Having already established an audience under her given name, New York-based pianist\/composer Sophia Vastek<\/strong>\u00a0is embarking on a new journey in her musical career with a record coming out next month under a different name that seeks both to honor her past while pointing toward a fresh creative direction.<\/p>\n<\/p>\nWhile she says the name Sophia Subbayya Vastek<\/strong> , which she had been using professionally since college, remains very dear to her, the new moniker of Sova <\/strong>signals a pivot from primarily interpreting classical works to focusing on the development of her own personal \u201csoul\u201d music, a process which began with her 2022 release\u00a0In Our Softening<\/strong><\/em> and really takes flight on the new record. Beyond being an abbreviation of her given name, Sova<\/strong> is also the word for owl<\/em> in several Slavic languages including her father\u2019s native tongue, a nod to both her heritage and its allure as a mythological symbol of wisdom.<\/p>\nAlight!<\/em><\/strong>, which comes out in September, is thus as much a culmination as a new beginning. The album brings many ideas and inspirations together to present a cohesive \u201cworld-building\u201d approach to blending the piano with electronics and the distinctive voices of collaborating artists \u2013 namely Spencer Zahn\u00a0<\/strong>(fretless bass guitar),\u00a0Clarice Jensen<\/strong>\u00a0(cello),\u00a0Evan Chapman<\/strong>\u00a0(drums & electronics),\u00a0Max Yassky<\/strong>\u00a0(drums), and Sam Torres<\/strong>\u00a0(saxophone and more).\u00a0<\/p>\nDrawing on influences such as Keith Jarret, Jan Garbarek, and more recently, Hania Rani, Vastek explores a variety of piano sounds and styles in a delightfully eclectic fusion of jazz and classical elements that traverses a variety of motifs while paying meticulous attention paid to layers, textures, and colors. Featured here in this video premiere is one of the record\u2019s most contemplative tracks called \u201cHymn for Slowing\u201d, a warm and meditative duet with her partner Sam Torres <\/strong>on saxophone that thoughtfully taps into the music she grew up and its power to resonate and connect.<\/p>\n\n\n
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