The Ostara Project
As might be expected of a female jazz septet named for the Germanic goddess of the spring equinox, themes of empowerment, sorrow and renewal inform their debut album. Led by pianist Amanda Tosoff and bassist Jodi Proznick, the seven members, six instrumentalists and vocalist Joanna Majoko weave light post-bop, sometimes in a wistful tone. Majoko’s scatting relays hopeful empathy in the few pieces with lyrics. Guitarist Jocelyn Gould and brass players Allison Au and Rachel Therrie interact from the melodic foundations, soloing to reach for the stars. No one gets in each other’s way regardless the size of the ensemble. One gets the feeling there are even more adventurous sounds to follow from The Ostara Project.
