Saturday, October 12, 2019

Brenda Earle Stokes "Solo Sessions Volume 1"

 Brenda Earle Stokes has a new album "Solo Sessions Volume 1" - a solo piano and voice project that was recorded in just under 4 hours in her hometown of Sarnia, Ontario, Canada.  As a follow up to her 2014 studio release Right About Now, she wanted to go back to the simplicity of her favorite jazz records by recording live with no overdubs, edits or corrections.  What you hear is exactly what came out in the moment. 

She was inspired by many of the great piano/voice duo records - Ella/Oscar, Tony Bennett/Bill Evans and Fred Hersch/all the singers he has worked with.  There have been very few albums put out in this voice/piano solo format, which made this project both terrifying and exhilarating. 

Brenda Earle Stokes is a rare jazz artist with a true command of both the piano and the voice. As a follow-up to her critically acclaimed 2014 studio album Right About Now, Stokes sought to challenge herself to dig deep and share the full scope of her talents in the most intimate setting possible. In her latest album Solo Sessions Volume 1, Brenda explores the rarely- recorded format of solo piano/voice, showcasing her mesmerizing fluidity as both singer and pianist. Recorded in a single four-hour session in her hometown of Sarnia, Ontario, Canada, Brenda explores a wide spectrum of material, including jazz standards, original compositions and seldom-heard compositions by George Shearing and Steve Swallow. She rounds out the recording with lush jazz arrangements of songs recorded by k.d. lang, Michael McDonald and Huey Lewis, showing the full range of her musical curiosities.

The official release date is November 15th. 
Check out the first single off the new record: 

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