Daphne Roubini and Black Gardenia | Whisky Scented Kisses | April 3, 2026
Among Vancouver’s most distinctive jazz ensembles, Black Gardenia, led by vocalist and songwriter Daphne Roubini, return with Whisky Scented Kisses, set for release on April 3, 2026. The album marks the group’s debut on the Vancouver and New York–based label Cellar Live.
Inspired by the phrasing and harmonic sensibilities of 1940s and ’50s vocal jazz, Whisky Scented Kisses blends original compositions with carefully chosen standards, presenting a sound that feels classic while remaining distinctly its own. At its centre is Roubini’s distinctive voice – grounded in classic jazz phrasing, with a natural sense of space and time, and a quietly compelling presence – guiding a collection that explores love in its many forms: longing and desire, independence and risk, intimacy and impermanence.
Across nine tracks, Black Gardenia balances timeless storytelling with subtle, spacious arrangements, allowing each song’s narrative to unfold with elegance and restraint. The album features six original compositions alongside recordings honouring Billie Holiday and Nancy Wilson. Nestled amongst these is a rare gem: an unpublished song from 1950, There’s Always Tomorrow, written by a young Mimi Marlowe Jaffe. First heard more than 70 years later, after her death, it was transcribed from an unreleased recording and adds a hopeful gesture of renewal.
Recorded at Bryan Adams’ Warehouse Studio in Vancouver, the record showcases a sextet whose innate sense of swing carries the music throughout. Guitarist and arranger Paul Pigat’s elegant voicings and horn writing frame the ensemble’s sound, while the interplay between voice, horns, and melodic lines creates a rich harmonic resonance – evoking the spirit of mid-century jazz while remaining fresh and unmistakably its own.
The album is performed by Daphne Roubini (vocals), Paul Pigat (guitar, arrangements), Brad Turner (trumpet, flugelhorn), Stephen Nikleva (guitar), Jeremy Holmes (bass), and Dave Say (saxophone) – a group of celebrated Canadian musicians whose collective chemistry brings depth, nuance, and quiet authority to every track.
With Whisky Scented Kisses, Black Gardenia offer a record that honours the elegance of classic jazz, while being at once late-night in mood and quietly poignant.
Line up
Daphne Roubini | Vocals, Band Leader, Composer
Paul Pigat | Guitar, Arranger, Composer
Stephen Nikleva | Guitar, Composer Dave Say | Saxophone
Brad Turner | Flugelhorn, Trumpet Jeremy Holmes | Bass
Track Listing
Minor Mood
Am I Crazy?
Whisky Scented Kisses
How Do I Know?
Today
There’s Always Tomorrow
You Leave Me Breathless
This Year’s Kisses
Who Stole the Moon?
PR Quotes
All About Jazz (USA)
“A vintage romance, a night, a promise, and parting at dawn are love’s old sweet song“
Paris-move (FR)
“Daphne Roubini’s Whisky Scented Kisses reimagines classic jazz with an uncanny, cinematic twist, blending vintage phrasing, modern experimentation, and a quietly captivating voice”
Maxazine (NL)
“Roubini succeeds through suggestion alone. A suggestion that arouses curiosity, much like the aroma of a fine old whisky. It makes you want to taste it as well.”
Jazz-fun (DE)
“An album like a nocturnal stroll through the history of jazz: calm, stylish, and of a beauty that lingers long after.”
Esensja (PL)
“Roubini’s wistful singing… is the highlight”
Blue in Green (UK)
“‘Whisky Scented Kisses’ finds a way to leave its mark on you and at the same time burrows into the dichotomy of intimacy and isolation at the heart of jazz”
Hilary Seabrook (UK)
“Whisky Scented Kisses gives Roubini and Black Gardenia the impetus and material to bring life to this collection of originals and arrangements.“
Jazz Views (UK)
“Roubini’s voice will grab you, the understated musicianship and Pigat’s arrangements make it as comfortable at a dinner party as it is under a pair of headphones”
Making a Scene (USA)
“This vocalist and her Black Gardenia group have capsulized old elegance and traditional jazz in a package of carefully picked repertoire and selective original music. Led by Daphne Roubini’s infectious vocals, this is a sound you won’t soon forget”
BlogCritics (USA)
“Roubini and her various collaborators wrote the remaining six tracks, including evocative, beautifully arranged standouts such as the title cut, “Minor Mood,” and “Am I Crazy.” All of them could be mistaken for old classics”
Spectrum Culture (USA)
“Whisky Scented Kisses deserves attention; it exhibits many great facets of jazz music and musicianship”
Jazz in Family (IT)
“In an era where jazz often pursues contamination or hyper-technicality, Roubini chooses a different path: returning to the song. To the narrative. To the measure”
Jazz Weekly (US)
“She’s sensuously relaxed in her delivery, swaying like a soft breeze around the horns on “Minor Mood” and cooing around Pigat on “Who Stole The Moon”.“
Cuttings
