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| KJ Denhert Draws Acclaim During Her First-ever West Coast Tour Award-winning, NYC-based singer-songwriter-guitarist KJ Denhert – known for her soulful fusion of jazz, R&B, rock and folk – is in the midst of her first-ever itinerary of west coast dates. KJ and her longtime band, the super-tight NY Unit, drew an enthusiastic reception at Yoshi's in San Francisco, and at Temple Bar in Santa Monica. At the latter date, singer-songwriter Jackson Browne and contemporary blues icon Keb' Mo' were in attendance. In addition to U.S. dates this summer, the Grenadian-American Denhert will be an artist-in-residence at the world-famous Umbria Jazz Festival in Perugia, Italy for a fifth consecutive year, July 11-20. She and the NY Unit – also featuring ace saxophonist Aaron Heick – will play two shows daily, including a show opening for Alicia Keys on Friday, July 18. Denhert's live performances showcase her earthy, vibrant personality as much as her genre-transcending music. Those qualities shine on her new album LUCKY 7, her Motéma Music debut. An enhanced 12-song CD also featuring videos, the disc is in association with KJ's Mother Cyclone Records imprint. KJ produced the album, her seventh, with NY Unit keyboardist Bennett Paster co-producing several tracks. Highlights include the title track, "He's Not Coming Home, " and the album's one cover, an intimate take on "Over The Rainbow" that's a fan favorite. write your comments about the article :: © 2008 Jazz News :: home page |