Rising jazz singer graces Homecoming

Edmonton jazz singer Helena Magerowski squared off with a career killer no performer ever wants to face — five-millimetre nodules growing on each vocal chord.

In fact, it was this horrifying experience that pushed her to persevere. “It was a point of my life that was devastating,” says Magerowski.

At the time she was an emerging jazz star studying at Grant MacEwan’s music program. It was a stressful decision to temporarily drop out.

“I had a choice of laser surgery or speech therapy. I chose speech therapy where I had to learn to speak properly to get my singing voice back.”

The therapy included learning to change her pitch and enunciate words differently. “If you listen closely, I now have a sing-song voice.”

Her tenacity was rewarded with what doctors called a miraculous recovery. Instead of the normal 18-month treatment and convalescence period, the nodules were gone in two months.

Now singing professionally for 25 years, the club singer has cultivated a confidence and allure that simply heightens her melodious jazz/pop sound. A much sought after ensemble, the Helena Magerowski Quartet just performed at the prestigious Edmonton International Jazz Festival.

And on Saturday, July 16 the quartet makes a return visit to St. Albert as the headline act for the Rendezvous 2011 Homecoming celebrating St. Albert’s 150th.

“One hundred and fifty years is cause for a celebration. It’s lovely to partake in it and I’m honoured to be a part of it.”

Providing the songbird with a tight, intuitive backup are three of Edmonton’s finest — pianist Andrew Glover, drummer Sandro Dominelli and former St. Albert bassist Mike Hill.

A professional vocalist and pianist with a classical training, Magerowski further expanded her talents as a composer/arranger with the release of a debut album in March 2010. Possibilities, a 10-track independent release, combines the essence of traditional jazz, Latin and R&B into one sound that magically flows from one smooth song to the next.

Taking old standards, the soloist has interpreted them with a fresh spin including golden oldies such as Here’s to Life popularized by both Shirley Horn and Barbra Streisand. And then there is Georgy Porgy, with bubbly elements of barbershop and call-and-answer.

But it’s the four originals that speak about the real Magerowski: Hold Me, an autobiographical account on finding love; Give Back, a look at the real value of a man’s life; One Chance and Possibilities, an ode to life.

Throughout the entire recording session, Glover collaborated and navigated Magerowski through the process. “This man is a genius. He’s an amazing writer and he lives and breathes his music.

At the Homecoming, the chanteuse will sing a mix of originals and covers — maybe a little Natalie Cole, Cole Porter, Billy Joel, Elton John, Nora Jones, Ella Fitzgerald or Nora Jones.

Other evening entertainment includes St. Albert Singers singing O Canada in English, French and Cree, and St. Albert Community Band’s Flute Ensemble performing during cocktails.

Cocktails are at 4:30 p.m. to 5:30 p.m. followed by dinner. The Helena Magerowski Quartet performs from 7:30 p.m. to 11 p.m.