signature style and hearing her perform them will be a once in a lifetime opportunity."

While Peyroux's performances typically feature very sparse musical accompaniment, Art of Time specializes in intricate arrangements. For Songbook 7, Peyroux worked closely with Burashko and the composers to achieve a balance between these two styles, while staying true to the soul of the original songs. With this concert, Peyroux steps outside her comfort zone and adds new stylistic colour to her musical vocabulary.

The evening will feature twelve songs handpicked by Peyroux, such as Elvis Presley's "Can't Help Falling In Love", Billy Joel's "My Life", Billie Holiday's "Having Myself A Time" and George and Ira Gershwin's "Someone To Watch Over Me". Each song was arranged by a long-time Art of Time collaborator, lending each song individual nuances. The band accompanying Peyroux is a mixture of classical and jazz heavyweights, including Andrew Burashko (piano), Benjamin Bowman (violin), Rob Carli (saxophone & clarinet), Rachel Mercer (cello), Joseph Phillips (bass) and Rob Piltch (guitar).

Songbook 7: Madeleine Peyroux will be on stage for two nights only at the intimate Enwave Theatre (231 Queens Quay West). Tickets from $25 to $59 are available online at harbourfrontcentre.com, by phone at 416.973.4000 or in-person at the box office.Capacity is limited, but a new block of tickets will be on sale Wednesday, May 1.

Director/Conductor: Andrew Burashko

Singer: Madeleine Peyroux

Musicians: Andrew Burashko Piano
Benjamin Bowman Violin
Rachel Mercer Cello
Joseph Phillips Bass
Rob Plitch Guitar
Robert Carli, Saxophone

Arrangers: Jim McGrath
Gavin Bryars
Tom Szczesniak
Steve Mackinnon
Jonathan Goldsmith
Aaron Davis
Glenn Buhr
Cam Wilson
Lev Zhurbin
Bryden Baird
John Welsman
Robert Carli

Art of Time Ensemble is the creation of renowned classical pianist and Artistic Director Andrew Burashko. Not content to rehash basic classical repertoire, Burashko and Art of Time Ensemble have become known for their daring interaction with the Toronto cultural scene. Now in its fifteenth season, Art of Time Ensemble is one of Canada's most innovative and artistically accomplished music ensembles. Their mandate is to give classical music the contemporary relevance and context it needs to maintain a broader audience to survive. Since its inception, Art of Time has steadily grown in reputation as an ensemble that undertakes and delivers programs that are at once thought-provoking and compelling. Committed to finding new ways of blending classical music with other genres as well as other art forms, each Art of Time program is uniquely different in theme and content.