Kathleen Grace
Songbird
© 2007 Kathleen Grace (634479539312) (format: CD-R)
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Intimate jazz fairly tales featuring vocal originals, standards and contemporary covers from the Beatles to Pat Metheny.
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"One of the most interesting newcomers on the American scene, Arizona-bred Kathleen Grace made her recording debut just two years ago, with the impressive Sunrise. Now, with a new band comprised of pianist Matt Politano, bassist Ryan McGillicuddy, drummer Andrew Fockel, percussionist Bobby Wilmore and, most notably, guitarist Perry Smith, Grace kicks it up a notch with this wide-ranging assortment of covers and originals that amplify her genre-blurring dexterity. Hers is a crisp, cool sort of Jo Stafford-meets-Jane Monheit vibe that's as well suited to a sparkling, sun-dappled spin through "I'll Be Seeing You" as it is to the gently countrified, rigors-of-the-road lament "I Return to You," featuring Grace's lyric fitted to Pat Metheny's "Travels."
Equally intriguing are her "Sunrise, Sunset," shot through with a vague hint of sinister mystery, and a "Surrey With the Fringe on Top" that's at once as bouncy as an Oklahoma back road and as sleekly propulsive as a racing bike. Like its predecessor, Songbird (is)(named for an original Grace-Smith composition that is Joni Mitchell good)...The airwaves should be full of Grace.
-Christopher Loudon, JazzTimes May 2007
"After a glowing recommendation from Chris Vognar, I decided to make a getaway to the Elephant Room Friday night. I got there just in time to see the Kathleen Grace Band. The music was absolutely lovely. I kept trying to think of a word to describe the Los Angeles jazz vocalist whose voice is mellow and pure. The title of her new CD captured the description perfectly: Songbird."
— Tracy Brown, Dallas Morning News, SXSW: Best of Blog, March 18th, 2007
What happens when a lover of Leonard Cohen and Joni Mitchell gets a jazz education? The answer is found in the music of Kathleen Grace. Her repertoire is often often compared to the work of Madeleine Peyroux and Bill Frisel; and her voice to the pure sound of a bell ringing.
Grace released her critically acclaimed debut CD “Sunrise” in 2005. All About Jazz called it one the debuts of the year, JazzTimes called on major-labels to "step up." For her new project Grace has now embarked on an innovative collaborative ensemble The Kathleen Grace Band.
The band grew out of a two-year musical collaboration with guitarist Perry Smith. Their first recording, Songbird features a mix of co-written band numbers as well as acoustic vocal/guitar fairy tales. Grace and Smith joined their writing skills on the title track which pairs his beautiful melody with her lyrics of new love. The song have been selected as a finalist for the 2007 International Songwriting Competition in the jazz category. In addition to original material, the CD highlights important influences on the young composers. The opening track transforms the wide-eyed early Beatles tune "Do You Want to Know a Secret" into an adult Brazilian rendevous. The closing song, "Away with Me" written by Grace, highlights the pair’s musical chemistry and vulnerable approach to storytelling.
Kathleen Grace and Perry Smith are each award-winning composers in their own right: Grace was awarded a spot at the 2004 Betty Carter Jazz Ahead residency at the Kennedy Center and was a finalist in the 2004 Montreux Jazz Festival International Vocal Competition. Smith won ASCAP’s 2006 Young Composer Award in Jazz for his composition "Peace Park."
reviews
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Somg Bird
author: Chris DavisI heard Kathleen in person and had to have the CD. It is wonderful! Her voice and the guitar absolutely melt together. WOW!
Blissful and enchanting, the vocals of a goddess.
author: Cathe JonesAs a jazz singer, I know how difficult it is to pop from one octave to another, yet Kathleen Grace lives up to her name. She creates a passion in her notes, and tones, playfully promising to bring the listener a powerful new interpretation in every song. I'm never disappointed in hearing Kathleen, and this album, in which I expected simplicity, treated me to complex interpretations, and blissful musical appreciation-- I just enjoy the hell out of this gal's pipes.
Hard to believe, but Songbird is even better than Kathleen's first cd!
author: Dave ThomasPass the word folks, the Kathleen Grace band is some of the best jazz you will hear anywhere. My personal favorite is I'll Be Seeing You with Kathleen & Perry Smith on guitar so together they sound like a single instrument.
Great follow-up to Kathleen's debut. Stunning voice/guitar lines
author: Alan FalconerA great follow-up to Kathleen's debut CD. A wide-ranging programme including 4 standards, 2 originals and a Latin revival of an early Beatles classic- Do You Want To Know A Secret. The voice/guitar unison lines are stunning. My standout track is the hard-swinging version of I'll Be Seeing You.
Nightingale soars higher with Perry Smith & new band members
author: L. N. HoulieffKathleen Grace teams up with Perry Smith and new band members and this nightingale soars higher in this her second album. A refreshing take on the cover songs and two original songs to leave this listener wanting to hear more.