Award Winning Jazz Composer/pianist Freyja Garbett releases SOWDEN HOUSE
May 30, 2026
Birch Bay, Washington
Freyja Garbett, Award winning Australian pianist/Jazz Composer
Just listened to SOWDEN HOUSE, the remarkable new jazz album by award-winning Australian pianist and composer Freyja Garbett — and it beautifully captures the atmosphere, mystery, and emotional architecture of the historic John Sowden House in Los Feliz, our Hodel family home from 1945–1950.
For those unfamiliar with the location, the Sowden House was designed by Lloyd Wright in 1926 and later became identified through my investigation (Black Dahlia Avenger, Arcade Publishing, 2003) as the original murder location connected to the January 15, 1947 killing of Elizabeth “Black Dahlia” Short. Over the decades, the house has evolved into something larger than architecture alone — part myth, part noir memory, part artistic symbol of Los Angeles itself.
Garbett’s album does not simply reference the house; it inhabits it.
From the opening tracks through pieces such as Echo Chamber, Dream Hall, Ballroom ’44, Labyrinth, and Drum Ritual, the music unfolds like a walk through hidden rooms and long corridors of memory.
What impressed me most is how deeply Garbett seems to understand the emotional character of the Sowden House. Not sensationalism. Not imitation noir. Something more elusive: the strange psychological gravity the house has carried forward to today, its approaching 100th anniversary.
The album originally grew from a virtual reality project connected to the Sowden House mythology, but stands entirely on its own as a haunting and sophisticated musical work.
The artwork and packaging are also exceptional — elegantly echoing the Mayan Revival geometry and surreal architectural identity of the house itself.
Highly recommended for anyone interested in:
- jazz composition
- Los Angeles history
- noir culture
- architecture
- or the continuing artistic legacy of the Sowden House
A truly unique and atmospheric achievement by Freyja Garbett.
I highly recommend it.
Pre-order June 26, 2026 digital album or vinyl release here:
https://freyjagarbett.bandcamp.com/album/sowden-house
Pre-Order 6/26/26 Digital Album or Vinyl Release HERE