THE JAZZ CHILL CORNER SOULSTRESS KATHERINE PENFOLD RELEASES SWEETEST THING |  |
- SOULSTRESS KATHERINE PENFOLD RELEASES SWEETEST THING
- KRISTIN CHENOWETH - ONE FOR THE GIRLS
- Alex Cuba: Sublime
- Brooklyn Funk Essentials: Stay Good
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Posted: 14 Aug 2019 05:00 PM PDT
Soul resides just beneath the exterior. Upon meeting Katherine Penfold, you might initially notice the prominent tattoos along her shoulder and arms before the conversation veers to her lifelong affinity for motorcycles, skateboarding, or woodworking - let alone music. Listening to her sound elicits a different impression altogether - as a sultry, smooth, and sweet delivery belies the rustic badassery she exudes with ease. This gorgeous contrast illuminates the artist's 2019 full-length debut, SWEETEST THING, available October 4th.
With a story to every song and a really powerful vibe, SWEETEST THING is the musical juxtaposition that is Katherine Penfold. Although her tattooed, 6 ft, tomboyish exterior seems harsh to the naked eye, Penfold's quirky Nova Scotia and Brandon University classically-trained upbringing creates a soft and clear musical voice that is all about love and joy. With this unique persona, Penfold went on to win the GROOVEFM singer/songwriter competition, perform alongside the likes of Hugh Laurie, Jeff Lorber, Brad Turner, and Jodi Proznick, and even sell out headline shows. Her fascination for construction and architecture drove her to build her own studio - one of the many things she loves creating from scratch with her hands. While co-producing this album with David Sikula, Penfold channels these experiences and her spirited style to a soul, funk, and R&B 10-track wonder.
She taps into this vibe on the first single, her cover of Roberta Flack's "Feel Like Makin' Love." Over dreamy keys and slick percussion, she breathes new life into the classic staple, sliding into the pocket with seductive bliss. She co-wrote "Better" alongside GRAMMY® Award-winning producer Chin Injeti [Drake, Eminem]. Its slinky groove seesaws from jazzy verses into a resounding chorus as she croons, "You make me feel better," in a call-and-response over a bass warble. "I struggle with depression and anxiety," she admits. "The song is for my partner. He finds a way of making me feel better during those times. It's dedicated to the person who helps you up." Elsewhere, fluttering keys and dreamy production underscore "Far Away" on which she joined forces with Moonchild's Amber Navran. The track details "the heartache of a long-distance relationship." Handclaps and sky-high vocal runs abound on "Unapologetic," highlighting the scope of her showstopping range. "It's about stepping up and not hiding anymore," she goes on. "It's a powerful moment for me." In the end, these moments define the duality at the heart of SWEETEST THING. The album will be released in full October 4th, 2019, with the second single, "Far Away", releasing this Friday, July 26th.
TRACKLIST
1. Unapologetic
2. Feel Like Making Love (prod. Eye 3 Brandon)
3. Far Away (prod. Amber Navran from Moonchild)
4. Better
5. We Gotta Choose
6. High
7. Sweetest Thing
8. Movin' On
9. Tell The World
10. You Know the Way I Feel
KATHERINE PENFOLD SHOW DATES 2019:
7/28 @ Langley City, Canada - Jodi Proznick Quintet
8/13 @ Vancouver, Canada - CBC Nooner featuring Katherine Penfold
8/19 @ Sechelt, Canada - Katherine Penfold at Sechelt Writers Festival
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KRISTIN CHENOWETH - ONE FOR THE GIRLS
Posted: 14 Aug 2019 11:30 AM PDT
Emmy and Tony Award-winning singer-actress releases new album on September 27 featuring guest appearances by Ariana Grande, Dolly Parton, Jennifer Hudson and Reba McEntire
Kristin Chenoweth has emerged as one of today's most versatile and charismatic performers. An accomplished actress, commanding singer and uniquely charismatic personality, she's conquered Broadway, film, television and the recording medium, releasing a series of acclaimed albums that demonstrate the depth and breadth of Chenoweth's musical passions.
Chenoweth's seventh album, and third Concord Records release, is For the Girls, one of her most personal and compelling projects to date. The album is a tribute to some of the great singers who have influenced her, with Chenoweth's personally charged interpretations of 12 classic songs identified with such iconic artists as Barbra Streisand ("The Way We Were"), Eva Cassidy ("It Doesn't Matter Anymore"), Dinah Washington ("What a Diff'rence A Day Made"), Doris Day ("When I Fall In Love"), Patsy Cline ("Crazy"), Judy Garland ("The Man That Got Away"), Carole King ("Will You Love Me Tomorrow"), Eydie Gorme ("I Wanna Be Around") and Linda Ronstadt ("Desperado").
Entertainment Tonight has the premiere for "I Will Always Love You" here. Listen to the track: https://found.ee/KC_IWillAlwaysLoveYou
"I really wanted to pay homage to all the women singers who have influenced me over the years," Chenoweth explains. "I wanted to make something that men could also enjoy, but this is by the girls and for the girls. These songs have all stood the test of time, and most of them are songs that I grew up listening to. It was a little intimidating, because people like Judy, Barbra and Dolly are the people who made me want to be a singer in the first place. I wanted to pay homage to these women and do them proud, but I also wanted to put my own stamp on it. And I think I was able to do that."
"Sometimes it felt impossible," she continues, "because there were about 45,000 songs I wanted to record, and it took me a year and a half to narrow it down for the album. Some of the songs were obvious choices, but others were not. I also tried to find a story arc for the album through the songs, which I was able to do with the help of my producer, Steve Tyrell."
On several tracks, Chenoweth is joined by some high-powered guest vocalists, including Dolly Parton, who lends her voice to her own composition "I Will Always Love You"; Ariana Grande, who's featured on a pointed reading of Lesley Gore's feminist pop anthem "You Don't Own Me"; and Jennifer Hudson and Reba McEntire, who trade vocals with Chenoweth on "I'm A Woman," originally popularized by Peggy Lee.
"These are some of my favorite singers in the world," Chenoweth asserts. "'I Will Always Love You' is a song I've loved since I was a child. I used to think, 'One day I'm going to sing that song.' Little did I know that I'd get to sing it with the queen herself."
Chenoweth credits veteran producer/performer Steve Tyrell, a key collaborator who also produced her acclaimed 2016 release The Art of Elegance. According to Chenoweth, Tyrell's experience and insight made him an ideal collaborator.
"Steve and I are a match made in heaven," Chenoweth states. "Not only is he an incredible singer and performer in his own right, he has a wealth of knowledge of all music. He has a fantastic ear and kept reminding me, 'KC, you don't have to be perfect the first time!"
Since achieving Broadway stardom with her roles in You're A Good Man, Charlie Brown and Wicked, Kristin Chenoweth has effortlessly transitioned between her parallel careers in stage, television, film and music. After winning a Tony award for her work in You're A Good Man, Charlie Brown and earning a Tony nomination for her breakthrough role in Wicked, she won an Emmy award for her work in the ABC TV series Pushing Daisies, and received two Emmy nominations for her work in the Fox series Glee.
In addition to numerous other TV, film and stage projects, Chenoweth was featured in 34 episodes of NBC's The West Wing, was a guest judge on American Idol and Project Runway, and has recorded four studio albums. In 2014, Chenoweth released Coming Home, a live album, DVD and PBS special recorded at a historic concert in her hometown of Broken Arrow, Oklahoma, followed by the celebrated studio effort The Art of Elegance. Among her many upcoming projects are a pair of holiday-themed films, A Christmas Song and Holidate.
Her multimedia successes notwithstanding, Chenoweth retains her enthusiasm for the recording process, regarding her album projects as a vehicle for creativity and expression.
"I love to make records, because I love getting to say something through music on my own terms," she states. "Music is such a powerful, healing force. Whether you like rap or opera or country, music is something that bonds us together. And we live in a time where music is really speaking to us. There are no more rules, and that's really inspiring to me, because there's no limit now."
TRACK LIST:
The Way We Were
You Don't Own Me with Ariana Grande
It Doesn't Matter Anymore
I Will Always Love You with Dolly Parton
What a Diff'rence a Day Makes
When I Fall In Love
Crazy
The Man That Got Away
I'm A Woman with Jennifer Hudson & Reba McEntire
Will You Love Me Tomorrow
I Wanna Be Around
Desperado
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/kchenoweth
Twitter: https://www.twitter.com/kchenoweth
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Posted: 14 Aug 2019 07:16 AM PDT
Higher Truth: Alex Cuba Distills His Sound to its Essence on Sublime
The spark of creation is a rare and special moment. That's Alex Cuba's favorite part of music-making: when inspiration strikes at 3 AM, stepping out into the little studio in his garage, turning on the heater (he's made a home in the far north of British Columbia, far from the Cuba of his birth), and being alone with a new musical idea. His new album, Sublime, is all about "capturing that magic, while it's still hot," as Alex says, "in that moment of higher truth" (Caracol Records release: September 20, 2019).
Alex Cuba wanted to find just the right title for this new project. It had to strike a chord with his Spanish- and English-speaking listeners. It had to reflect the way he's been distilling the Alex Cuba sound down to its pure essence. "One day I was listening to the masters, having a coffee, and all of a sudden the word crosses my mind: "Sublime," he recalls. In Spanish, English, and even French, that title captures Alex's goal: to find the spirit at the heart of his music, leaving out everything that doesn't need to be there.
What's left is that sound that brings together Afro-Latin influences into one distinctive voice, the sound that has already won him Latin Grammys, Junos, and three Grammy nominations. It's purely Alex Cuba, while leaving space for Alex's signature duets with artists both well known and about to break out.
For one thing, it's Alex playing every instrument you hear on Sublime. "I've recorded with incredible musicians for previous albums," Alex recalls, "but the vulnerability of these songs led me to this choice. It's so simple, and yet so strong, I wanted to express all that myself."
The album's first video, for single "Yo No Sé," gives visual expression to the process: Alex plays all the roles, from a grizzled bass player laying down a driving groove, to a beanie-wearing percussionist, to a trio of singers harmonizing syncopated staccato rhymes. "I recorded a vocal guide while I was arranging in the studio. It sounded so much like a bandleader telling the band what to do, the video idea was born right there. I knew it had to be the first single."
Digging deep into his essential sound requires a certain maturity and honesty. As Alex's musical career has progressed, he's learned his strengths. "For years I was a rocker, a funky guy, but I know that my voice calls people to reflect on their own lives. The songs that stay with people are the ones that bring peace and calm, so I wanted to embrace that and be completely naked and intimate."
That intimate feel, the careful attention to songwriting, and the largely acoustic sounds lend Sublime a vibe that could be called retro, and that's okay with Alex. "Acoustic music just goes with my soul," he explains. "I'm not against synths and electronics, but I'm not interested in just making a big noise and getting people to dance. I wanted the songs on this album to have some breathing space. I suggest things, leave things at a subliminal level. Every listen will tell you something else."
Alex may be focused on his own sound and songwriting, but he still relishes collaborating with other artists. Duets with Ron Sexsmith and Nelly Furtado were instrumental in his career, after all. This time around, Alex pairs his voice with some of Cuba's brightest lights: Pablo Milanés, a founder of the Nueva Trova sound; Omara Portuondo, the vocalist of the legendary Buena Vista Social Club; and singer-songwriter Kelvis Ochoa, the Cuban vibes king. "This album has the most important duets of my career," Alex says. "Pablo shaped my generation in Cuba. I listened to his music almost every day of my life, so recording "Hoy Como Ayer" is a dream come true" (Single release: August 23).
Alex recorded Sublime in Canada and Cuba, the places he calls home, and also in Mexico and Spain. Sublime is graced by duets with artists in Mexico City's music scene, both superstar Leonel García (one half of the duo Sin Bandera) and up-and-comers Silvana Estrada and Alex Ferreira. These songs came out of spontaneous collaboration, capturing ideas and emotions by bouncing ideas around together. "It is a wonderful thing to share," Alex muses. "When you do it with the right people who think and feel alike, it's an empowering thing to do. It's like you expand your musical universe."
From the pensive heartbreak of "De Los Dos" to the insistent groove of "Yo No Sé," from the frenetic "Ciudad Hembra (La Habana)" to the easy optimism of "Dividido," Sublime sees Alex Cuba pull off two simultaneous feats: honing his sound down to a sharp edge while expanding his musical universe.
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Posted: 14 Aug 2019 03:00 AM PDT
Bringing Back the Funk: Brooklyn Funk Essentials Celebrate Diversity and Their Brooklyn Roots on New Album
The creative relationship between Lati Kronlund and Alison Limerick spans decades and genres. It began back in 1990, when they released the club anthem "Where Love Lives." That runaway success launched them both in different directions, sending Lati to New York City to found supergroup Brooklyn Funk Essentials.
"Where Love Lives" brought them back together again in 2016. Kronlund asked Limerick to sing with BFE at a gig in London, and everyone knew: she just had to join the line-up. With her voice as the cherry on top of their groove sundae, Brooklyn Funk Essentials holed up in a Stockholm studio to record their latest album: Stay Good (Dorado Records Release: Sept 20, 2019). A celebration of self-care and respect for diversity, Stay Good is fun, funky, fresh and more focused than ever.
The seeds that would eventually grow into Stay Good were actually sown back when Kronlund and Limerick recorded "Where Love Lives." Around that time, Kronlund had written the first version of "Stay Good" and wanted Limerick to record some vocals on it. "The collaboration never materialized though," Kronlund says. "So I thought it would be cool to bring it back!" "Stay Good" opens the album, and an updated version of "Where Love Lives" closes it out. Kronlund and Limerick's collaborative relationship finally reaches its brightest potential.
Aside from the addition of Limerick's legendary voice, the line-up of Brooklyn Funk Essentials has shifted throughout the years. Today, it consists of six musicians: UK-born Anna Brooks (sax & vocals), who was discovered and brought to the band by Iwan VanHetten (trumpet, keyboards & vocals). There are also Londoner Desmond Foster (guitar & vocals), Swedish Lati Kronlund (bass) and Swedish Roma Hux Nettermalm (drums). Some members are newer than others, but their diverse sounds come together to create an eclectic groove that has always been the essence of the Brooklyn Funk Essentials.
Musical Director Iwan VanHetten, Kronlund tells me, is largely to thank for the streamlining of the lineup. "Iwan was always after a smaller band with a more focused sound," Kronlund muses. "It was strange at first, but now I appreciate the change and what it's done for us". With their new stripped down lineup, Brooklyn Funk Essentials have been able to cultivate a special synergy with each other as musicians. Their relationship with Dorado Records continues to flourish, spanning 25 years, and now four albums. As a result, BFE are tighter and jammier than ever on Stay Good.
The lyrics of Stay Good's opening and title track are a testament to this—how the group has changed and grown over the years as musicians. "In many ways," Kronlund explains, "Brooklyn Funk Essentials has morphed into something completely new. But we're all committed to stay good--to continue developing and improving as musicians." The song is also about navigating times marked by rapid socio-political and technological change. "It's so important to stay good in times like these," Kronlund explains. "To side with compassion and stay true to yourself."
Many of the tracks featured on this album, in one way or another, touch on or directly embody this idea of staying true while reacting to changing times. "Ain't Nothing" features a duet from Foster and Limerick, as well some catchy chanting in Patois from Jamaican Foster. While the lyrics continue to transmit the album's message of "staying good," the idea of the song came from VanHetten, who was inspired by a studio session with neo-soul superstar Anderson .Paak.
"Watcha Want From Me" is another reimagining of a song that Kronlund co-wrote for the late Frankie Knuckles' second record. Originally titled "Whadda U Want (From Me)," Kronlund changed the title to differentiate this new version. That's not all that changed—the track features updated lyrics inspired by the Black Lives Matter movement. "For the instrumentation, we took it back to an 80's boogie disco vibe--some of the origins of house music. The whole thing is a tribute to Frankie and BLM," Kronlund tells me. "I think he would have liked it."
Taking it back to the roots, to the essentials, makes sense here. All of the genres that Kronlund's band has been influenced by started in New York City. And so even though Brooklyn Funk Essentials aren't based in Brooklyn anymore, they're still a Brooklyn band. "We've always been a very international band, and we still love Brooklyn and New York City. From the get-go, Brooklyn was not a geographical pinpoint for the band," Kronlund explains. "The city represents to us a rich cultural diversity, and we try to make a community of diversity work just as well in our band as it does in Brooklyn, the borough."
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