Maria Solena Unveils Yesterday and Tomorrow: A Reflective Blend of Jazz, Soulful Grooves, Jazz-infused Rhythms, and Original Songwriting, July 9, 2025
Internationally celebrated vocalist Maria Solena steps into a new chapter with the release of Yesterday and Tomorrow, her fourth studio album—and her first to feature entirely original compositions. Recorded at the renowned Greenhouse Studio in Vancouver, BC, the album captures Solena’s timeless artistry while embracing the full spectrum of her musical influences: swinging jazz, soulful grooves, and jazz-infused pop.
Known for her luminous collaborations with jazz icons like Richie Cole, Phil Dwyer, Campbell Ryga, George Robert, and Seamus Blake, Solena has long enchanted audiences with a voice described by Emmy Award-winner Michael K. Leader as “meticulous in phrasing, delicate in dynamics, and possessing an almost transparent quality that reveals the true beauty of music.” With Yesterday and Tomorrow, Solena steps beyond interpretation into authorship—writing and composing all songs on the album (except track one). The result is an intimate yet expansive body of work that offers solace, resilience, and truth in equal measure.
Thematically, Yesterday and Tomorrow is a breathtaking jazz-pop odyssey crafted in response to the tremors of our times. In an age marked by uncertainty—from economic precarity to ecological urgency—Solena’s music becomes a refuge: a melodic embrace for weary hearts and a beacon for those yearning for hope. Her lyrics speak to the quiet strength it takes to hold on, to love fiercely, and to believe in tomorrow despite today’s struggles. At its heart, the album is a celebration of real love—a force Maria describes as the anchor that carries us through chaos.
Each song offers a sonic sanctuary that blends the nostalgic warmth of jazz with the vibrant pulse of pop, weaving timeless truths about human connection, devotion, and the courage to endure. It’s a record about longing and memory, yes—but also about moral clarity, emotional integrity, and the joy of love that lasts. Solena reminds us that real love is not a fleeting feeling but a foundation: a recipe for safety, happiness, and purpose in a fractured world.
To bring this vision to life, Maria collaborated with two of Canada’s most respected producers: Allan Rodger (tracks 1–7 and 10) and Miles Black (tracks 8 and 9). The album’s rich textures are further elevated by masterful performances from celebrated musician Tom Keenlyside on flute, saxophone, and trumpet.
“Yesterday and Tomorrow is a tribute to the passage of time and the stories we carry with us,” says Maria. “Music, like love, is a powerful force that can unite, inspire, and transform humanity.”
Featured on CBC Radio, WAMC/Northeast Public Radio, KUVO, and even as bumper music for the internationally syndicated Coast to Coast AM, Maria Solena has long held space in the hearts of discerning listeners. With Yesterday and Tomorrow, she cements her place not just as a vocal interpreter, but as a deeply original composer—one whose work resonates across genres, generations, and the global human experience.
Let Yesterday and Tomorrow be your refuge. A sonic balm for troubled times. A reminder that even in the darkest hours, love remains the most powerful light.
Marilyn Reles-Lozano, Present PR – Founder
Maria has released her third album As Time Goes By (2018), with special guests Campbell Ryga, Seamus Blake, Torben Oxbol, Phil Dwyer and Lionel Young.
With breathtaking arrangements by Torben Oxbol, this beautiful and romantic album consists of timeless gems and enduring classics by Johnny Mandel, Michel Legrand, Antonio Carlos Jobim, Johnny Mercer and Burt Bacharach.
The album is custom designed, with liner notes, photographs and WAV quality music tracks. Upon request, the artist will sign your album.
The release of As Time Goes By coincided with the invitation to perform at the Five Points Jazz Festival in Denver. In May 2018, she was interviewed by Rodney Franks at KUVO in Denver to talk about her new album and her performance at the festival. Following a rehearsal at the Phyllis A. Greer Performance Studio, she gave a live performance with her quintet on The Main Stage of The Five Points Jazz Festival with special guest Richie Cole, along with Jeff Jenkins, Paul Romaine and Bijoux Barbosa.
On her last 3 albums, she has recorded with top Canadian and international musicians. Maria has also written a number of original compositions, and has recorded with arranger Fred Stride, Miles Black and Allan Rodger.
Maria’s début album Where or When (2012) is receiving radio airplay in New York, Denmark, Italy, Denver, California, and CBC across Canada.
Maria’s second album Smile (2015) features another collection of beautiful songs with full and lush arrangements by Torben Oxbol, a graduate of The Royal Danish Conservatory of Music in Copenhagen. The second album features the arrangements of Phil Dwyer, a JUNO award-winning saxophonist, pianist, composer, arranger, and Member of the Order of Canada.
Ian McDougall, featured on “You And The Night And The Music,” is a JUNO award-winning trombonist, composer, arranger, best known for his work with Rob McConnell’s Boss Brass, where he was the lead trombonist for 20 years.
