Ember Swift
Canadian artist Ember Swift is an internationally touring musician and songwriter, and founder of the independent label Few’ll Ignite Sound. Originally from Toronto, she has spent the past few years making her home base in the magnetic city of Beijing, China. In other words, this is where she has been landing in between touring extensively throughout Canada, the US, Australia, New Caledonia (French island in the Pacific) and now, also China.
She has released 11 albums and 1 DVD project since 1996 and continues to have a loyal fan base across many national borders. “11:11” is her 11th album, aptly named because she is has just released it as of 11/11/11.
Having taken the time to learn Mandarin Chinese, immerse in the culture of Beijing, as well as to develop a this new body that features “twin” language versions of almost all of the songs (English & Mandarin), Ember Swift has released the type of album that no other foreign artist has dared to release in China: an original collection of bilingual, activist songs.
The newest album “11:11,” coupled with the 2009 release “Lentic,” features material that is a merging of the Mandarin language, the 5-note Asian musical scale, and fresh new content, giving voice to experiences of cultural diversity, life in a foreign country, and the unfettered belief in love. Mix this into the accustomed Ember Swift themes such as environmentalism, urban sustainability and, not least of which the consistent pursuit of truth and integrity in all aspects of life, and we have ourselves a fresh cocktail of songs that are recognizably written by this veteran songwriter. Specifically known for her unique, jazz-influenced guitar playing and elastic vocals, additional styles on the latest record include folk, jazz, swing, R&B, funk, pop, folk-rock, and blues.
THE BEIJING BAND:
The band, assembled in Beijing, includes Australia’s Zac Courtney on the drums and Burundi’s (East Africa) Paplus Ntahombaye on the bass. Also featured on several songs is China’s Wang Ya Qi on the erhu, a traditional 2-stringed Chinese instrument that sounds similar to a violin.
They are four people who come from four very different parts of the world but who have chosen Beijing as their current homes proving, once again, that Beijing is truly a global magnet.
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