Lovely

Always lots happening in the jazz scene in Ontario, but I picked a local Ottawa artist to represent what I think is a kind of nice new direction, I guess I would say, for jazz. A local artist here in Ottawa by the name of Megan Jerome. Young woman, I believe she was a music student at Carleton University, and together with a couple really seasoned, but still young, members of the local jazz scene, Mike Essoudry and Petr Cancura. Petr Cancura is a sax player who's always been good, has always been a great player. But in the last year or two has just lit himself on fire. I don't know what's happened to him--he's playing has just gone up a notch. And he plays with a lot of different people and this lovely trio with Megan Jerome and Mike Essoudry, and he's also in the Mighty Popo's band...A really good record to check out, the Megan Jerome Trio, and the CD's called Unlonely, which is a nice title.

—Bill Stunt, Ontario Regional Music Producer, CBC radio

Intriguing

When Queens University booted Megan Jerome out of its mining engineering program a few years back, it did the music world a favour. Seems Jerome was spending too much time at the piano for Queens' liking, so she transferred to Carleton's music performance program and, with fellow-Ottawa musicians Petr Cancura and Mike Essoudry, formed a dandy little trio. Call Unlonely, the group's debut album, jazz if you like, but Jerome blends in enough folk and even country that the album eschews easy classification. What can be said without hesitation is that it bubbles over with interesting melodies and accents, humour to leaven the reflective pieces, and Jerome's intriguing, occasionally saucy, voice. The one disappointment is that there are only eight tracks to enjoy.

—Patrick Langston, The Ottawa Citizen

Gems

Megan Jerome's 1962 Wurlitzer organ rides the whimsical carnival gaiety of her lovely voice and her soulful, clever songs.  And her husband Mike Essoudry is a fine percussionist who is closely tuned into the subtle groove of these gems of songwriting.  

So many bands add layers to the point where such an unique partnership and sense of play may be left unfelt.

—Vincent de Tourdonnet

Minimalist folk-flavoured songs

simple, quirky and modern

While most of Ottawa's jazz singers are content to cover The Girl from Ipanema, But Not for Me and the like, Megan Jerome writes nearly all of her minimalist, folk-flavoured songs. And if she does decide to tackle someone else's material, she's more likely to pick Simon and Garfunkel or Bjork. For music lovers whose tastes run then to the simple, quirky and modern...Jerome's trio...will be a good bet. Joining Jerome, who also plays piano, are two of Ottawa's most creative jazz musicians, drummer and percussionist Mike Essoudry...and saxophonist Petr Cancura, doubling on mandolin.
—Peter Hum, The Ottawa Citizen