Paul Jost | "While We Were Gone"

Paul Jost performs around the world and is a mainstay on the New York City jazz scene. Many critics, contemporaries, and music fans consider him to be one of the best male jazz vocalists since Mark Murphy, who, like Jost, was known for his edgy, unconventional singing and dramatic recitations. Jazz in Europe has called Jost “A creative force that deserves to be added to the list of great male jazz vocalists of all time.” Jost’s newest album, While We Were Gone, is a double disc album recorded live at the Soapbox Gallery, an art and performance space in Brooklyn, NY. The hallmark of Jost’s appeal is his extraordinary ability to connect with his listeners on an emotional level. He is a passionate storyteller who interprets lyrics and melodies in ways that reveal the beating heart within a song. He says, “I like to present songs in ways that perhaps no one has heard before. It’s not that I’m just trying to be different, but I have my own perspectives that I try to present truthfully and honestly.” Jost’s band comprises some of the top New York area musicians. He is drawn to musicians who approach music with the same guiding principles and sensitivities. The live recordings on While We Were Gone are soulful and intimate. It is a journey into the profound, elegant, and moral universe that Jost inhabits.