Milena Granci: ‘To Some Place New’

If you are ready for it, the debut album from pianist and composer Milena Granci will transport you ‘To Some Place New’.

From the opening piano chords of Floating through to the final chord of Lament, this album allows the listener to explore the recesses of memory and imagination, with a huge range of cinematic, contemporary jazz melodies and arrangements.

As To Some Place New forms part of her own physical journey to London, Granci has selected musicians she met while studying at the Guildhall School of Music and Drama: Aitzi Cofre Real (vocals), Harry Toulson (alto sax), James Pettinger (accordion), Ali Watson (double bass) and Ollie Peszynski (drums).

The heart of the album is the title track, with a lyrical vocal melody accompanied by piano, joined by accordion and bass, then sax and drums. That layering opens a vast landscape of sounds above which the wordless vocals soar, intertwining with sax before a delightful, light improvisation section giving freedom to accordion and sax as they dance around each other. The tension builds and drops into a slower, introspective vocal that is almost like turning a corner into an undiscovered part of a new city where once again accordion and sax catch us up.

Enjoy To Some Place New with headphones on - close your eyes and allow yourself to imagine that journey.

Milena Granci’s ‘To Some Place New’ is out now on Bandcamp