Eva Cassidy, In Loving Memory
February 2, 1963 - November 2, 1996
Vocalists/songwriters Amikaeyla Gaston and Trelawny Rose have given us the gift of this live tribute to the legendary vocalist Eva Cassidy. Eva, a gifted artist known for her interpretations of jazz, blues, pop, country and gospel songs had immense talent that was respected by musicians as diverse as Roberta Flack, Chuck Brown and Shirley Horn. She possessed the ability to make whatever song she sang sound personal and fresh. Eva performed actively in the Washington D.C. area from 1981 to 1996 with little national recognition before losing a battle to melanoma.
In 2000, four years after her death, Eva was recognized by the BBC for her version of "Somewhere Over The Rainbow" and became a radio sensation in England. Over and over, people told how they had to stop their cars while listening to the song because they were in tears. Shortly after, Eva received similar acclaim in the United States.
I first heard her in 2000 and was moved by the soul, passion and honesty in her voice. Eva had a gift for delivering well known songs in new and unexpected ways. To date she has sold close to 8 million records and CDs worldwide and continues to have an ever growing legion of devoted fans.
"To Eva With Love" is a heartfelt and intimate tribute to a woman both Amikaeyla and Trelawny admired and adored. With a kindred friendship and reverence for great music, Amikaeyla and Trelawny shared much in common even before meeting each other. Both women came from families with deep musical backgrounds (classical, gospel, pop, jazz) and were given encouragement from an early age. Both women have grown up singing, performing professionally and recording projects. But, there was one common thing that united them, and that was their love for Eva Cassidy and her music.
"To Eva With Love" is a beautifully crafted pastiche of classic pop standards (Sting, Cyndi Lauper, Paul Simon, Curtis Mayfield) that pays homage to Eva's legendary talent. Her ability to cross genres without sacrificing musical sensibility and artistic authenticity are honored beautifully through this live recording by Amikaeyla and Trelawny Rose. Their intention in recording this album is to create a personal letter of gratitude to Eva, share the power of her sound with their own unique interpretations, and introduce Eva to a new generation of fans. The other great hope for this recording is that it will spread awareness for women's health issues, particularly cancer. Since the premier performance in May 2008, this project has taken on a life of it's own like a runaway train. The more people have listened to it, the more they love it.
Amikaeyla and Trelawny have lovingly chosen some of Eva's best known songs to create "To Eva With Love". With great performances and a stellar cast of musicians, this live recording is a true tribute to a great voice that left us too soon. To all of Eva Cassidy's longtime fans, thank you for continuing to keep her voice alive and vibrant. For all who are meeting her for the first time, just relax and dwell in the joyous spirit of her music.
--Wayne Wallace, Patois Records
To Eva With Love, Amikaeyla and Trelawny Rose
This is the first tribute album recorded live by vocal duo Amikaeyla and Trelawny Rose to singer Eva Cassidy who is
beloved all over the world for her fresh and pure arrangements. Tribute albums are one of
the most intimate and moving forms of artistic expression. They must be handled with utmost care and consideration,
not just for the music, but for the artist’s absolute intent. Amikaeyla and Trelawny’s live recording delivers a heartfelt
tribute and brings the essence of Eva Cassidy’s music with their new interpretations and vocal arrangements sung in
harmony.
Eva Cassidy’s untimely death from melanoma in 1996 at age 33 is one that the music community will mourn for years
to come. Her stunning treatment of “Over the Rainbow”, “What a Wonderful World” and Sting’s “Fields of Gold” gained
momentum when she was signed postmortem to Blix records in the UK. Over 10 years after her death, she continues
to release new albums to her growing fan base.
Amikaeyla Proudfoot Gaston had been equated with Eva Cassidy before this recent project, and at first glance, that
would be a sensible comparison as both having found their musical roots in relatively the same areas of Washington
D.C. But it goes much deeper than proximity. They shared an innate ability to interpret and convey their musical
objectives with such infinite grace and authenticity. Amikaeyla’s debut album “Mosaic” received national attention,
winning many music awards, including Best Jazz Vocalist, Best Urban Contemporary Vocalist, Best World Music
Vocalist, and Best Debut Artist.
On the West Coast, another exquisite talent was unfolding. Trelawny Rose grew up in the diverse and thriving Bay
Area music scene. As a soloist for the Oakland Interfaith Gospel Choir (OIGC) she delivered heart and power in
performances at venues such as Shoreline Amphitheater, The Paramount Theater, The Sydney Opera House and on
tour to Israel.
Their kindred friendship and love for Eva Cassidy comes through in this duet album with a combination of rich
harmonies and artistically crafted solo work. The intention of the tribute is focused on introducing the music of Eva
Cassidy to future generations and to raise awareness for women’s health issues, in particular, cancer. Amikaeyla and
Trelawny together chose the material, wrote new vocal arrangements, carefully collected the very best musicians,
found the perfect venue and recorded “To Eva with Love” with two voices and one heart.
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