Review by Barry O’Sullivan - Nov 10, 2016

Album:  Weave 
Artist:   Leigh Carriage 
Release Date: 2016 
Label:    Independent 
http://jazz.org.au/weave-leigh-carriage/

Weave is a collection of ten original heartfelt songs representing key events and milestones in the Byron Bay vocalist Leigh Carriage’s life.This poignant and beautifully crafted collection of original compositions subjecting nature,complicated love,atonements to dear friends and a tragic event that changed her life make up her fifth album following on from the success of her highly acclaimed  Mandarin Skyline. 

Woven into the fabric of this album is the musical input from an extremely impressive line up of mainly Melbourne based top flight musicians to compliment Carriage’s creative output. With Steve Russell on piano,Steve Magnusson on guitar,Danny Fisher on drums,Frank Di Dario and Brendan Clarke alternating on bass there are also outstanding contributions from the horns of Julien Wilson,Carl Mackey,Phil Noy and Angela Davis plus numerous others on strings and vocals. 

The album emanates feelings of joy,passion and pain and an overall mood of introspection.On the outstanding tracks Blank Slate and Catapult (dedicated to fellow Byron Bay musician the late saxophonist Dave Ades) Carriage attains her star status vocally with faultless technique,sublime control and some very fine scatting. 

Rhythm Section: Stephen Magnusson (guitar), Frank Di Sario (bass), Steve Russell (piano) and Danny Fischer (drums). Horns: Julien Wilson, Carl Mackey, Phil Noy, Angela Davis, Tony Buchannan and Carlo Barbaro. Strings: Lizzy Welsh, Charlotte Jack, Natasha Conrau and Anna Webb.