'Whisky Scented Kisses' by Daphne Roubini & Black Gardenia

Calling to mind the classic late night jazz motif of dark streets, late nights and smoke-filled jazz clubs - the kind of establishment populated by the lonely and the forlorn with the only comfort coming from the bitter whiskey and the sublime tones of Daphne Roubini and Black Gardenia as they grace the stage to provide the night's entertainment.

With Black Gardenia providing the suitably wistful and melancholy-tinged backdrop, Roubini delivers a vocal that breathes life back into the room.  Inspiring songs of whimsy, love and regret, 'Whisky Scented Kisses' finds the joy in the bleak and the ray of light in the hopeless; a celebration of sorts of classic jazz stylings and tradition all elegantly acknowledged throughout the album.

For the London-born, Vancouver-based Roubini, much of her journey has been about conveying her passion for music - through a litany of various industry and artistic projects, the singer and songwriter seems enamoured by the very thing that drives an artist to the point of creation ultimately seeking to understand that indefinable quality that has a person compelled to create regardless of any desired or perceived success.  

With 'Whisky Scented Kisses' finding its home through Cellar Live, the Canadian label - over the course of its 25 year lifespan - can boast a variety of projects from names as esteemed as Emmet Cohen, Vicente Archer and David "Fathead" Newman.  For Roubini and Black Gardenia, 'Whiskey Scented Kisses' marks the band's debut with the label, adding themselves to Cellar Live's rich lineage.  

Featuring a selection of seasoned and innovative Canadian musicians, Black Gardenia is comprised of guitarists Paul Pigat and Stephen Nikleva, trumpeter Brad Turner, bassist Jeremy Holmes and saxophonist Dave Say who perform brilliantly together and paint some lush and engaging canvases for Roubini to inhabit.

Comprised of nine songs that feature a mix of six Roubini-penned tracks alongside a trio of covers, and arrangements by Pigat, the ensemble cement their affections for a quintessential jazz aesthetic in the vein of Billie Holiday or Sarah Vaughan.  Like the last note that lingers in the air of a half-empty room or the last sip of whiskey clinging to the base of the glass after last call, 'Whisky Scented Kisses' finds a way to leave its mark on you and at the same time burrows into the dichotomy of intimacy and isolation at the heart of jazz.