Raised by ministers of the Salvation Army, an early exposure to the brass band sounds mixed with her love for classical and house music, disco and hip hop, lay the foundations for one soulful musician. Trained extensively in conservatories from across Canada to France, Elizabeth completed a degree in jazz piano from McGill University, Montreal. Initially entering the music program to pursue a career in music therapy she quickly discovered her extensive talent in songwriting and performing. She returned to Toronto in 2004 and worked as a server at a piano bar. Her serving job proved an asset to her musical career- once management realized Elizabeth's talent, she quickly became the restaurant's key entertainer. Organically and innocently enough, the Elizabeth Shepherd Trio was formed with Scott Kemp on bass, Colin Kingsmore on drums and Elizabeth Shepherd on piano and vocals.
The Elizabeth Shepherd Trio became a staple group in Toronto's soul jazz scene, performing all over town in jazz and other concert venues alike. Upon joining forces with Do Right! label owner John Kong, the Trio was invited into the studio to record a demo. But what was supposed to be a demo turned into a jam session resulting in the album Start To Move. The following few years established the EST locally and saw them gain recognition internationally, performing on BBC Radio 1, sold out shows at London's Jazz Cafe, and a week long residency at the prestigious Cotton Club in Tokyo, Japan the summer of 2007.
Her follow-up full-length album Parkdale is an older, wiser Shepherd teamed with her ever youthful, graceful soul. The mood of Parkdale tracks the emotional whirlwind of human experience. The album explores what everyone fears the most: total openness, divulging your innermost humanity. "Parkdale," the title track, explores the nuances of brokeness within the community. The album leads the listener through it all with stories of personal growth alongside the evolution of a neighbourhood in transition. "I've always found strange the massive discrepancy between the highly emotional events that shape our personal lives, that we generally don't share, and the completely mundane events that insidiously make their way into conversation.
As far as being a "jazz performer", Elizabeth does not count herself as one to be defined by a particular genre; her music comes straight from the soul, and is more than just what she does, but what she loves and who she is.
Website: www.elizabethshepherd.com
Myspace: www.myspace.com/elizabethshepherd
Management: Do Right! Management: info@dorightmanagement.com Booking: booking@elizabethshepherd.com
Poinciana
Elizabeth Shepherd Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Pale moon is casting shadows from above
Poinciana, somehow I feel the jungle heat
Within me, there grows a rhythmic beat.
Love is everywhere, it's magic perfume fills the air
To and fro you sway, my heart's in time, I've learned to care!
Poinciana, though skies may turn from blue to gray,
My love will live forever and a day.
Poinciana, your branches speak to me of love
Pale moon is casting shadows from above
Poinciana, somehow I feel the jungle heat
Within me, there grows a rhythmic beat.
Love is everywhere, it's magic perfume fills the air
To and fro you sway, my heart's in time, I've learned to care!
Poinciana, though skies may turn from blue to gray,
My love will live forever and a day.
My love will live forever and a day.
My love will live forever and a day.
The song "Poinciana" by Elizabeth Shepherd is a romantic ballad with lyrics that paint a picture of the beauty of nature and how it inspires love within the singer. The poinciana trees represent the branches of love that the singer feels are reaching out to her. The "pale moon" adds a dreamy quality to the imagery and suggests that the singer is lost in a reverie of love.
The jungle heat symbolizes the passion that is growing within her, and the rhythmic beat within her represents the pulse of her heart that is now in tune with the natural rhythm of the world around her. The idea of love being everywhere and the magic perfume filling the air suggests that the singer is surrounded by the beauty of nature, and this is what is inspiring the love that she feels.
The singer is declaring that her love will never fade away, and this is reinforced by the repetition of the final phrase "My love will live forever and a day." Overall, the lyrics of "Poinciana" are a lyrical and romantic ode to nature and the power of love.
Line by Line Meaning
Poinciana, your branches speak to me of love
The branches of the Poinciana tree convey a message of love to me
Pale moon is casting shadows from above
The light of the moon is creating shadows from the sky
Poinciana, somehow I feel the jungle heat
The Poinciana tree makes me sense the warmth of the jungle
Within me, there grows a rhythmic beat.
I feel a rhythm growing within me
Love is everywhere, it's magic perfume fills the air
Love can be found everywhere, its essence is in the air
To and fro you sway, my heart's in time, I've learned to care!
You sway back and forth, my heart beats in unison, and I have discovered how to care
Poinciana, though skies may turn from blue to gray,
Even if the skies become gloomy,
My love will live forever and a day.
my love will survive for eternity
My love will live forever and a day.
My love will live forever and a day.
My love will live forever and a day.
My love will live forever and a day.
Lyrics © BMG Rights Management, Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: Buddy Bernier, Nat Simon
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
David Summerville
Perfect guitar accompaniment. A work of art from both.
Jazziz Café
La cantante canadiense @eshepherdmusic hacia esta versión de "Poinciana" para su quinto álbum, "Rewind", editado en 2012. El tema, compuesto en 1936 por Nat Simon con la letra de Buddy Bernier, esta inspirado en una canción cubana "La canción del árbol" y Poinciana es el nombre de ese árbol muy común en Cuba. #SmoothVocals
R Garlin
Just beautiful... my favorite Jazz piece, now being sung.
choksonify
Same here. I wish they had a live streaming playlist on their website, I had to google the lyrics for like 15 minutes
Philip Moisson
really nice version, since playing it i'm hearing her sing in my sleep now
s r
Not gonna lie, this song rocked my socks
Raul Richards
I like her voice/music,-Became aware of her, this morning on WBGO 88.3FM. on the Program known as:"Singers Unlimited",during an interview.♫ ♪♫(7/07/13)
EyeComeInPeace
Nice!!!!!!!!
chucku00
Elizabeth is a Lagrange point...
bradley king
stuff!