It was
against all odds that Anna Danes found herself standing in Capitol Records
Studio A, in front of the same microphone used by her role models, Frank
Sinatra and Nat King Cole, recording an a cappella song that she wrote for her
sophomore album. In the dimly lit studio in the heart of Hollywood, the woman
who escaped communist Poland as a child and overcame the pain and loneliness of
a loveless marriage by discovering her voice just three years ago poured her
broken heart into the intimate album closer, “I Love You,” as producer Dave
Darling sat spellbound at the recording console. In the famed studio during
sessions financed by selling a car, Danes shared her deeply personal tales of
love and loss through the six acoustic jazz songs that she wrote for “Find Your
Wings,” the DLG Records disc scheduled for release on October 14 that is
completed by five standards and a stunning interpretation of blues singer
Janiva Magness’ “When You Were My King.”
Late last month, as Danes plotted with
her marketing and promotions team to gear up for the upcoming album release,
she was diagnosed with breast cancer. True to the theme of “Find Your Wings,”
the positive-minded vocalist faced her worst fears, saw the silver lining and
penned a motivational blog, “Cancer Part 1: Vanity Saved My Life,” to help educate
and encourage others facing their own health and personal challenges
(http://www.annadanes.com/2016/07/31/cancer-part-1-vanity-saved-life/).
When Danes began the recording project
that is slated to street during National Breast Cancer Awareness Month, she had
the desire to emulate the sound of a pair of jazz vocal albums from the
esteemed duo of Tony Bennett and Bill Evans. Darling kept Danes’ captivating
and expressive voice front and center in the mix using only sparse
accompaniment from pianist Rich Ruttenberg, drummer John Ferraro and bassist
Trey Henry. Blessed with a classic voice possessing charm, warmth, elegance and
grace, Danes’ patient delivery and vocal phrasing uncoils with poise and
complete control despite the vulnerability and intensity of her emotion-charged
subject matter. Love is her ever-present muse on “Find Your Wings.” On
originals, she sings a haunting melody on “The Voice,” pines hopefully on “See
You In L.A.” and longs to see forever in the eyes of her lover on “Long Distance.”
Among those she interprets from the Great American Songbook are Michel
Legrand’s “I Will Wait For You,” Sammy Cahn’s “It’s Crazy” and Johnny Mercer’s
“I Want To Be Around” while on the romantic duet “That’s All,” she takes
enduring vows with Richard Shelton’s debonair tenor.
“I’m a very late bloomer in life. For
the majority of my life, I’ve either had little confidence or have drafted off
other people’s confidence and floated under their wings,” said Danes, who wrote
the title track with Cindy Alexander. “Cindy asked me what I wanted to write
about. I told her about my story post-separation and how I found my voice and
confidence through music. Bam! That’s all that was needed to start the creative
process. What was supposed to be a song about finding hope, turned into an
anthem about finding yourself, your true purpose, your voice, your identity and
so much more.”
Finding her voice has been life
transforming for the former lawyer and stay-at-home mom who has called San
Diego home for the past 16 years. Danes hopes to empower people to pursue their
passions and dreams with the songs on “Find Your Wings,” which will also be the
subject of her first book, personal growth products and motivational speeches
on the corporate circuit. Via music, writing and speaking, Danes’ encouraging
message is that by facing your fears - in health and any personal challenge –
you can break out of your cage, find your wings and transform your life.
Although she sang as a child in church
after arriving in Sweden and settling in Canada after escaping Poland with her
parents in 1979, Danes didn’t sing again until 2013 when her young daughter
cried boredom and refused to participate at a vocal lesson. Since the lesson
was already paid for, Danes stepped in. She released her debut album that same
year, “Longing,” which was an extravagantly produced and
elaborately-orchestrated collection of standards and modern pop tunes. Her love
of jazz spawned the mission to bring more live jazz to the San Diego area
through her own event production and promotion company, which produces the Jazz
on Cedros series. For more information, please visit www.AnnaDanes.com.
“Find Your Wings” contains the following
songs:
“When You Were My King”
"I Will Wait For You”
“It’s Crazy”
“I Want To Be Around”/”Cry Me A River”
“Find Your Wings”
“That’s All”
“Long Distance”
“In The Wee Small Hours”
“See You In L.A.”
“Mr. OMG”
“The Voice”
“I Love You”
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