Album Notes

Mo was originally inspired to explore the jazz genre when the venerable Senator Tommy Banks paid a visit to her high school in Medicine Hat, Alberta. Once pointed in this direction there was no turning back. Mo’s early influences ranged from Jimi Hendrix to Chet Atkins. After high school Mo continued her musical training at Grant MacEwan where she gained technical competence and studied everything jazz. She was particularly inspired by some of the great musical pioneers of the seventies including Joe Zawinul, Weather Report, Roland Kirk, Antonio Carlos Jobim, Pat Metheny and Stevie Wonder. Current favourites include the likes of Prince, David Fiuczynski and the Screaming Headless Torsos (yes this is really a band), and the always evolving Medeski Martin and Wood.

Ever since leaving college Mo has been plying her trade as a performer. Initial fame and glory came in the form of the kick ass disco cover band Godiva (or so she has been told, actual memories of this era are limited). It was during this time that Mo acquired her most valued possession: the Digitech Space Station. They have rarely been separated since.

Mo has toured in rock bands, disco bands and played with a variety of jazz heavies as they pass through Edmonton. She is currently a part of several progressive jazz projects including Don Bradshaw’s Big Idea, Hecubus and of course the (cleverly titled) Mo Lefever trio/quartet/quintet/ or group as the case may be. She is also a long standing member of Brett Miles’ Magilla Funk Conduit and Bob Tildesley’s Indigenous Aliens.

Her primary focus of late however is refining her own take on the jazz / funk fusion (aka prairie funk). Her newly released CD includes everything from tasty arrangements of some classics that Mo has truly made her own, to some fresh and saucy original tunes. The common thread on this CD is Mo’s understated improvisations that flow seamlessly between genres and moods.