Maple Groove: Songs From The Great Canadian Songbook

Gorgeous, sensitive, rich and refreshing are just some of the words that could be employed to describe Maple Groove: Songs From The Great Canadian Songbook, Ranee Lee’s eighth offering on Justin Time Records. Ms. Lee offers up selections from some of Canada’s greatest songwriters in what is one of her finest recordings to date. The acclaimed Rick Wilkins skillfully arranges interpretations of classic songs from Randy Bachman, Joni Mitchell, Bruce Cockburn, Jann Arden, Gordon Lightfoot, Oscar Peterson and Moe Koffman. A native of Brooklyn, New York, Ranee Lee began her professional stage career as a dancer. From there she moved on to playing drums and tenor saxophone with various touring groups in the United States and Canada.

After settling in Montreal thirty-five years ago, her singing took precedence over past musical endeavours, and she is now considered one of Canada’s most popular and admired jazz vocalists. Ranee Lee also conceived, wrote, and performed in the production Dark Divas a musical about the lives and times of seven of the 20th century’s most celebrated black female entertainers: Sarah Vaughan, Ella Fitzgerald, Dinah Washington, Pearl Bailey, Lena Horne, Billie Holiday and Josephine Baker. The show’s recording was also bestowed a Juno Nomination for Best Vocal Jazz Recording of 2001.