Bria Skonberg (born 1983) is a Canadian jazz trumpeter and vocalist.
Sko… Read Full Bio ↴Bria Skonberg (born 1983) is a Canadian jazz trumpeter and vocalist.
Skonberg was born in Chilliwack, British Columbia; her great-grandparents on her father's side came from Sweden. She took piano lessons in elementary school, switching to trumpet in her early teens. During High School and college she appeared at numerous jazz festivals with The 51st Eight. She also led the all-female Mighty Aphrodite Jazz Band. In 2006, she graduated from Capilano University in Vancouver with a degree in jazz trumpet. She studied with Warren Vaché.
Skonberg was the leader of Bria's Hot Five and The Big Bang Jazz Band. She also performed with Canadian jazz veteran Dal Richards and his Orchestra in concert and on recordings.
She has appeared as a band leader and guest artist at jazz festivals in North America, Europe, China and Japan. She moved to New York City in 2010. She was a co-founder of the New York Hot Jazz Festival.
She has performed with Bucky Pizzarelli, Howard Alden, and Wycliffe Gordon. Also with Shaye Cohn.
In 2017 Skonberg won the Juno Award for Vocal Jazz Album of the Year, for her crowd-funded album Bria.

Sway
Bria Skonberg Lyrics

Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴

When marimba rhythms start to play
Dance with me, make me sway
Like a lazy ocean hugs the shore
Hold me close, sway me more
Like a flower bending in the breeze
Bend with me, sway with ease
When we dance you have a way with me
Stay with me, sway with me

Other dancers may be on the floor
Dear, but my eyes will see only you
Only you have that magic technique
When we sway i go weak
I can hear the sounds of violins
Long before it begins
Make me thrill as only you know how
Sway me smooth, sway me now
Other dancers may be on the floor
Dear, but my eyes will see only you
Only you have that magic technique
When we sway i go weak
I can hear the sounds of violins
Long before it begins
Make me thrill as only you know how
Sway me smooth, sway me now
When marimba rhythms start to play
Dance with me, make me sway
Like a lazy ocean hugs the shore
Hold me close, sway me more
Like a flower bending in the breeze
Bend with me, sway with ease
When we dance you have a way with me
Stay with me, sway with me
When marimba rhythms start to play
Dance with me, make me sway
Like a lazy ocean hugs the shore
Hold me close, sway me more
Like a flower bending in the breeze
Bend with me, sway with ease

When we dance you have a way with me
Stay with me, sway with me

Overall Meaning

The lyrics of Bria Skonberg's song, Sway, entail a romantic invitation to dance and sway with the singer. The lines "When marimba rhythms start to play, Dance with me, make me sway" indicate the invitation to dance with the singer. The song compares the swaying and bending actions to the movements of an ocean's waves or a flower in the breeze, emphasizing the dreamy and romantic mood of the piece. The lyrics also imply that the singer is entranced by the dancing partner, as the lines "Other dancers may be on the floor, Dear, but my eyes will see only you" and "When we dance you have a way with me" suggest.

The lyrics also highlight the magic and thrill of dancing with the beloved who possesses certain moves that make the singer go weak with passion. The lines "Only you have that magic technique, When we sway I go weak" emphasize the uniqueness and charm of the partner's dancing skills. The sounds of violins in the background add to the romantic atmosphere of the song and complement the lyrics.

Overall, Bria Skonberg's Sway is a romantic and dreamy invitation to dance and sway with the beloved, emphasizing the charm and magic of partner dancing.

Line by Line Meaning

When marimba rhythms start to play
As soon as the marimba sounds begin playing

Dance with me, make me sway
Join me in dancing and move me with your rhythm

Like a lazy ocean hugs the shore
Embrace me gently and slowly like the ocean gently envelops the shore

Hold me close, sway me more
Get closer to me and move me more with your dance

Like a flower bending in the breeze
Move with me gracefully like a flower swaying in the breeze

Bend with me, sway with ease
Dance with me comfortably and flowingly

When we dance you have a way with me
You make me feel a certain way when we dance together

Stay with me, sway with me
Continue being with me and dancing with me

Other dancers may be on the floor
There may be other dancers around us

Dear, but my eyes will see only you
But my eyes will only focus on you

Only you have that magic technique
You are the only one who has that special talent

When we sway i go weak
When we dance like this, I feel weak in the knees

I can hear the sounds of violins
I can sense the romantic atmosphere

Long before it begins
Even before we start dancing

Make me thrill as only you know how
Thrilling me in a way that only you can do

Sway me smooth, sway me now
Dance with me softly and smoothly, right now