Origins: The Joni Book Mandy Lagan

• 1 My Old Man 04:02
• 2 This Flight Tonight 07:19
• 3 Song for Sharon 07:48
• 4 Help Me 07:53
• 5 All I Want 04:19
• 6 Down to You 05:46
• 7 Free Man in Paris 04:35
• 8 A Chair in the Sky 06:19
• 9 Conversation 05:19
• 10 Shadows and Light 05:08
• Total Runtime 58:28

Info for Origins: The Joni Book

This is a collection of Joni Mitchell songs that have been lovingly and creatively arranged by Mandy Lagan and the members of Origins.

The members of Origins, her recording band, are David Restive (piano), Ted Quinlan (guitar), Jim Vivian (bass), Andrew Downing (cello), Kevin Turcotte (trumpet), and Blair Mackay (drums). Their arrangements of Joni Mitchell songs are uniquely original and masterfully executed.

“The Joni Book” was heralded as one of the top 20 CDs of 2018 by JAZZ.FM91where it receives regular airplay, and CBC Radio’s “Jazz with Laila Biali” Saturday nights. The media have praised Mandy’s imaginative arrangements, as well as her earnest and stunning vocals. She has truly made these songs her own, while honouring the stories, melodies, and harmonies that make Joni’s music so powerful.

Mandy Lagan, vocals
Kevin Turcotte, trumpet
Andrew Downing, cello
Dave Restivo, piano
Ted Quinlan, guitars
Jim Vivian, double bass
Blair Mackay, percussion

Mandy Lagan
Music has always had a significant place in Mandy’s life. Her mother was a piano teacher, organist and choir director so she grew up learning to play the piano and singing in church choirs.

As a teenager she picked up the guitar and learned a few chords so she could explore the music of some of her favourite artists.

She moved from Ridgetown, a small town in South Western Ontario, to Hamilton to study music at Mohawk College as a classical piano major. It is during these years that she began teaching piano in the community music school at Mohawk College as well as night school classes of group piano, ear training and music theory. She also began exploring the world of vocal jazz music as well as singer/songwriter material.

Mandy has released her fourth CD, “The Joni Book”. This is a collection of Joni Mitchell songs that she has creatively and imaginatively arranged along with the members of her band, ORIGINS. Band members include Dave Restivo-piano, Ted Quinlan-guitars, Kevin Turcotte-trumpet, Andrew Downing-cello, Jim Vivian-bass, and Blair Mackay-percussion/drums.

Mandy began taking herself seriously as a singer in 1990 when she moved from Hamilton to Toronto and formed a band in order to play songs of Joni Mitchell’s as well as her own writing. In 2002 she released her first CD, “I Thought About You”, a collection of jazz standards and two originals. In 2003 she released her second CD, “You See Me”, a selection of five jazz standards and five originals. In 2007 she released her third CD, “Verses”, a collection of Robert Louis Stevenson’s poetry which she collaboratively set to music. The “Verses” project awarded her financial support from the Canada Council for the Arts and The Ontario Arts Council.

Mandy lives in Toronto where she continues her teaching, writing, recording and performing.

This album contains no booklet.