Raquel Marina Shares Some ‘Kind Words’ with the Premiere of Her Debut Album

It’s a proud moment today for musician Raquel Marina. Why? Because it’s the premiere of her debut original full-length album, Kind Words. Of all the popular genres of music, none is more closely linked to academia than jazz. As an artist, Marina has practiced and studied as hard as she can to arrive at the moment in question. The record is a culmination of all the work she put into her jazz studies. A true student of her craft, the album represents both what she has learned as well as her significant admiration of Canadian trumpeter Kenny Wheeler.

Discussing the album, Marina tells us:

“Kind Words is my first full-length album of original music, and I am so delighted to finally share it with you. The process of writing these pieces was musically explorative, personally healing, and spiritually fulfilling. This album represents my journey navigating anxiety, trauma, and heartache. It is about surrendering to a sense of balance while remaining kind to oneself throughout life’s challenges.”

The compositions on Kind Words were inspired by her own personal journey up until now. In life, we seek balance and wholeness, and this record is Marina’s attempt at achieving that. Within this pursuit, challenges arise, and in her case, Marina has been striving for this balance while navigating family trauma, grief, anxiety, and heartache. Her challenges are really no different from any other young person in their 20s (or any age), which makes the album highly relatable.

To help her write and record, Marina enlisted the help of some heavy-hitting collaborators. Her band includes trumpeter Kae Murphy, pianist Reuven Grajner, guitarist Julien Bradley-Combs, and bassist Chris Adriaanse, as well as co-composer and singer Alyssa Giammaria. They all helped her hone her sound, combining elements of folk music and traditional and modern jazz.

All the while, Marina is getting close to completing a master’s degree in composition at York University in Toronto. Original, creative, and oh so charming, Raquel Marina is looking down a long road of possibilities and potential as she soaks up the satisfaction of the release of Kind Words.

Tour Dates:

07/20 – Ethica Coffee Roasters, Toronto, ON
08/08 – Album Release Show, Canada Music Centre, Toronto, ON
08/17 – Drom Taberna, Toronto, ON
09/16 – Reid’s Distillery, Toronto, ON

Raquel Marina ‘Kind Words’ album artwork