Bidi Dworkin’s debut album offers a fresh spin on gems from The Great American Songbook, as well as blues and folk anthems, many arranged by jazz legend Jay Clayton. Recorded in Vermont, the band consists of some of New England’s finest, including Eric Hangen (piano), Steve Cady (bass) and Claire Arenius (drums) Our band’s coming together was a process that naturally unfolded over time. It was well worth the wait.

Grammy Award-winning Benjamin J. Arrindell served as our sound engineer at Old Mill Road Recording in East Arlington.

      On May 29, 2020, as the world was being locked down, the CD Release Party was cancelled. Instead, vocalist Bidi Dworkin freely delivered newly minted CD’s, leaving them on the porches of neighbors and friends. Though an isolating time for a CD release, an unexpected surprise lifted her spirits. Arriving to unload her recycling at the local transfer station, aka dump, she heard Beautiful Souvenirs blasting from the enormous speakers there.

     Beautiful Souvenirs has taken on a life of its own, offering apropos songs of social justice, consolation and healing. Having extracted lyrics from John Coltrane and Johnny Hartman’s (Peter De Rose) Autumn Serenade, to name Beautiful Souvenirs, one could never have imagined that these twelve treasured musical relics from the past would serve as a balm for the present.​