Vancouverite Rachelle Kostelyk brings something new and exciting to popular music with the release of her second independent EP, Always Ahead. Rachelle's music effortlessly combines aspects of jazz, funk and Gospel into a veritable tapestry of rhythm and soulful melody. Always Ahead, set to be released in the Spring of 2005, is five original songs centered around Rachelle's deep, powerful voice and expert piano playing, backed by a full band of talented musicians. All songs are written, performed and arranged by Rachelle, and produced by Steve Klassen at Sapphire Sound and White Water Sound. Her lyrics are authentic and revealing, with music which takes the listener from the days of the great jazz pianists in The Kind of Secret, a smooth laid back groove, to a hard hitting rock song Only my Hand with funk guitar and a whole lot of attitude. Alone with her piano in a slow, melodic, simple composition entitled Time for Change, Rachelle exhibits superior technique, proving that she really can do it all. Her influences include Eva Cassidy, Aretha Franklin, Fiona Apple, Ani Difranco and Jan Arden, and her inspiration comes from the people she has encountered and the experiences she has shared with them. Born in Calgary and raised outside of Vancouver, BC, Rachelle began playing piano at age nine and had completed the Royal Conservatory training for piano by the time she was seventeen. In 2002, Rachelle released her first EP, a self-titled debut featuring seven of her early songs. The following year she moved to Edmonton , Alberta and enrolled in Grant MacEwan Fine Arts College as a vocal performance major, and currently studies fine arts at Trinity Western University in Langley , BC . However, Rachelle's goals reach far beyond university. She is actively working toward a full-length album, and at present devotes all time not spent at school to pursuing her musical goals. In the past, Rachelle has made a living performing at various restaurants and lounges in Alberta and BC, playing a wide variety of classical, jazz and improvisational piano. Ranked one of the top ten up and coming musical artists in the Fraser Valley , she either performs solo or with a full band, and always draws a crowd. Always Ahead is sure to bring Rachelle further ahead and into the hearts of listeners everywhere. Tickets cost $15