Alison Burns & Martin Taylor | "Songs For Nature"

In an era of global environmental upheaval, the redemptive power of music carves out a sanctuary of solace, a theme resonating deeply in Alison Burns and Martin Taylor’s latest album, 'Songs for Nature'. More than just a collection of timeless jazz standards, ‘Songs for Nature’ acts as a musical love letter to the natural world and the composers, lyricists, and musicians it has inspired.

Alison Burns brings a smoky, sultry, and understated delivery that seems tailor-made for the intimate embrace of a dimly lit jazz club, yet has enthralled everyone from exuberant music festival attendees to British royalty. Her acclaimed albums 'Kissing Bug' and '1:AM' captured the essence of jazz divas like Julie London and Ella Fitzgerald but with a modern sensibility that resonates globally, underscoring her unique ability to marry the spirit of a bygone jazz age with a contemporary and wide-reaching appeal. This musical blend has taken her on four worldwide tours, enchanting audiences in cities from San Francisco to Shanghai, London to Los Angeles, and solidifying her reputation as a modern-day torchbearer of the vocal jazz tradition.

Martin Taylor, described by Pat Metheny as one of the most spectacular solo guitar players in the history of the instrument, co-pilots this journey. Taylor, a virtuoso whose fingers dance over strings with a finesse that's both heart-stopping and profound, ensures that 'Songs for Nature' is imbued with the touch of a master craftsman. With a career that includes collaborations ranging from Jeff Beck and Stephane Grappelli to Bill Wyman and Jamie Cullum, Taylor's guitar playing weaves a rich tapestry of sound that perfectly complements Burns' vocal artistry.

This duo’s collaborative alchemy is on full display across tracks like 'Nature Boy', ‘Lullaby of the Leaves’ and 'The Gentle Rain.' Together they have crafted a soundtrack that is as evocative of the earth’s wonders as it is of human emotion. Recorded amidst the pristine beauty of New York’s Catskill Mountains, each song resonates with the care and intention that only true reverence for nature can inspire.

The album’s first single ‘Nature Boy’ demonstrates Alison Burns’ gift, rare in all but the best jazz singers, to truly connect with a lyric. The result is that she can stir emotions in the listener that are reminiscent of being immersed in nature; from awe and wonder to peace and tranquility, from joy and melancholy, from the highest highs to the lowest lows. Meanwhile on the single ‘Lullaby of the Leaves’ we hear why Martin Taylor remains in a class of his own amongst guitarists. He is renowned for his fingerstyle technique, which allows him to play melody, bass, and harmony simultaneously, creating a rich, full sound that is often compared to the complexity of a full orchestra. His playing is marked by smooth, fluid lines, intricate chord voicings, and a keen sense of improvisation. Taylor's ability to blend melody with complex harmonies and his impeccable timing make the tracks sound both elegant and captivating.

Alison and Martin are not just musicians at the height of their powers; they are also sonic naturalists, and this album is their field recording, capturing not the sounds of the wild, but the emotions it stirs within us.

Engineered by John Valesio (Norah Jones), Grammy-Award winner Dave O’Donnell (Jason Mraz, Kurt Elling, Sheryl Crow), Cicely Balston (David Bowie, Nick Cave) and produced by James Taylor, 'Songs for Nature' promises an auditory experience as lush and layered as the ecosystems it seeks to honor.

In these times, when every action towards environmental conservation counts, Alison and Martin offer 'Songs for Nature' as a rallying cry — a cry that echoes with love, harmony, and the hope that their music will inspire a gentler, kinder, more sustainable interaction with our planet.