All the while, Avery kept honing her craft as a vocalist of rare talent, which has led to an impressive list of career accomplishments on her musical resume.
In April, 2018, Avery released her 3rd full length solo project, ‘My Heart Away’. Comprised of all original music, one can discern that Avery has matured into a strong songwriter, with catchy melodies, compelling lyrics and a real sense of musicality, not often seen from someone so young.
This 3rd offering further moves Avery from her Jazz roots into more mainstream Soul/ RnB, which is exactly where she wants to be. Calling her sound contemporary soul, Avery hopes the music and words resonate with a wider demographic, as she shares her experience of love, loss, and happiness. The first single from that album, ‘Come Right Back To You’ debuted on the iTunes Canada Top 200 RnB/Soul song chart at #23, while the album itself debuted at #11 on the Canadian iTunes Top 200 RnB/Soul chart.
Though relatively new to songwriting, Avery, in collaboration with Juno-winning, Canadian producer/songwriter/musician Greg Kavanagh, began writing songs that appeared on her second solo album, ‘Without A Little Rain’, released in April 2017. The album received charting positions, including debuting on the iTunes Canada Top 200 RnB/Soul album chart at #31.
Stylistically, that album incorporated some fresh new elements, as Avery explains, “Being influenced by such Jazz greats as Ella Fitzgerald, Frank Sinatra, Chet Baker, and Carmen McRae, my second CD tried to highlight my jazz vocal style, while creating a contemporary Soul sound, reminiscent of artists such as Norah Jones, Corrine Bailey Rae and even Amy Winehouse. I think of it as a really nice blend of soul, jazz, and blues”
Her debut album, ‘Life Lessons’, released in early 2016, featured both jazz standards and fresh jazz infused interpretations of pop songs from the ‘60s, ‘70s, and ‘80s, and was even nominated for “Jazz Album of the Year” in Hamilton. Her debut album had also received critical acclaim and airplay on major stations across the country.
As a performer, Avery has taken the stage across North America, including at some famed New York City clubs like Birdland Jazz club, Metropolitan Room and Don’t Tell Mama Cabaret, as well as top Canadian venues like Koerner Hall, Roy Thomson Hall, The St. Lawrence Centre for the Arts, The Jazz Bistro, Lula Lounge, Hugh’s Room, and many more.
Avery Raquel has also garnered numerous vocal awards over the years, and has excelled on the festival circuit too, delivering winning performances across North America, including with the Berklee Global Jazz Institute on the Newport Jazz Festival stage in Rhode Island USA, as well as at the Toronto Jazz Festival, Burlington Sound of Music Festival, Oakville Jazz Festival, Brantford International Jazz Festival, Riverfest, TD Niagara Jazz Festival, and South Coast Jazz Festival, as well as other prominent music festivals in Ontario including Beatlesfest in London.
She has also been fortunate to the share the stage and studio with the likes of Juno and Grammy winning artist David Clayton Thomas (Blood, Sweat & Tears), Matt Dusk, Holly Cole, June Garber, Molly Johnson, and other prominent International artists. She’s taken masterclasses with legends like Marilyn Maye, Danilo Pérez, and June Garber, as well as having worked closely with other Canadian jazz vocalists.
Joining Avery tonight is Adrean Farrugia (piano) + Jill McKenna (bass).
