Whether it’s the hassles and hurdles that arise for a
musician touring the world, the run-of-the-mill mishaps that inevitably disrupt
daily life, or the barrage of bad news constantly clamoring for attention; Bria
Skonberg succinctly captures the hectic tenor of our times in the title of her
latest album, Nothing Never Happens. The trumpeter and vocalist found her own
escape in order to craft a new set of originals and artfully chosen covers that
spans the emotional and stylistic spectrum.
Due out November 1, Nothing Never Happens invites listeners
to join Skonberg in diverting attention from the overload of social media,
breaking news, political bickering and negative energy, with a stunning album
that at times channels the ubiquitous anger and hopelessness that confronts us
all in the modern media landscape, but at others manages to drown out that
white noise and shine a light on the serene and the celebratory.
The album showcases Skonberg’s working band of recent years
– pianist Mathis Picard, bassist Devin Starks and drummer Darrian Douglas –
along with guest appearances by saxophonist Patrick Bartley, Hammond B3 master
Jon Cowherd, and guitar great Doug Wamble. The project was helmed by GRAMMY®
Award-winning producer Eli Wolf, shining a spotlight on Skonberg’s compelling
songwriting, smoky vocals and blistering trumpet playing along with the
scintillating chemistry of the ensemble.
In calling the album Nothing Never Happens, Skonberg
captures the chief obstacle to its own creation. “My favorite way to write
music is just to sit at a piano, be quiet and wait for things to surface,” she
says, hinting at the struggle to find those peaceful moments in which to
compose. “I needed to get out and find a space to process the overload of
information and feelings because of what's been going on in the world in the
last few years.”
Of course, it also helps to commune with sympathetic
listeners, and Skonberg also enjoyed a unique opportunity to workshop her new
music through a monthly residency at Joe’s Pub in New York City, an eclectic
venue where audiences were not necessarily jazz aficionados. “It’s a venue
where you can do whatever you want,” she says. “I was looking to get some more
grit into my sound on this album. That’s a big part of my personality that
hasn't been as represented on my recordings in the last couple of years.”
There is an arc to Nothing Never Happens, beginning with the
soulful opening song, “Blackout.” At the surface the song could be taken as a
classic “wronged lover” blues, albeit updated for the modern age. But the song
is more a rejection of media itself, thereby becoming a mission statement for
the album as a whole. When Skonberg sings “I’m done with your face / I’m done
with your friends,” it could be directed at an ex, but it also conjures a
certain inescapable name that has dominated the discourse over the past few
years, with toxic results. Her pointed solo provides a much-needed moment of
catharsis.
“Just being able to play music right now is essential to
getting to a level of normalcy,” she says. “Playing trumpet really lets me get
all those emotions out. It’s not always joyous, but it is a release.”
Skonberg originally recorded “So Is the Day” on her 2012
album of the same name, with a sultry New Orleans flavor. The powerful song has
since become a staple of her live sets, slowing down in the process to the
dirge-like feel that it takes on here. The slow burn is a testament to the
patience and rooted feel of Douglas, while the addition of Wamble’s guitar and
Cowherd’s organ adds to the dense, swampy atmosphere.
Zooming out for a bit of historical perspective, “Blackbird
Fantasy” is an ingenious mash-up of The Beatles’ “Blackbird” and Duke
Ellington’s “Black and Tan Fantasy” that reflects on the cyclical nature of
history. The hybrid piece encompasses the Harlem Renaissance, the Civil Rights
era that paralleled the British Invasion, and our modern day still much in need
of change. The wistful “Square One” recognizes how much is still left to be
accomplished, whether in life or in society. Co-written by Nashville songwriter
Cariad Harmon, the song is simultaneously resigned and hopeful, retaining a
sense of optimism based on what's been learned and accomplished so far.
The raucous “Villain Vanguard” plays on the name of the
legendary jazz club but was inspired by the Women’s Marches that rose up in the
wake of the 2016 election. The piece itself captures the marching pace and
outpouring of voices that accompany these protests.
Sonny Bono’s oft-recorded “Bang Bang” – which has been
covered by Stevie Wonder, Lady Gaga and Nancy Sinatra, whose version Skonberg
discovered via the soundtrack to Quentin Tarantino’s Kill Bill – is another
piece that serves double duty: originally about the heartbreak of a childhood
romance, it now inevitably conjures images of the gun violence that has erupted
across the country. Such tragic events necessarily lead to questions like “What
Now?” though Skonberg’s remorseful ballad is more intimate, capturing the
self-doubt that can encroach in the twilight hours.
Opening with Starks’ infectious bass groove, Queen’s “I Want
To Break Free” ends the album with a soaring sense of escape. The original’s
anthemic melody is enhanced here by the band’s exuberant expressiveness,
highlighted by Bartley’s explosive solo. Its inclusion harkens back to memories
of Skonberg’s freewheeling high school days. “Talk about being an optimist!”
she recalls with a laugh. “I had a convertible in British Columbia, where it
rains ten months of the year. But there were always a few days when I could go
out, put the top down and rock out to that song.”
The breadth of emotions and styles on Nothing Never Happens
mirrors Skonberg’s career to date, which boasts an impressive range of
accomplishments and accolades. In the last year alone, she sang the music of
Aretha Franklin alongside Michelle Williams of Destiny’s Child, played with U2
at the iconic Apollo, sat in with the Dave Matthews Band, was a featured guest
with Jon Batiste, performed as part of The Monterey Jazz Festival on Tour, and
sang the National Anthem at Madison Square Garden for a NY Rangers game. The
2017 Juno Award Winner for Best Vocal Jazz Album and 2018 Juno nominee has
garnered over 7 million streams on Spotify, made the Top 5 on Billboard jazz
charts, and was voted #2 Rising Star by DownBeat Magazine.
Bria Skonberg · Nothing Never Happens
Release Date: November 1, 2019
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