Vocalist, composer, and bandleader Saku Mantere presents Divine Apology, a jazz album that explores purgatory, memory, and longing with poetic depth and musical sensitivity. More than just a collection of songs, the record unfolds as a meditation on the human condition—layered with philosophy, literature, and improvisational artistry.
Half of the album’s lyrics are drawn from the work of poet Norman Cristofoli, whose metaphysical play The Pub inspired the album’s overarching structure: a liminal space where souls gather to reflect and await passage. Through this framing, each song becomes a meditation on grief, childhood, resistance, redemption, or love—anchored by a central question: How does one measure the quality of life?
The title itself carries dual meanings. “Apology” here suggests both a gesture of regret and a defense of existence. Divine Apology imagines a divinity capable of saying sorry while also mounting a lyrical defense of humanity’s contradictions.
The album features some of Canada’s most expressive jazz voices:
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Saku Mantere – Vocals
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Kate Wyatt – Piano
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Adrian Vedady – Bass
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Jim Doxas – Drums
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Lex French – Trumpet (1–4, 6–8, 10)
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Eric Hove – Alto Saxophone (1, 3, 6, 8–10)
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Bohdanna Novak – Vocals (5)
Their interplay creates a shifting, cinematic landscape: Jim Doxas’ intuitive drumming, Wyatt’s luminous piano, French’s aching trumpet lines, Hove’s searching alto sax, Vedady’s lyrical bass, and Novak’s haunting wordless vocal feature on Not Fair.
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Lapin Äidin Kehtolaulu – A reimagined Finnish lullaby that threads cultural roots into the project.
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Velvet – An intimate love song written for Mantere’s future wife, Maryam, whose artwork graces the album cover.
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Not Fair – Featuring Bohdanna Novak’s ethereal voice in a wordless role, offering one of the album’s most moving moments.
The repertoire travels seamlessly between traditional influences and deeply personal compositions, creating a narrative that feels both timeless and immediate.
Divine Apology is an album of paradoxes—irreverent yet reverent, vulnerable yet defiant, grounded yet transcendent. Rather than offering answers, it extends an invitation: to reflect, to feel, to question.
As the usher at the back door of The Pub might say: your fate is your own to determine, but the soundtrack can make all the difference.
Artist: Saku Mantere
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Album: Divine Apology
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Release Date: September 19, 2025
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Link: sakumantere.ca
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