Audrey Ochoa - EPK

Biography

The transformation of nostalgia is both innovative and intricate, a delicate balance of appealing to the old while tiptoeing at the forefront of the entirely cutting edge. Unbound by any predisposed ideals around genre or delivery, trombonist Audrey Ochoa has achieved the ideal: presenting meticulously influential compositions with a playful and liberated approach. Classically trained but with a voracious appetite for honing her craft in any genre, Ochoa has shared stages with Hilario Duran, PJ Perry, and Tommy Banks; and with international greats Dave Matthews Band, Lew Tebackin, Marcus Miller, Chris Potter and the UNT One O’Clock Lab Band. A rising star in her own right and a fixture of the Canadian music scene, she is decidedly captivating and original, and her compositional skill and talent on her instrument is spectacular. “…here shows a musician with endless confidence and skill, with varying moods and tempi within a trio that is always in sync.” – (Keith Black, Winnipeg Free Press)

Her debut album, “Trombone and Other Delights” (2013), was widely acclaimed and spent 3 consecutive weeks as the number one Jazz album on the Canadian charts. Ochoa’s sophomore release, “Afterthought” (2017), is an extension of her consummate understanding of arrangement and dedication to her craft – leading to a No. 1 position on the Canadian jazz charts and breaking top 20 in the U.S. She is a decorated award winner, having earned recognition at the Western Canadian Music Awards, the Global Music Awards and a recent recipient of the Edmonton Music Prize, noting an outstanding musical contribution to the local arts scene.

The recording of “Frankenhorn” (2020) marked an exploration into arranging for strings with horns and rhythm section, landing her at number one on both the Canadian and US campus jazz charts during the pandemic. Her follow up, “The Head of a Mouse” (2023), finally earned her much deserved recognition among peers, with a 2025 JUNO Award nomination.

Her next showing “The Sorceress” (2026) continues to demonstrate her versatility, craftsmanship, and playful spirit. Not liking to be pigeonholed, Audrey has compiled a listening experience for every jazz fan – from swing, to groove, to Latin – Cuban and Brazilian. Listeners are treated to even more of her sultry vocals than before as she steps out from behind the horn on four tracks.

Exhilarating and exuberant, Audrey Ochoa exemplifies an artist who has dedicated herself to expertise while remaining relevant and light-hearted. With a magnificent and fresh-faced approach, she defies categorization and plants her flag firmly as a centrepiece of the Canadian music arena.

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What People Are Saying

"The music here shows a musician with endless confidence and skill, with varying moods and tempi within a trio that is always in sync. The humour and sense of mischief is never far from the surface. Although this is clearly Ochoa’s album, each member gets airtime with ample evidence that the Edmonton jazz scene is growing nicely.

I believe that the name Audrey Ochoa is going to become much better known in the Canadian jazz world.★★★★" - Winnipeg Free Press

"One of the freshest creative statements from a major jazz force in Canada for a long time." - Hugh Fraser

"Eclectic Audrey Ochoa defies jazz horn stereotype with grace and humour.
" - Edmonton Journal

"With an enjoyable blend of pop, psych, Latin, funk, and electronica, Afterthought stands out from the classic jazz sound. Ochoa’s adept trombone playing may be the album’s focus, but her willingness and openness to explore other musical dimensions is what truly makes Afterthought shine." - Vue Weekly

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