Artists: Sophie Milman

Record date & venue: The National Arts Centre, Fourth Stage

October 29, 2011

Recording engineer: Shane Bryanton, assisted by Roland Markwort

Concert Producer: Amanda Putz

Contracted at:60 min, 1 year Budget # 526 1245 - 31212

Description: It seems unbelievable that Sophie Milman is still under 30. She's a name that those in the musical-know have had on their lips for what feels like decades, but in reality has been seven years since her debut. Sophie is a Torontonian who was born in Russia and grew up in Israel, and all three places were highly influential in her lifetime love of American jazz music. In the Moonlight is album number four, and first masterpiece--or so claims her one-sheet! This masterpiece was somehow squeezed in during completion of a Gold Medal in commerce from U of T. Clearly a woman who knows how to use both sides of her brain, she has dug deep into it to pull memories that make up the song choices on Moonlight. Rather than just pick tunes, she chose songs that connected her to her past, her story, or made her feel. From Feist to Gershwin, some are sad, others have happier connotations, but all are sung in her exquisite voice full of emotion and depth.

CBC Ottawa recorded her on the second night of her two-night stand at the Fourth Stage, but on the original concert date--the night-before was added after Saturday night sold-out quickly. This allowed a warm-up night for her to get used to the venue and she owned it!

Players: Sophie Milman - vocals / Paul Shrofel - piano / Kieran Overs - upright bass / Perry Smith - guitar / Evan Hughs - drums

First & Subsequent airdates (if applicable): Bandwidth: Nov26/11

Date Went Live on COD: Photographer: Amanda Putz

- would kill #1, #9,

1. Speak Low -- okay, seems like it start low

2. Let Me Love You -- comes in deeper, throatier

BANTER: thanks, happy to be at NAC as part of a program of Cdn artists

- don't get to play Canada as often

- NAC is my gold standard for sound

- thrilled for this wonderful audience, so loud

- misconception that jazz musicians like a quiet crowd

- we're all insecure at the end of the day so if you're loud we're happy

- excited CBC's recording this

- new recording called In the Moonlight

- this is the song that inspired the title, by Marilyn & Alan Bergman, called Moonlight

3. Moonlight -- title track off new CD, good

BANTER: (over applause) wow, you guys took what I said really seriously! Thank you!

4. I Concentrate on You -- like this one [from 2009 album "Take Love Easy"] (upbeat)

BANTER: - been listening to jazz all my life & one of my fave is Duke Ellington

- more like poems than songs

- for this album I wanted to record one of their tunes

- modern day singers don't really do this one--young chickies like me

- it's not done often because it's super-hard

- we're going to try it for you now

5. Prelude to a Kiss -- lovely (slow)

BANTER: sitting at home a yr ago watching TV & a Glade commercial

- watching commercial and think, "this is our tune"

- Paul wrote this amazing tune & it was chosen to be in this Airwick thing

- when you see the Airwick commercial don't flip!

- from our 2nd album, written by Paul

6. So Long, You Fool -- really long solos in this one; audience is super into it though (upbeat jazzy fun number)

BANTER: - next song is also from Take Love Easy

- it's the Bruce Springsteen song

- those that don't know the non-hits, it's easy to sing along

7. I'm On Fire -- def keeper (slow)

8. It Might As Well Be Spring -- shows band's tightness (fast, upbeat)

9. Oh Look At Me Now -- more typical, kind of boring (mid-tempo)

BANTER: - so happy to be Cdn

- although we gripe about gov'ts we're very lucky here, no matter who is in power

- we also have a lot of talent

- on this record I decided to cover a Feist song

- I read the song & lyrics and it's from a very tempermental female perspective, I could relate

- this is how I feel after fights with my husband after I go all postal on him

- married couples might relate

10. I'm Sorry -- Feist song, nice guitar highlights, sounds so different than the other slow jazz numbers (slow, sweet)

BANTER: - nobody wanted me to record this one, because it's overdone & it's this and it's that

- so many are overdone but I grew up listening to this

-when we were in Israel life was so difficult & my parents worked 3 jobs

- I was a latchkey kid & I'd make my own dinner at the age of 7

- I'd listen to these jazz records & my dad would call out tunes when we would drive places

- "Smoke on the Water" Deep Purple

- this was the song he asked for the most

- doesn't matter what the producer said, manager, husband, when I played my recording for my dad he cried & that was validation enough

11. Til There Was You -- story is so good doesn't matter what the song's like!

12. Ces Petits Riens -- longer tune, but nice & good French accent (mid-tempo)

BANTER: - Russian request from an audience member

- it's about love, shocker!

- in a language you don't understand but I love doing it

13. Ochi Chernye -- awesome

BANTER: usually we pretend we're not going to come out from backstage & make you beg for it but b/c you guys are so wonderful we're just going to stay right here

14. last song - don't know title, fine but can be subbed for anything upbeat