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| EUROPEAN CD RELEASE - Discover the new album of Paul Jost "Simple Life", one of the most soulful voices in jazz today WHO IS PAUL JOST ? "He is more than a gifted singer and songwriter, he's a conduit, conveying a universal message of beauty and truth" - Joe Locke/Vibraphonist "Amazing sound, conviction, soul, lyricism, swing, groove, love and a hope for a better tomorrow. Not many people can give you all that in one song. Well, Paul Jost gives it to you in one measure." - Orrin Evans/Pianist Paul Jost is an eclectic artist from Philadelphia with great skills as a drummer, arranger and composer but it's his voice that truly makes him a standout. Both critics and contemporaries alike say he is one of the best male jazz vocalists since Mark Murphy. When describing the unique vocalist, two words come to mind: "passionate storyteller". To Paul, each lyric offers a message, a story, and he conveys his own interpretation of those stories through his arrangements and the honesty in his performance. After a long career as an instrumentalist and sideman, Paul has either re- corded or performed with such legendary artists as Ron Carter, Dr. John, Billy Eckstine, Mark Murphy, Bucky Pizzarelli and Joe Farrell. Paul has performed worldwide with tours in USA, Asia and Europe. He is a regular on the New York Club scene performing at clubs such as the 55 Bar, Iridium, Blue Note, Smoke, Dizzy's and Mezzrow to name a few. Paul officially launched his solo vocal career in 2015 with the release of his debut vocal album "Breaking Through". His follow-up release to "Breaking Through" is his new album "Simple Life". Jost's quick rise as a singer is a testament to his innate talent, his precision as a musician, and his distinctive vocal sound. His unconventional path to singing gives him a 360-view of the art form. He knows what works across a variety of musical settings. His innovative phrasing and expert sense of time distinguishes him as a jazz singer. And he swings, but also knows how to provide a poignant and meaningful interpretation of each carefully selected composition. ABOUT "SIMPLE LIFE" "Simple Life" was recorded with his quartet including Jim Ridl on piano, Dean Johnson on bass and Tim Horner on drums. The album also fea- tures the famous vibraphonist Joe Locke as special guest on four tracks. The songs included on "Simple Life" not only look back, paying tribute to the tradition, they also look forward reaching outside the traditional boundaries of the genre. On the album, Paul takes his hand to a number of songs written by Lennon and McCartney, Dylan, Sonny Rollins, Ray Nobel, Duke Ellington, Jerome Kern and a couple of his originals, bringing a fresh approach while at the same time respecting their history and place in the American Songbook. As an example, Paul weaves his way artfully through the verse of "Give Me the Simple Life", brings his rhythmic skills to Ellington's "Caravan" and provides a heartfelt rendition of "Folks Who Live on the Hill". While the majority of songs are jazz standards, there is nothing standard about them! Not one to be limited by genre, Paul brings surprises throughout the recording. Roger LaMay, General Manager of Philadelphia's WXPN-FM said, "It's fascinating to see these iconic songs reimagined through a jazz lens." His arrangements force you to hear the music and lyrics in a different light. With this recording, Paul already known as a passionate storyteller, has created an album that not only documents this current period in his career but also sets the tone for all that will come. It's clear when listening to this album that Paul has staked his claim as one of the most innovative vocalists on the scene today. Quotes from press in USA : ----------------- "His mannerisms are disarming because he is so believable. He sounds real." - Jazz Times "This is real refreshing!" - WBGO "Paul Jost has proven to be one of the most enthralling and soulful voices in jazz today" - L.A. Jazz Scene "Paul Jost makes every song so personally his own that it's easy to forget anyone else ever sang them." - All About Jazz "He possesses a gravely tenor, liberally applied to an amazingly facile ability to scat, utilize Parlando and sprinkle in straight-ahead vocalizing." - NYC City Jazz Record "Paul Jost has a voice that has Kurt Elling's elasticity with a dash of Broadway clarity." - Jazz Weekly "A different voice in the vocal jazz scene." - Hot House write your comments about the article :: © 2019 Jazz News :: home page |