SONY HOLLAND: Swing, Bossas, Ballads & Blues

Sony Holland

Swing, Bossas, Ballads & Blues

© 2008 J. Holland (811204010371)

CD IN STOCK. ORDER NOW. Will ship immediately.

SPECIAL: 10% discount if you buy more than one copy of it today!

(About MP3 downloads at CD Baby)

Swing, bossas, ballads & blues, shows off the dynamic vocal range and versatility of a talented and savvy vocalist. It's 16 tracks include a mix of songbook classics, rock-era standards and surprisingly clever original songs.

notes

ABOUT SONY HOLLAND – Sony Holland is a stellar presence on the West Coast jazz scene. Fans in the Bay Area pack her concerts at top venues like Yoshi’s, Pearl’s, & The Plush Room, and her performances at the San Francisco Jazz Festival, the San Jose Jazz Festival, etc… She has also toured extensively in Asia with residencies in Tokyo, Hong Kong & Bangkok. In addition to recording and performing Ms. Holland is an educator, giving workshops at the university level around the country. Her soon to be released CD titled SWING, BOSSAS, BALLADS & BLUES, shows off the dynamic vocal range and versatility of a talented and savvy vocalist and is catching the ear of fans and critics around the globe. To quote Mike Methany of RadioIo Jazz, "She delivers passion and elegance through every phrase... The voice is warm... full, and engaging. Sony is becoming a favorite request from our world wide listening audience..." The sumptuous 16 track collection was recorded by Grammy winning engineer Leslie Ann Jones at George Lucas’s Skywalker Ranch and features San Francisco’s best jazz musicians.

It wasn’t always smooth sailing for the golden-haired beauty. Ms. Holland got her start by singing on the streets of Fisherman’s Wharf where she sold thousands of copies of her all original CD, ON A SAN FRANCISCO HIGH and her follow-up of mostly standards, OUT OF THIS WORLD. In these times artists have to improvise in more ways than one, due to a dearth of legitimate jazz venues. “None of the other street performers thought I would last, but I was determined to make a living. I sang in the cold, the rain, the wind, even when no one else was around” she recalls, “but that’s how you start to get good.” By the time she had her first gig at a legitimate nightclub it was so crowded that they had to turn people away. The concert was covered by author/journalist Jane Ganahl for the SAN FRANCISCO CHRONICLE. She wrote, “Sony is a decidedly modern jazz diva. Her voice combines the pop-stylings of Nancy Wilson with the open-throated bell tones of Streisand.” True enough. Ms. Holland is neither a hard-core jazz singer nor a Broadway belter. She is a fine vocalist in the popular mold of Tony Bennett or Peggy Lee. Her supple voice swings effortlessly from soothing lows to soaring highs in an immediately recognizable and likable style. “This past year I’ve had the opportunity to see some of my all-time favorites like Nancy Wilson, Tony Bennett, and Johnny Mathis”, she adds. “I have learned so much from them but as I perform over time I have been developing my own style. I love the process and hope to continue it forever…”

Sony was born in the icy north of Minnesota, where her Dad was a Minister and Mom directed the choir. Singing has always been a part of her life. Her love of jazz was inspired by a year long stay in Paris where she soaked up the sophisticated vibe while befriending the cities international cadre of musicians. On SWING, BOSSAS, BALLADS & BLUES she takes on a wide variety of material with ease. The disc kicks off with a gorgeous original Bossa Nova piece titled AS YOU ARE. It is one of 8 original songs that fit in naturally between chestnuts like SPEAK LOW, MIDNIGHT SUN, HERE’S THAT RAINY DAY and more contemporary compositions like THE FIRST TIME EVER I SAW YOUR FACE and FIFTY WAYS TO LEAVE YOUR LOVER. Sony is equally at home with the love ballads and sassy swing tunes from any era. Perhaps the sauciest track is the big band blues number ACT LIKE YOU’RE IN LOVE WITH ME, which recalls Peggy Lee at the top of her game.

"Sony Holland delivers passion and elegance through every phrase... The voice is warm... full, and engaging. Sony is becoming a favorite request from our world wide listening audience..." drmike of radioIOJAZZ

WITH:
Larry Dunlap, Piano & Keyboard
Art Khu, Piano & Hammond Organ
Charles McNeal, Alto & Tenor Sax
Dave MacNab, Electric Guitar
Jim Nichols, Electric & Spanish Guitar
Steve Erquiaga, Spanish Guitar
Seward McCain, Upright Bass
David Rokeach, Drums
Recorded @ Skywalker Sound
Engineered by Leslie Ann Jones
Mixed by Brendan Harkin @ Wildwood Sound
Mastered by Paul Stubblebine

reviews

Please log in to review this album.

  • Sheer Perfection
    author: Jo

    Her latest cd collection is hip, smart, sexy and her best yet. It hosts a mix of jazz, jazzy rock, blues and pop. The original tunes on this cd, As You Are, I Can't Blame Them For Trying and Act Like You're In Love With Me are outstanding to say the least. As You Are with its poetic lyrics "Whisper low and careless rhyme/like wind blowing through the chimes/ & Lose yourself in sweet amor/lie upon my peaceful shore" is a testament to the creative writing talent of songwriter Jerry Holland. Act Like You're In Love With Me is a sexy, bluesy gem. I Can't Blame Them For Trying is a soft, smooth piece which to me stands tall among the classic standards. The vocal range of Sony Holland is amazing when you listen to her stirring renditions of The First Time Ever I Saw Your Face and The Shadow Of Your Smile. She can rock on with the best of them with Fifty Way To Leave Your Lover and have you in a musical trance with Midnight Sun. Her voice is the epitome of vocal eloquence - smooth and sensual. One thing among many that I really love about Sony's voice is the fact that you are able to clearly hear each word and phrase. She is a top notch singer. The players on the cd are second to none. With the hot sax of Charles McNeal, Art Khu tickling those ivories and Dave Rokeach never missing a beat, in company with the other stellar musicians accompanying Ms. Holland, you've got a fantastic musical journey on Swing, Bossas, Ballads & Blues. And, with the engineering genius of grammy award winner Leslie Ann Jones, how could you go wrong?

email

Please log in to email this artist.