Amanda Gardier - Recording Release

About

Saxophonist and woodwind specialist Amanda Gardier returns to the Blues Alley stage with her fourth album as a bandleader, Transmutations: Bjork Rearranged — a bold instrumental reimagining of the Icelandic icon's beloved, genre-defying music. Gardier breathes new life into Bjork's iconic songs through adventurous improvisation, rhythmic interplay, and rich harmonic exploration, transforming familiar melodies into an entirely new listening experience. She'll be joined by DMV heavy-hitters Shawn Purcell (guitar), Todd Harrison (drums), Alex Hamburger (flute), and TBD (bass). Hailed as "an artist with a distinctive voice and vision" by Jazziz, Amanda Gardier is an alto saxophonist known for weaving together lush harmonies and cyclical melodies with the intensity of complex rhythms and fiery improvisation. Her most recent recording, Auteur: Music Inspired by the Films of Wes Anderson (2024), earned praise from Downbeat for its "propulsive" energy and from Nashville Scene for compositions that "use cinema as a starting point and run with it." Prior to Auteur, Gardier "claimed a space among rising saxophonists" (Downbeat) with her 2020 release Flyover Country, and made "a debut with a lot of something for everyone" (All About Jazz) with Empathy in 2018. Beyond her work as a bandleader, Amanda is a proud member of the US Navy Band Commodores jazz ensemble in Washington, DC, where she is regularly featured as a soloist and woodwind specialist.