'China Lane' is the debut album from singer-songwriter and violinist Alice Zawadzki. Written and arranged over five years, it encompasses a rich collection of influences - from ancient Sephardic songs about loss, exodus and prejudice and Bartok-inspired folk stories dealing with young love to Zawadzki's modern fairy tales full of mischief, whimsy, obsession and magic.
The supporting cast on China Lane features a stellar combination of band mates and long-term collaborators from the jazz world - Alex Roth (guitar), Kit Downes (Hammond), Andreas Lang (bass), and Jon Scott (drums) - who each bring playfulness and cohesion to the repertoire.
Alice's compositions range from the trip-hop inspired "Cat" and "Ring of Fire", with its driving interplay between Downes, Scott and Lang that brings the detailed folk melodies into a soulful jam, to "You As A Man" with compositional influences from Steve Coleman's M-Base that intensify the song's poignant lyrics. The album is carefully and skilfully augmented with layers of cello, violin and additional voices; the soaring wordless vocals of Emilia Mårtensson and Fini Bearman together with Alex Roth's tender solo guitar serve to create the cinematic atmosphere in "Low Sun; Lovely Pink Light".
A unique performer and gifted storyteller, Alice Zawadzki's star is set to rise with the release of 'China Lane'. It is a brave and assured debut that takes the listener on a journey of love, compassion, conflict and joy.
Personnel: Alice Zawadzki (vocals, violin, piano), Alex Roth (guitar), Kit Downes (Hammond), Andreas Lang (bass), Jon Scott (drums), Shirley Smart (cello), Emilia Martensson, Fini Bearman (vocals), and others
