Bio
Winnipeg-based musician Karen Hammarstrand's music is reminiscent of 60's folk, with jazz and blues leanings. Written from deeply personal as well as universal perspectives, her signature emerges in pared-down lyrics combined with clean, often subtly complex progressions delivered in a warm, smoky voice.
One morning ten years ago Karen woke up with music and lyrics in her head and realized she'd found her passion. Many songs have followed, mostly folk, jazz, and blues-derived, played to Winnipeg audiences usually as part of a duo, trio, or backed by a full band. A lover of 20’s jazz, you can hear it's influence in many of her accoustic originals, and her sets usually include a few covers of these jazz gems. Ecclectic by nature, Karen is also a sucker for the ‘60’s bossa nova sound, and has been known to write and perform a few of these rhythms as well.
Her debut CD, Late Blooming, was released June 25, 2015. A smorgasbord of grooves, the CD covers musical ground from blousy New Orleans blues to smooth bossa, from gentle ballads to rock/pop, and from bluegrass and folk to country.
Karen's songs tell stories of life’s ebbs and flows, from love lost and found to bigger picture revelations, as well as the miracles in all things great and small. Having a life in progress for a while has given her lots of material. A love of exploring nature and life led her to studies and degrees in Zoology and Anthropology and some years in research. Following that, she jumped on the learning curve of raising a family.
These days she finds joy and energy exploring life’s mysteries through her songwriting. Being a kid who loved music but hated practicing, Karen has very little musical training. She composes melodies by ear, usually a result of “noodling around on the fret board” until she is rewarded with a progression that emotes a certain energy, "feel" or even story. She hopes her music brings some light (and humour) into the world. From shows and cafes to festivals and fundraisers, many of her songs strike strong emotional chords with audiences, which she says is the highest possible praise and the most rewarding part of the process.
One morning ten years ago Karen woke up with music and lyrics in her head and realized she'd found her passion. Many songs have followed, mostly folk, jazz, and blues-derived, played to Winnipeg audiences usually as part of a duo, trio, or backed by a full band. A lover of 20’s jazz, you can hear it's influence in many of her accoustic originals, and her sets usually include a few covers of these jazz gems. Ecclectic by nature, Karen is also a sucker for the ‘60’s bossa nova sound, and has been known to write and perform a few of these rhythms as well.
Her debut CD, Late Blooming, was released June 25, 2015. A smorgasbord of grooves, the CD covers musical ground from blousy New Orleans blues to smooth bossa, from gentle ballads to rock/pop, and from bluegrass and folk to country.
Karen's songs tell stories of life’s ebbs and flows, from love lost and found to bigger picture revelations, as well as the miracles in all things great and small. Having a life in progress for a while has given her lots of material. A love of exploring nature and life led her to studies and degrees in Zoology and Anthropology and some years in research. Following that, she jumped on the learning curve of raising a family.
These days she finds joy and energy exploring life’s mysteries through her songwriting. Being a kid who loved music but hated practicing, Karen has very little musical training. She composes melodies by ear, usually a result of “noodling around on the fret board” until she is rewarded with a progression that emotes a certain energy, "feel" or even story. She hopes her music brings some light (and humour) into the world. From shows and cafes to festivals and fundraisers, many of her songs strike strong emotional chords with audiences, which she says is the highest possible praise and the most rewarding part of the process.