Season 4 Episode 2 Rachel Therrien

How does a JUNO-nominated trumpeter from Canada who lives and works in New York form a band called Latin Jazz Project and record an album called MI HOGAR, which translated means “my home”? Fair question. 

     Mi Hogar represents a special release for Rachel Therrien, who has honed her skills playing in Latin Jazz ensembles for years, and whose love for the genre compelled her to travel to Cuba to research and study the music more than a decade ago.

     The accomplished trumpeter is a regular fixture on the New York jazz and Latin jazz scene. A bonafide virtuoso on the horn and an expert in numerous musical styles, she’s shared the stage with many luminaries including Tony Allen, Pedrito Martinez, Claudio Roditi, Billy Drummond, Anat Cohen and works regularly as a core member of Arturo O’Farrill’s GRAMMY® Winning Afro Latin Jazz Orchestra among many others. A prolific bandleader, her five previous releases (including the JUNO-nominated 2020 release Vena) have garnered critical acclaim, solidifying Rachel’s status as an ingenious composer and inspired improviser.

     In our conversation we explore just how influential living in Cuba has been for Rachel’s latest album and her current musical direction..and she also reveals a secret about what comes next from this incredible artist.