We Speak Music
Alina Ly Unveils New Single ‘Shoebox’
Alina Ly’s “Shoebox” is a quiet stunner—a track that doesn’t demand your attention but gently commands it, like a half-remembered dream that returns with sudden clarity. Built from the simplest ingredients—acoustic guitar, ambient piano, and barely-there guitar textures—the song thrives in restraint, allowing Ly’s voice to do what few can: move the listener with subtle emotional precision.
Self-produced and self-arranged, the track is a masterclass in intimacy. Every layer feels intentional, even sacred. Ly’s vocals, ghostly yet grounded, trace the shape of grief without ever giving into despair. When she sings of loss, you feel the spaces left behind—the silences, the stillness, the weight of what was unsaid.
“Shoebox” isn’t just a song; it’s a cinematic moment frozen in time. With this release, Alina Ly doesn’t just share a single—she opens a door into her world, where memory lingers in soft focus and every sound is soaked in emotional clarity.
We Speak Music
Canadian Jazz Vocalist Heather Ward Releases New Album Gilded & Silver, A Tribute to Musical Mentors and Legacy
Following the success of her debut solo album Honeysweet, Canadian-born, Seattle-based jazz vocalist Heather Ward returns with a luminous new collection, Gilded & Silver. The album is available now on all major streaming platforms.
“I had several tracks still in the can after releasing Honeysweet,” Ward explains, “so I decided to add a few more and release a second album.” With this spirit of continuity and creativity, Gilded & Silver emerged — blending original compositions with artful arrangements, and once again showcasing Ward’s nuanced voice and deep musical roots.
Once again, Heather partnered collaboratively with Dave Houghton, and recorded under the expert mixing of Ben Lange at Lange Recording Studios. The ensemble includes John Hansen and Aidan Ward-Richter (who also helped reharmonize several tunes) on piano, Moe Weisner and Shaina Ward Siegel on bass, Luca Cartner on drums, with Kate Olson and Jory Tindall on saxes and flute, and Carey Rayburn on trumpet.
The album’s title is drawn from a lyric in one of Ward’s originals, “Into the Music,” a song written in tribute to her Canadian jazz mentor, Hugh Fraser, and her uncle, Joe Edmonds — both of whom passed away from cancer during the pandemic. “Hugh often said, ‘I’m just so into the music,’” recalls Ward. “This track honors both him and my uncle Joe, who were huge musical influences on me.
Ward’s journey from visual arts to jazz began while performing at gallery openings, which led her to formal music studies at Vancouver Community College and Capilano University, where she earned a degree in Jazz Performance. She has trained with legends like Sheila Jordan, Jay Clayton, and Hugh Fraser through programs including the Banff Centre for the Arts and the Vancouver International Jazz Orchestra Workshops.
Since relocating to Seattle in 1997, Ward has made her mark as a performer, voice teacher, and mentor. She teaches privately as a member of NATS (National Association of Teachers of Singing) and regularly performs at jazz venues, cabarets, and theater productions throughout the Pacific Northwest.
Gilded & Silver stands as both a celebration of personal artistry and a heartfelt homage to the teachers and loved ones who shaped Ward’s musical life.
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