A Contemporary Jazz Coming-of-Age Story Rooted in Imagination, Growth, and Transformation
Figments is trumpeter Ella Grace’s debut album as a leader, out now, on Shifting Paradigm Records. Featuring seven original contemporary jazz compositions, the album is brought to life by some of Chicago’s most compelling young musicians: drummer Jayden Richardson, bassist Marion Mallard, pianist Aval Stanley, saxophonist Garret Munz, and vocalist Julia Danielle. Recorded in quintet and sextet settings, Figments presents Grace’s compositional voice with clarity, depth, and emotional resonance.
Grace came up in the Twin Cities jazz scene before relocating to Chicago in 2021 to pursue a degree in Jazz Studies at DePaul University. Immersed in the city’s vibrant music culture, she steadily built a presence as both bandleader and side-person, culminating in her selection for the 2024 Chicago Music Scene Fellowship, which funded the recording and production of Figments. Trumpeter Marcus Printup has described Grace’s sound as “big, soulful, human” and “unlike anyone I’ve ever heard before,” a sensibility that runs throughout the album.
A figment is something believed to be real that exists only in the imagination. For Grace, “figments are the impetus of creative output; every composition begins as a figment to be developed and molded into a tangible work.” Figments mirrors that creative process, tracing themes of growth and coming of age while offering a musical portrait of Grace’s artistic development.
The album opens with “Butterfly Watching,” a through-composed introduction beginning with sounds of nature that evoke the wonder of childhood and invite listeners to reconnect with curiosity and joy. “Dandelion” follows with an uplifting message of resilience and hope, while the rhythmic urgency of “Rapid Eye Movement” reflects the pressures and pace of adulthood.
The two-part “Cherry Blossoms in the Rain // Sailing Through a Cloud,” featuring lyrics by Grace and vocals by Danielle, juxtaposes memory and time, moving from the perspective of life’s end to the euphoric clarity of childhood. Later tracks continue the album’s emotional arc: “Echo” explores shifting perspective through repeating motifs and asymmetrical groove, while “The Alchemist” centers on transformation through collective improvisation. The album closes with “Ballad for the Bittersweet,” capturing joy tinged with the awareness of impermanence.
Figments encapsulates Grace’s musical growth since her immersion in Chicago’s jazz community, celebrating an emerging generation of artists honoring the music’s legacy while forging new paths. From a collection of figments emerges a cohesive and deeply personal debut, introducing Ella Grace as a distinctive new voice in contemporary jazz.
For more information, contact William Prim at publicity@shiftingparadigmrecords.com
Track Listing
1. Butterfly Watching (2:16)
2. Dandelion (6:03)
3. Rapid Eye Movement (4:21)
4. Cherry Blossoms in the Rain // Sailing Through a Cloud (7:03)
5. Echo (3:46)
6. The Alchemist (6:14)
7. Ballad for the Bittersweet (5:37)