Ensemble C – Every Journey

Available on Limited Edition CD

An oft-repeated Chinese proverb states, “A journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step.” Looking back from several steps along her own path, British composer and pianist Claire Cope discovered that, no matter how daunting a venture may seem, it’s always that first step that requires the most courage. That realization became the inspiration behind Every Journey, the stunning second album from Ensemble C.

Released on March 7, 2025, to coincide with International Women’s Day, Every Journey is a celebration of courage, exploration, and the pursuit of the unknown. Cope found a wellspring of inspiration in the stories of pioneering women whose daring journeys reshaped history. The writings of Jacki Hill-Murphy—including Adventuresses, a collection of 18th- and 19th-century female explorers’ stories, and The Extraordinary Tale of Kate Marsden, about a Victorian nurse’s trek across pre-Revolutionary Russia—were key influences. Musically, the compositions of Maria Schneider provided a guiding light.

Arriving five years after Ensemble C’s acclaimed debut, Small World, Cope’s follow-up represents an evolution both personally and artistically. The ensemble has expanded from a septet to an 11-piece group, opening up new possibilities for rich textures and vibrant orchestration. Between albums, Cope also became a mother—an experience that inevitably deepened her perspective and creative voice.

“Discovering that I am a composer and becoming a mum were both turning points in my life,” Cope reflects. “Then I found myself reading these stories about these inspiring, real-life characters, and the music took on a sense of adventure. All of this fused together in my mind and led to my wanting to write something that was about not having limits.”

From the atmospheric opener “Every Journey (Has a Beginning)”, setting the stage with a luminous solo by guitarist Ant Law, to the album’s closing track “Home,” a tender, evocative piece featuring a striking duo between Brigitte Beraha’s vocals and Mike Soper’s flugelhorn, Cope crafts an experience that is as expansive as it is intimate.

“Flight” pays tribute to Bessie Coleman, the first woman of African American and Native American descent to earn a pilot’s license. “Isabel” is named for Isabel Godin des Odonais, the first known woman to navigate the length of the Amazon River. “The Birch and the Larch”, featuring lyrics by Brigitte Beraha, recounts a fable woven into Kate Marsden’s extraordinary journey.

The ensemble’s four-piece horn section could threaten to overpower the balance, yet Cope wields it with nuance, often leaning toward the lush rather than the forceful—nowhere more evident than in “The Light of the Dark,” a stirring chorale in the spirit of Kenny Wheeler. At the other end of the dynamic spectrum, the horns rise to exhilarating heights in “Amboseli,” a piece inspired by Kenya’s Amboseli National Park, where Mount Kilimanjaro looms over vast, open plains. The pulsing momentum of “That Nabongo Feeling” reflects the journey of modern-day explorer Jessica Nabongo, the first documented Black woman to visit all 195 countries.

“This album is about courage, overcoming anxiety, and finding inner peace,” Cope explains. “Everyone can relate to that moment of taking a step forward in life. For me, it was about feeling comfortable in my choices as a musician and deciding to identify as a composer. Once you get past that first step, you’re on your way to where you want to go.”

Order Every Journey

CD – £15
Limited Edition Double Gatefold Vinyl LP – £35

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