Margaret Slovak: News

Margaret is healing well from the surgery that she had in February to repair a nerve injury in her right elbow. On July 7th, she will have one more surgery on another nerve in the same elbow. Margaret's surgeon at NYU (who is also a guitarist!) is optimistic that these two surgeries will restore more of the function of her right hand. Margaret hopes to return to performing by late August, 2010. In the meantime, she continues to compose, practice and teach.

In late February, 2010, Margaret underwent a third surgery, this time on her right arm/elbow, to correct problems from a 2003 car accident that still affect the function of her right hand. The surgery was performed at NYU Hospital in NYC by a top NY surgeon, and was very successful! Margaret is currently undergoing physical therapy, and hopes to return to performing by June, 2010.

Selections from Margaret's CD's can now be heard on the in-flight music systems on JetBlue, Frontier, Air Tran, and Express Jet airlines! Look for channel 72 on Sirius/XM satellite radio on your in-flight system.

Margaret was interviewed in late March, 2009 by Brian Ball, Director of Music & Talent, on www.WomensRadio.com, a wonderful online radio station, media and education network. You can listen to a podcast of her interview by clicking on this logo:

Musical excerpts from some of Margaret's CD's are being used as interlude music in between program segments on NPR's morning news program, "Morning Edition", beginning on April 8th, 2009!

Margaret relocated to Brooklyn, New York, in November, 2008. She is recovering well from the right hand surgery that she had in August, 2008 to correct the last injuries from a 2003 car accident; she is hoping to return to performing in February, 2009.

Margaret had surgery on her right hand on August 11th to correct the last injuries from the car accident that she had in 2003. The surgery went very well, and Margaret and her doctors are very hopeful for the improvement of the function of her right hand! Margaret is currently recuperating in Portland, Oregon. She hopes to return to performing in early November, 2008.

In late October, 2008, after finishing her hand therapy, Margaret will be moving back to the New York City area, where she resided before her move to Portland. She is looking forward to being closer to her family in Brooklyn, and continuing her performing, composing and painting pursuits on the east coast. Margaret also plans to continue her work playing for patients in hospitals, and doing music & art workshops in the schools. She also hopes to do a NYC CD release concert for her recently released "For the Moment" quartet CD, which was originally recorded in NYC in 1989. This CD contains Margaret's original compositions, and features Margaret on electric guitar, Fred Hersch on piano, Michael Formanek on bass, and Michael Sarin on drums.

Margaret's third and most recent CD, For the Moment, is now available! This recording showcases Margaret's original jazz quartet compositions. The Margaret Slovak Quartet consists of Margaret Slovak on electric guitar, Grammy nominee Fred Hersch on piano, Michael Formanek on acoustic bass, and Michael Sarin on drums. For the Moment was recorded in New York City in November, 1989; it is now being released for the first time, 18 years after the original recording sessions!

For the Moment is available for purchase through this website (go to "CD's/Artwork") and from www.cdbaby.com/all/slovakmusic.
It is also available locally in Portland, Oregon at Music Millennium and Annie Bloom's Books.

Margaret is currently performing for patients 5 - 6 days per week in Portland area hospitals. She is continuing to heal and grow stronger following surgery and treatment for injuries to her right shoulder, arm and hand from a car accident in January, '03.

A radio airplay campaign was launched in the fall of 2006 for her second CD, "New Wings," which is now receiving national and international airplay. This CD was ranked #1 in both the "All Genre" and "Jazz" Review categories on www.WomensRadio.com for January - July, 2007. ""New Wings" was also ranked #63 in the top 100 listing for 2006 on www.NewAgeReporter.com.

In the fall of 2007, Margaret is planning to release her third CD, entitled "For the Moment." This quartet recording of her original compositions was recorded in New York City in November, 1989. The CD features Margaret on electric guitar, Fred Hersch on piano, Michael Formanek on bass, and Michael Sarin on drums.

Margaret is also beginning to compose music for a fourth CD, slated for a possible 2008/2009 release. New paintings are also in the works!

In addition, the title track from Margaret's recent "New Wings" CD, was included in a compilation CD entitled "Bridges", which was released by the Pacific Oncology Group in May, 2007. The CD features musicians from the Portland area, and is a fundraiser for cancer research and educational projects.

Margaret Slovak officially released her second CD, "New Wings", on March 18th, 2005, with an elegant release concert in St. Anne's Chapel at Marylhurst University, located near Portland, Oregon.

This new CD features eleven of Margaret’s jazz/classical compositions, plus a jazz ballad and a song by Brazilian guitarist Egberto Gismonti. Five pieces are for solo guitar, and eight songs are performed by three different instrumental duos. The duos pair Slovak's nylon-string and electric guitars with steel-string guitarist Doug Smith, acoustic bassist Dave Captein, and jazz pianist George Mitchell. Margaret’s original acrylic painting appears on the cover of the CD, and one of her pastel drawings appears inside the CD insert; the artwork corresponds to two of her musical pieces. Many of Margaret’s compositions on this CD reflect her experiences playing music for patients in ICU, oncology, and trauma units in several Portland area hospitals and at Hopewell House Hospice.

Margaret originally began to work on this CD in late November, 2002. However, she was involved in a car accident in early January, 2003, and sustained neck, back, arm, shoulder, and nerve injuries, which affected the function of her right hand. After two years of intense physical therapy and a process of adapting her technique, Margaret has regained about 70% of her right hand use. She was able to resume the recording of this disc in June, 2004; the CD was completed shortly before Christmas Day, 2004. The title cut and the cover painting, “New Wings,” were created during the first year of her recovery from the car accident, and reflect the spirit of seeking “silver linings and new beginnings.”

"New Wings" has already received several favorable reviews, and airplay on KMHD-FM and KBOO-FM in Portland, Oregon. The CD is currently being sent out into the world through various methods of flight. Margaret's performances, hospital playing and her new recording were recently featured on Oregon Public Broadcasting's "Oregon Artbeat" television program on KOPB-TV on November 3rd and November 6th, 2005.