Toronto Artist’s New Album Offers a Compelling Tribute Through Music
TORONTO — Mysterious, magical, healing, seductive, dangerous, sacred, strange, wonderful. The new album 13 Witches from Toronto musician Jon O’Bergh portrays various characteristics of famous witches from history and legend.
Goddesses and sorceresses from the ancient world provide a grounding for some of the tracks. “Isis” conjures the ritualistic feel of ancient Egypt, while “Circe” gives us the laid-back vibe of the island enchantress from The Odyssey. The meditative sounds of “Hecate” evoke the stillness of the night, befitting the Greek goddess who presided over magic and was associated with the moon and lighting the way.
Witches from folklore appear in two tracks. A light, jaunty mood pervades “Morgan le Fay,” named for the fairy who served as King Arthur’s magical savior and protector. The fearsome “Baba Yaga” from Slavic folklore borrows material from Mussorgsky’s composition “The Hut on Fowl’s Legs.”
Actual historic witches are also represented. The past comes to life through the haunting melancholy of “Tituba,” inspired by the indigenous healer accused during the Salem Witch Trials. “Marie Laveau” offers a slow, seductive groove evoking the Voodoo Queen of New Orleans. “Takiyasha,” inspired by the daughter of a samurai warrior who reportedly raised an army of demons to conquer Japan, creates a mysterious, introspective mood.
O’Bergh was inspired to create the album after reading Witchcraft, edited by Jessica Hundley and Pam Grossman, which traces the history and contemporary practice of witches. “The gorgeous photos and diverse points of view stirred my imagination,” he says.
O’Bergh has explored a multitude of styles on past albums, ranging from jazz to world fusion to dance. With 13 Witches, he merges his signature piano style with percussion and various instruments to create an evocative soundscape. “The piano allows me to paint musical landscapes while maintaining an intimate and improvisatory feel,” he explained, “while the other instruments and sounds add color to enhance the mood.”
Enter the mystical world of the witch and celebrate the divine power of female energy across cultures and time with 13 Witches.
About Jon O’Bergh
Jon O’Bergh has released over a dozen albums in a variety of styles, including Carta, which reached #1 on the U.S./Canadian NAV chart. He has recorded and toured with the jazz/funk fusion band Gemini Soul. His music has been used on NBC, BET, PBS, Telemundo, and in numerous television programs around the world. He has also written four books that link music and stories. In his 2021 novel Shockadelica, a drag queen teams up with a witch and a cast of eccentric neighbors to fight an evil entity that threatens them all. O’Bergh holds a Bachelor’s degree in music from the University of California at Irvine and resides with his husband in Toronto.
Artist website: https://obergh.net
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