"Empathy is a debut with a lot of something for everyone" (AllAboutJazz). Gardier's originals reveal her refined compositional sense and lyrical tone at the helm of a distinctive quintet--Charlie Ballantine (guitar), Jesse Wittman (bass), Clay Wulbrecht (piano), Chris Parker (drums)--with special guests Rob Dixon (tenor sax) and Mina Keohane (vocals). "This is what happens when you turn someone loose to make art and the results work" (Midwest Record).