Jazz in Four Seasons by Hetty Kate

You Must Believe In Spring

We begin, as we must, with Spring - the most hopeful and capricious of seasons. A time of renewal and awakening, luring you from your porch with summer's promise, only to surprise you with a sudden downpour. Spring indeed, where even the calendar mocks us with its April Fools.

For this first volume, I chose Prague, the luscious, ancient, mysterious city of a hundred spires. It is the beating heart of a brave, proud and beautiful country, rich in deep traditions. Why Prague, you may ask? A musical journey of my own began here many years ago. Travelling from Australia, I collected a rental car in Paris and completely alone, I drove east. With my eyes wide and hands gripping the wheel tightly, I crossed a thousand kilometers to meet a band and begin my very first European tour. Prague was the perfect start for that tour, just as Prague is the perfect start for this one.

Don't expect a predictable bouquet of love songs with "spring" in every title. I have curated a collection celebrating the smallest creatures to the most luscious blooms; from being caught in a downpour without an umbrella, to the gentle warmth of sunlight on a May morning. I've even captured that exquisite melancholy of walking beneath flowering trees while gloriously, unapologetically alone.

Within, you'll discover treasures from Duke Ellington, Tadd Dameron, Dave Brubeck and more, brought to life with the talent of four of Prague's most accomplished jazz musicians. Together, we paint a musical portrait of spring in all its tempestuous, tender beauty. A fitting tribute to the season of new beginnings, and to the city that launched my own musical odyssey so long ago.