"This
CD was a deliberate attempt to continue to grow and progress," states
Jones. "I set that desire for improvement as a bull's-eye to shoot for and
kept that focus through each step of this project."
Jones did
keep her core Black Lace band together for this high-energy date: consummately
supportive pianist/arranger Bill Anschell, veteran bassist Clipper Anderson,
and versatile guitarist Michael Powers. They are joined by Seattle hornman Jay
Thomas; drummer D'Vonne Lewis, a rising force on the local scene; and
distinguished percussionist Ernesto Pediangco. As on her previous disc, Eugenie
penned most of the selections and had a hand in nearly all the arrangements.
Jones
announces her rhythmic agenda with the first track, "Swing Me," a
self-possessed celebration of unbridled desire. Her brief, exciting version of
the standard "All of Me" almost serves as a thematic preamble to her
slinky "A Way About You," a song that could easily be mistaken for a
sophisticated piece of Bacharach/David. With a tinge of sweet sass, Jones's
"24/7" brings contemporary sexuality into the discussion while her
"I Could Get Lost in Your Eyes" is a beautifully crafted ballad. She
closes the album with a searing version of James Brown's 1966 chart-topping
R&B hit "It's a Man's Man's Man's World," leaving listeners to
wonder just what else she's got up her sleeve.
"Black
Lace was a look into my personality, and begins a story," she says.
"Come Out Swingin' continues that story. And of course the more you tell a
story, the deeper you go. That's what's happening here in terms of lyrics and
songs."
Surprisingly,
Jones had never planned for a career in singing. Growing up in Morgantown, West
Virginia, Eugenie (pronounced "u-gee-nee") sang with the Baptist
church choir directed by her father, but at home she left the singing to her
mother, the late Tommie Parker (to whose memoryCome Out Swingin' is dedicated).
Eugenie
went on to earn degrees in business and marketing, working as a business owner,
consultant, and marketing specialist. When her mother took ill, she invited her
to move west to spend her final years living with Jones and her two sons in
Bremerton, Washington. It wasn't until her mother's death seven years ago that
Eugenie decided to take up singing herself. "I missed hearing her voice
around the house," says Jones. "I think that was what drove me to
pursue it."
Jones
attended open mics and workshops and gradually honed her skills, gained
confidence, and landed several regular gigs."As a fledgling performer the
most important thing to do is perform," she says. At her Amici Bistro gig
in Mulkiteo, an affluent community on the shore of Puget Sound, "the owner
was very kind and encouraging. I got to interact with an audience and really
develop my repertoire."
Since
making her professional debut as a jazz singer a mere four years ago, Jones has
drawn a devoted following to her unique musical artistry at venues throughout
the Seattle area and as far south as Portland. She's made two appearances at
Twins Jazz in Washington, DC and has been invited back for a third. Come Out
Swingin' is but the latest expression of Eugenie Jones's remarkable drive,
poise, and above all unstoppable talent -- a combination that is serving her,
and the jazz audience, very well indeed.
Eugenie
Jones CD Release Shows:
5/17
Capitol Cider, Seattle
5/30 B
Sharp Coffee, Tacoma
6/11 North
West Cellars, Kirkland
6/19 The
Royal Room, Seattle
6/20
Collective Visions Gallery, Bremerton
7/4
Heathman Hotel, Portland
7/24-25
Jazz in the Valley Festival, Ellensburg
8/13 Twins
Jazz Lounge, Washington, DC
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