Sarah Hiltz

"There is no doubt that Hiltz is a star on the rise."--Nicole Fricot, Culture Factory

Sarah Hiltz is emerging as a singularly talented Canadian musician with a voice all her own. Echoes of Billie Holiday, Joni Mitchell and Feist ring out faintly through the structure of Sarah's artistry in a modern blend of jazz and folk she's been perfecting over the last 10+ years of performing.

Living up to a long tradition of folk music, Sarah has been praised for her ability to tell a story through song. It is with this ability that she bridges the gap between folk and jazz, telling stories not just with lyrics but also through wordless sound. Staying true to the improvisational spirit of jazz, Sarah works to make each live performance a unique and memorable experience for her audience, delving ever deeper into that magic-something that makes live music matter.

This fusion of contrasting qualities is what sets her apart and it is well demonstrated across her discography. From the indie/adult contemporary How Many Fires (2009) to the experimental art project Letters (2010) to her vocally-rich EP Music For December (2011) Sarah shows a thirst to push her creative limits to new heights.

Her newest release Til The Sun Falls (2013) proves this yet again as she delves into an exploration of some of her favourite jazz standards. Sarah explains the inspiration behind the project: "I had a great guitar teacher in my teens who exposed me to a lot of music I'd never heard before. I wouldn't have the same relationship to music, and specifically to jazz, if I hadn't met him. When he passed away in 2011, I had the idea to release an album featuring some of my favourite tunes that he taught me and put part of the profits back into music education in my hometown."

Sarah recorded the album in a one day session, live off the floor, along with fellow musicians Dean Harrison and Brian McHugh on piano and drums, and her father Bob Hiltz on bass. From the dream-like opening track Meditation to a fresh take on Joni Mitchell's Chelsea Morning and beyond, Til The Sun Falls will win you over with its unique ability to walk the line between reflective melancholy and light-hearted music making.