“Anna Webber is a rare musician that can comfortably combine intellectual curiosity with pure emotion. Each time I've performed with her, a completely new sound was revealed. She is confident in her path and I am always anxious of her next moves. A brilliant player.”
-Jason Moran

New York based flute and saxophone player Anna Webber is a versatile improviser holding both an open respect for the tradition of jazz and a healthy disregard for its more worn conventions. Her first album as a leader, Third Floor People (Nowt Records, October 22, 2010), is an adventurous release featuring two bassless quartets – one from Montreal, the other from New York.

“For me, Third Floor People exemplifies the differences and similarities between the two cities - Montreal and New York - which I’ve called home over the past few years,” explains Webber. “The two quartets which appear on this record came from the same ideological and compositional standpoint, but turned out to be entirely different entities.”

The New York quartet, comprised of Webber, trumpeter Matt Holman, guitarist Owen Stewart-Robertson, and drummer Fred Kennedy, explores Webber’s free-form compositions with an aggressively creative energy. From the shredding guitar solo over the otherwise serene melody of the title track to the potent climax of ‘Le Pont’, one can sense the intensity of the city which they call home.

Says Webber: “New York is a city of struggle, especially for musicians. It is the hardest city in which to gain recognition, and rent has made it one of the hardest cities in which to earn a decent living. However, out of this struggle comes a wealth of creativity. The atmosphere in Montreal is completely different. The city is cheap and the pace of life is slow. Musicians have almost limitless time to devote to their craft.”

Featuring Webber, Erik Hove on alto saxophone, Jean-Sebastien Williams on guitar, and Philippe Melanson on drums, the Montreal quartet musically embodies this ethos. The pieces groove, develop and soar melodically, as represented in compositions such as ‘Parallelissimo’ or ‘Hymn’.

Third Floor People (the title refers to an apartment in Montreal) alternates between tracks of these perfectly complementary bands and develops an exciting album arc that will draw the listener into Webber’s experience in each of these unique and exciting cities.

“…very interestingly crafted compositions that develop and expand in non-obvious ways. A player and a group to watch for.”
-La Scena Musicale

“Perfectly executed, Anna’s well-guided flights are known to her fans and other musicians. She is a natural leader and it’s easy to see her quartet pushing themselves for the best possible sounds they can bring to her textured compositions.”
-roverarts.com

Webber has performed with such diverse talents as David Liebman, Ben Street, Lage Lund, Stefon Harris, Dave Douglas, and Douglas Yates, and also appears on the Grammy-nominated album ‘Urbanus’ (Concord Records, 2009) of Stefon Harris’ Blackout. She has toured throughout the USA, Canada, and Europe as a leader and a sideperson. Webber has also received national recognition as a finalist in the Mary Lou Williams Saxophone Competition in Washington, DC, and has been honored with grants from both the Canada Council for the Arts and the Conseil des Arts et des Lettres du Québec.

Webber, originally from British Columbia, studied jazz at McGill University in Montreal before moving to New York City in 2008 to pursue a Master’s Degree as a scholarship student at the prestigious Manhattan School of Music. Her teachers have included Mark Turner, Jason Moran, George Garzone, and Steve Wilson. Since her graduation from Manhattan School, she has become and important and vital part of the freelance scene in New York.