Divine Apology by Saku Mantere

Divine Apology is a jazz album that travels through purgatory, memory, and longing with poetic precision and deep musical sensitivity. Composer, vocalist, and bandleader Saku Mantere crafts a richly textured work that draws as much from literature and philosophy as it does from the jazz tradition. Half of the album's lyrics come from the poet Norman Cristofoli, whose metaphysical play The Pub inspires the album's overarching structure: a liminal space where souls gather, reflect and await their next passage. Each song becomes a meditation — on grief, childhood, resistance, or redemption — anchored by the recurring question: How does one measure the quality of life?
Divine Apology is both a gesture of regret, and a defence of the human condition — a world in which divinity learns to say sorry, and a life is defended through song.

The ensemble features some of Canada's most gifted jazz voices: Jim Doxas' deeply intuitive drumming, Kate Wyatt's luminous piano work, Lex French's aching trumpet lines, Erik Hove's searching alto saxophone, and Adrian Vedady's lyrical bass— joined by the haunting voice of Bohdanna Novak in a standout wordless role in the track "Not Fair".
From the reimagined Finnish lullaby “Lapin Äidin Kehtolaulu” to the poignant intimacy of “Velvet,” a love song written for Mantere's future wife Maryam (whose artwork graces the cover), the album navigates shifting emotional and temporal landscapes with nuance and sincerity.

Produced by Ayelet Rose Gottlieb, this album will be Saku's second release on the Orchard of Pomegranates label.

Saku Mantere is a Finnish-born, Montréal-based jazz vocalist and composer, whose music explores the borderlands between jazz, poetry, and storytelling. His debut album Upon First Impression (2022, Orchard of Pomegranates) received acclaim for its narrative lyricism, stylistic range, and elegant arrangements. With Divine Apology, Mantere continues to chart an original path in vocal jazz.