Memory Palace Szandra Szoke Quintet

• 1 Monochrome 06:47
• 2 Wanderlust 06:11
• 3 Wool 05:39
• 4 In Between the Lines 07:24
• 5 Whitewater 05:47
• 6 Gyemant 05:01
• 7 Memory Palace 04:59
• 8 Zold 07:01
• 9 Now Sleeps 03:12
• Total Runtime 52:01

Info for Memory Palace

“This album is the result of a lot of inner wars, roaming, and soul-searching. It may even perhaps manifest itself as a journey into my soul. This is highly personal material, hence it’s uneasiness. Each song is a mirror-image, if you take a glance at it, you get to like it, and if you face it for long, it grabs hold of you and won’t let go. At once it’s heart-warming and gloomy. It keeps you company, and echoes in you. But what if I like it this way?” (Szandra Szőke)

“How do you weave so much hope, doubt, struggle, lament, love into song?“ (Szandra Szoke)

"The original songs are filled with striking lyrical imagery and atmospheric music. Three of these originals are especially impressive. "This tune is the sum of what I've become," sings Szoke on "Memory Palace," Cseke's fluid, pretty, piano lines contrasting with the dark-edged and enigmatic lyric. "Wool" takes musical inspiration from folk traditions as well as contemporary jazz: Pustai's percussion is central to the song's somewhat mystical air. Lyrically it resembles the changeling ballads of Scotland, imagination replacing sorcery, as Szoke asks a lover (or a would-be lover, or an ex...) how they think of her—like wood, like smoke, like wool, "like the sky,... galaxies born in my eyes"?

The sultry "In Between The Lines" shifts between its waltz time opening and sections in 7/4 and 4/4, echoing changes in the narrative and in the intensity of Szoke's vocal. It's a superb coming together of music and lyrics, of voice and instrumentalists. Memory Palace ends on another high note. On "Now Sleeps"—lyrics from Alfred, Lord Tennyson's sonnet "Now Sleeps The Crimson Petal"—Szoke's voice is at its purest, accompanied only by Cseke's gentle piano phrases." (AllAboutJazz)

Szandra Szoke, vocals
Gabor Cseke, piano
Istvan Fekete, trumpet
Peter Olah, double bass
Csaba Pusztai, drums

The Szandra Szoke Quintet
was formed in 2014. Szandra Szoke is a member of the new generation of jazz singers, here teaming up with exquisite, experienced jazz musicians, whose names are already well-known in the Hungarian jazz scene. Their encounter resulted in a number of songs which are musical snapshots of their lives. Szoke writes her own lyrics and co-composes the songs with pianist Gabor Cseke.

The Quintet’s concept is dominated by original songs, where music and lyrics are handled as equals, and the melodies echo the stories told. Their songs span a wide range of emotions – such is a delicate, daydreaming, curious kind of music, which invites you to a world where there is time to arrive, breathe and contemplate. The Szandra Szoke Quintet’s debut album Memory Palace was released in 2015 by Hunnia Records. Currently on tour with their album, they have played the major jazz venues and festivals in Hungary and collected applauding reviews both in Hungarian and international forums:

“Szoke sounds very mature and poised, her approach unmannered yet very compelling and not at all held captive by atmosphere. (...) she manages to paint pictures as she sings, partly the strength of the lyrics she herself has written and partly through the skill of her delivery.” – Marlbank.net “Since arriving from Budapest, Memory Palace has moved, charmed and repeatedly called me back for more.” – AP

“It takes a certain boldness to – in the space of just over a year – begin a new musical endeavor, and to populate the debut album with all original music. That’s what Szandra Szoke has done with this first outing, and the result is a solid set of very personal lyrics and music.” – girlsingers.org

„Szandra’s lyrics are deep, but playful. And her voice is soft and caressing. It is as if she was sitting beside me on the sofa, lulling into my ears.”

Booklet for Memory Palace