This sextet is “fearless and sweet, … adventurous and diverse” – The Georgia Straight (Vancouver, Canada)

Peggy Lee has developed a strong reputation for her performance on cello and in particular for her sublime approach to improvisation and extended playing as a soloist and with various ensembles.

The Peggy Lee Band brings together some of Lee’s favourite musicians, all from somewhat different musical communities. Trombonist Jeremy Berkman plays mainly classical and new music while guitarist Ron Samworth concentrates on his own original brand of music. Juno Award winning trumpet player Brad Turner is one of Canada’s most prominent and prolific jazz artists, performing in the electric jazz band Metalwood which he co-leads with bassist Chris Tarry as well as with his own acoustic groups, the Brad Turner Quartet and Trio. Tarry and drummer Dylan van der Schyff have an ambient improvising duo called Sponge, and Lee and van der Schyff work together as an improvising duo as well as in the experimental jazz group, Talking Pictures.

Having listened to these prolific players over the years Lee always felt that they would complement each other beautifully, to which the result testifies. The material was written with each of their sounds in mind. The band presented its debut concert at the Festival International du Musique Actuelle de Victoriaville, one of the most prestigious and creative music festivals in the world.

In 2007 Peggy decided to add tenor saxophone and another electric guitar to the group.  New Code is their first album as an octet.  The album was nominated as Jazz Recording of the Year at the 2009 Western Canadian Music Awards.

Recordings:

New Code (2008, Drip Audio)
Worlds Apart (2004, Spool)
Sounds from the Big House (2002, Spool)
The Peggy Lee Band (1998, Spool)

“textures you can get lost in, colours and shapes that bleed into each other, an atmosphere of slow-motion weirdness heavy with desire and stray thoughts, like those in-between moments where you’re still heavy with dream as you surface into waking life.” – excerpt of New Code review from Paris Transatlantic Magazine

“This second release [Sounds from the Big House] from the eclectic band led by Vancouver cellist/composer Peggy Lee has some unbelievable ensemble moments, and Peggy’s tunes are unique and unpredictable.” – excerpt of Sounds from the Big House review in Now Magazine (Toronto, Canada)