Jaye Marsh duets with loons in her naturally soothing new single and video Calling — showcasing today on Tinnitist.
Written by Diane Berry and featuring loon calls recorded by John Neville, Calling is the first track from the Canadian flautist’s debut album Flute In The Wild, set to arrive this November.
“I first performed this piece with John’s recording of loons on a small stage in Toronto, but thought it would be so fun to record on location at our cottage in Georgian Bay; it’s a regular haunt for loons,” Marsh says. “My producer had me up at 6 a.m. to get the quietest time and, during the recording, we had some neighbours paddle up and declare, ‘See, I knew it was a flute! My husband swore it was just loons!’ I guess Diane’s piece is really effective in recreating a conversation between the flutist and her loon friends!
“This track is the closest to a direct nature and flute duet, and is most evocative of the Canadian experience in the wild,” she says. “The impetus for Diane writing this piece was her trying to explain to someone from Europe why the loon — being so ubiquitous in our country — appears on our money; they had never heard a loon call but now, with Calling, she can share her piece with everyone who needs to hear a lonely, haunting call on a peaceful lake.”
In addition to Calling, Marsh commissioned three other esteemed composers to create an album dedicated to celebrating some of Canada’s wild and beautiful spaces. Elizabeth Raum, Richard Mascall and Richard Herriott contribute to the album’s soundscape, immersing audiences in sonic experiences inspired by the Northern Lights, Bridal Veil Falls, Trinity Bay (in Newfoundland), and more. This is music that invites you to experience Canada through a flute lens.
Flute In The Wild isn’t Marsh’s first foray into harmonizing the talents of her peers; having curated numerous Flute and Friends concerts, she is the principal flautist with the Peterborough Symphony Orchestra, and plays regularly with other regional orchestras across the province. A celebrated soloist on both the flute and piccolo, Marsh has also performed as principal flute in the orchestra opening for Evanesence, as well as the Cirque Musica tour orchestra. Flute In The Wild features Darren Hicks on bassoon, Heidi Elise Bearcroft on harp, Andrew Morris on percussion, Christina Marie Faye and Richard Herriott on piano, and Wasauksing First Nation elder and storyteller John Rice.
“The germ of this project began with the death of my father in 2017,” Marsh shares. “It doesn’t matter how old you are, this is still a major shift in a person’s life… Not only did half of my history disappear, but I also felt a strong urge to collect and touch all the things he created as a graphic designer. I realized I wanted to leave something for my own children to be proud of, and to hold on to. I also wanted to contribute to my musical community.”
Watch Calling above, listen to the track below, and keep up with Jaye Marsh at her website, Twitter, Facebook, Instagram and TikTok.
