Due out August 8 on Truth Revolution Recording Collective, Many Rivers is the genre-blending, heart-forward trio debut from vocalist Lauren Scales, saxophonist Mike Flanagan, and pianist Chris Grasso — a dynamic meeting of artistic voices whose combined experience spans jazz tradition, queer creative spaces, and fearless personal storytelling.
With support from Grammy-winning bassist Luques Curtis and versatile drummers Richie Barshay and Charles Haynes, Many Rivers flows effortlessly between eras and influences. The nine-track collection includes two originals by Scales and seven reimagined covers — from Thelonious Monk and Jimmy Van Heusen to D’Angelo and Neil Diamond.
The album’s title speaks not only to its musical diversity, but to its emotional and geographical reach. Scales splits her time between New York and the Midwest, while both Flanagan and Grasso are based in Provincetown, Massachusetts — a long-celebrated hub for LGBTQ+ artists. That sense of rootedness in identity and creative freedom permeates Many Rivers, which Scales describes as “uplifting, poetic, emotionally honest — and accessible across genres and generations.”
The trio’s origin story began when Scales and Flanagan met during graduate studies at NYU. Flanagan later moved to Provincetown, where he met Grasso — a master accompanist revered by NEA Jazz Master Willard Jenkins and known for his empathetic collaborations with vocalists. That personal and professional synergy laid the foundation for Many Rivers.
“As a woman in the industry, you don’t always feel like you’re in the safest spaces,” Scales reflects. “But with these guys, it felt democratic, creative, safe. And I think being in P-town was a big part of that.”
The album opens with a daring take on “Spanish Joint,” a modern classic from D’Angelo’s Voodoo, where Scales brings new clarity to the lyrics and Flanagan pays tribute to the late trumpet legend Roy Hargrove. The project also includes unexpected choices like Neil Diamond’s “Play Me,” reimagined through Grasso’s elegant reharmonization and Scales’ intimate interpretation.
Rooted in the jazz canon, the trio draws inspiration from albums like Sarah Vaughan with Clifford Brown and Nancy Wilson / Cannonball Adderley, while pushing the form outward. “You Know Who (I Mean You)” pays tribute to Carmen Sings Monk, with a standout trombone solo by Steve Davis, a former Jazz Messenger who has graced the Provincetown stage.
Grasso brings refined lyricism to ballads like “But Beautiful” and “Star Eyes,” the latter offering a sly nod to Charlie Parker in its intro and showcasing Scales' crisp vocalese. The album's penultimate track, “Never Will I Marry,” finds all three taking solos in homage to Nancy Wilson, while Scales unleashes a confident scat chorus that nods to her jazz lineage.
The album closes with two poignant originals. “Find a Way” recounts a long-distance relationship during a time of career shifts, while “Saving Grace” channels the emotional weight of arriving in New York and searching for community. Together, these songs underline Scales’ talents as both a storyteller and a composer — with her collaborators matching every emotional turn.
“In this big, lonely city, who will help me?” she asks in “Saving Grace.” The answer is found in the music itself — in friendship, in listening, and in shared improvisation. Many Rivers is less about overcoming difference than about celebrating the unity that can arise from it.
Whether honoring the Great American Songbook, experimenting with neo-soul, or writing modern standards of her own, Lauren Scales proves herself a vocal force. Paired with Flanagan’s tuneful warmth and Grasso’s impeccable pianism, Many Rivers is a testament to collaboration, community, and the open-hearted possibilities of jazz today.
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