Classically-trained saxophonist, multi-instrumentalist & composer Betty Accorsi previews her forthcoming album, Nature Prints, with Mary – an absorbing tribute to US poetess, Mary Oliver.

Release Date: 25th July 2025

Label: Self Release

Formats: Digital

BETTY ACCORSI

Betty Accorsi is a UK-based Italian saxophonist, multi-instrumentalist and composer. Classically trained, she’s worked with figures as diverse as composer Salvatore Sciarrino and progressive rock band Psicosuono. Currently, she’s active in a couple of projects here in the UK: the acoustic duo, Sloth in the City and, most prominently, The Betty Accorsi Quartet. The Quartet will be releasing its third album, Native Prints, in July (watch this space – we’ll be featuring it…) The new single, Mary, is a taster of what we can expect when the album hits the racks.

Alongside Betty, The Betty Accorsi Quartet features Daniel Hewson on piano and trombone, in-demand double bassist Andy Hamill and Joe Edwards on drums. They’re a tight-knit outfit and each band member is a master of his/her craft.

MARY – THE BACKGROUND STORY

Mary, the song, is inspired by the poems of American poetess Mary Oliver. She lived in a woodland environment and her poems had strong themes of nature. Betty relates how she discovered Mary’s work: “I discovered her book Blue Horses in a bookshop in Milan two years ago and I read that book in a single day. At the time, I was exploring the relationship between human and nature, and how nature can inspire human creativity.”

Betty goes on to describe the song: “This song is divided into three parts: the first part is a dialogue between voice, double bass and trombone with lyrics that I wrote inspired by Mary Oliver’s poems, which focus on the importance of nature in her life. The central part has an energetic saxophone and piano solo terminating in a sung chorus with lyrics that explore the deep connection between Mary and nature. In particular, the verse ‘She is me, and I am her’ underlines this, with Nature being female just like in Italian (‘la natura’), before the song ends with a big crescendo inspired by jazz-pop music and finishes again with the repeated verse ‘She is me, and I am her’. 

MARY – THE SONG

Mary is an outstanding piece of work. Joe’s drums are discrete and Dan’s trombone fills the gaps between Betty’s lines of dialogue. Betty’s saxophone soars during the song’s rapturous central passage. Daniel’s piano completes a magical journey and, throughout, Joe and Andy maintain a solid – yet delightfully loose – foundation. It’s an exhilarating piece of music and the perfect taster for the forthcoming album.

Get a taste for The Betty Accorsi Quartet by watching the promo video below:

Betty Accorsi online: Official Website / Facebook / Instagram / YouTube / Bandcamp

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