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| Mike Frost Band feat Lauren Meccia & Donald Vega CD Release Party Mike Frost is coming back home to New York. And heʼs not coming back alone. The highly accomplished bassist and Long Island native left for the South nearly a decade ago, and his long-awaited return to perform live will feature the New York debut of bandmate Lauren Mecciaʼs vocal album Inside Your Eyes, which was produced by Frost in his Spirit Music Studio in Aiken, S.C. Meccia, the featured vocalist and saxophonist of the Mike Frost Band, teamed with Frost and world-renown pianist Donald Vega and others to record Inside Your Eyes, which recently had its official world-wide release. "I'm really excited about taking our new CD back home to New York to share it with my colleagues, students and friends, " said Frost. "I moved away from New York nine years ago, and I've been getting requests to come back to perform but haven't yet. Now is the time." The debut concert will be Friday, February 6, at Brooklynʼs ShapeShifter Lab. Vega will join Meccia and Frost on stage in the concert event that also includes singersongwriter Cathy Kreger as the opening performer. Inside Your Eyes features 11 tracks of rich, velvety smooth vocals that include two original songs, plus one original instrumental. Meccia and Vega teamed up to compose "If You Can Fly" and the title track "Inside Your Eyes" — featuring the haunting reprise "The truth is not disguised inside your eyes." Meccia penned the lyrics and Vega composed the music for both songs. Frost composed the albumʼs lone instrumental track, "Atlantis, " which highlights Meccaʼs brilliance on saxophone and Vegaʼs piano mastery. Throughout, Frost provides the backbone on his custom Clifford Roi basses with Brian Czach on percussion. "Collaborating with Lauren Meccia on Inside Your Eyes was a rare pleasure, " said Vega. "Her musicality on the saxophone is inviting and her vocals are inspiring. No doubt you will fall in love with Meccia's music on this debut album. I know I did!" Inside Your Eyes conjures up an evening at The Cotton Club as Meccia sensually sings, scats, serenades and swoons while Frost bends the bass and Vega massages the ivories. The balance of the album includes Mecciaʼs vocal interpretations of Herbie Hancockʼs "Butterfly, " Irving Berlinʼs "Cheek to Cheek, " Burt Bacharachʼs "What The World Needs Now" and "The Look Of Love, " a powerful take on Bonnie Raittʼs "I Canʼt Make You Love Me, " and more, concluding with a lilting rendition of "Over the Rainbow, " in which Meccia demonstrates her full vocal range and impeccable control. Inside Your Eyes was produced and engineered, and most of the music arranged, by Frost. Frost is excited about introducing Meccia to New York at ShapeShifter. "ShapeShifter Lab is a unique arts venue that is perfect for us to launch this project, " he said. "The venue was conceived by Matt Garrison, an incredible bassist in New York who's performed with everybody from Herbie Hancock to Whitney Houston. Matt's father was Jimmy Garrison, who was the bassist for John Coltrane. WHAT THEYʼRE SAYING: Lauren Meccia comes across like a real musician who happens to sing. As a vocalist she has a crystal clear sound that rings like a bell, and can effortlessly go for drawing out a lyric … and yet she can also clip out a series of words like sheʼs jumping through an obstacle course. ... Her voice resonates like a glass organ. — George Harris, JazzWeekly.com Lauren Mecciaʼs impressive vocals are the focus here. She can be smooth, but also find moments to really soar. — Michael Doherty, Michael Dohertyʼs Music Log Meccia ... commands your attention whether itʼs on stage or part of a recording. — Ed Turner, Augusta Chronicle write your comments about the article :: © 2015 Jazz News :: home page |