Brass Knuckle Sandwich Marilyn Lerner (piano), Nicole Rampersaud (trumpet), is both a conversation and an exploration of a percussive, wind-swept soundscape at the intersection of copper and wood. It is the meeting of two of Canada’s finest improvisers. A friendly encounter of creative, daring, patient and generous musicians.
Classically trained pianist composer Marilyn Lerner’s work spans the worlds of Jazz, Creative Improvisation, and Klezmer. The breadth of her work is astonishing, though framed by her unique voice, is always utterly recognizable. She moves seamlessly between experimental gestural free playing and more conventional modern jazz . Her passion, curiosity, and commitment to experimentation have yielded decades in creative output.
Along with her innovative solo piano work, Lerner has toured extensively as part of the Queen Mab Trio (with Lori Freedman, Ig Henneman) and the Ig Henneman Sextet across Canada, the USA, and Europe. Ongoing projects and ensembles include jazz/improvising groups Ugly Beauties (with Matt Brubeck and Nick Fraser), improvising ensemble KLM (with Lou Grassi, Ken Filiano). Brass Knuckle Sandwich (with Nicole Rampersaud), BREM (with Brodie West, Evan Cartwright, and Reg Schwager), Peter Johnston’s See Through Quartet (with Karen Ng and Nick Fraser), and The Pieces Broken (with Yoshi Fruchter). From solo performances that have left audiences in stunned silence at the Guelph Jazz Festival and FIMAV, to deep collaborative work with some of the luminaries in contemporary music, Trumpet Player and Composer Nicole Rampersaud is a fearless explorer of sound. She draws equally from jazz, experimental music, noise, and site-specific composition, creating works that respond to the moment, the space, and the people. Her debut solo album, Saudade, earned several award nominations including Instrumental Recording of the year (ECMA) and Innovator of the year (MusicNB). In 2024 she was awarded the prestigious Guggenheim Fellowship in Music Composition, further solidifying her place as one of the vital creative voices in contemporary music.
Brass Knuckle Sandwich Marilyn Lerner (piano), Nicole Rampersaud (trumpet), is both a conversation and an exploration of a percussive, wind-swept soundscape at the intersection of copper and wood. It is the meeting of two of Canada’s finest improvisers. A friendly encounter of creative, daring, patient and generous musicians.
Classically trained pianist composer Marilyn Lerner’s work spans the worlds of Jazz, Creative Improvisation, and Klezmer. The breadth of her work is astonishing, though framed by her unique voice, is always utterly recognizable. She moves seamlessly between experimental gestural free playing and more conventional modern jazz . Her passion, curiosity, and commitment to experimentation have yielded decades in creative output.
Along with her innovative solo piano work, Lerner has toured extensively as part of the Queen Mab Trio (with Lori Freedman, Ig Henneman) and the Ig Henneman Sextet across Canada, the USA, and Europe. Ongoing projects and ensembles include jazz/improvising groups Ugly Beauties (with Matt Brubeck and Nick Fraser), improvising ensemble KLM (with Lou Grassi, Ken Filiano). Brass Knuckle Sandwich (with Nicole Rampersaud), BREM (with Brodie West, Evan Cartwright, and Reg Schwager), Peter Johnston’s See Through Quartet (with Karen Ng and Nick Fraser), and The Pieces Broken (with Yoshi Fruchter). From solo performances that have left audiences in stunned silence at the Guelph Jazz Festival and FIMAV, to deep collaborative work with some of the luminaries in contemporary music, Trumpet Player and Composer Nicole Rampersaud is a fearless explorer of sound. She draws equally from jazz, experimental music, noise, and site-specific composition, creating works that respond to the moment, the space, and the people. Her debut solo album, Saudade, earned several award nominations including Instrumental Recording of the year (ECMA) and Innovator of the year (MusicNB). In 2024 she was awarded the prestigious Guggenheim Fellowship in Music Composition, further solidifying her place as one of the vital creative voices in contemporary music.
