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| Vocalist Cathy Segal Garcia's "SOCIAL ANTHEMS, VOL. 2," a Follow-Up to Social Anthems, Vol. 1 SOCIAL ANTHEMS VOLUME 2, the newest album by vocalist CATHY SEGAL-GARCIA, is a follow-up to her 2021 release, Social Anthems Volume 1. Like Volume 1, the new release is compilation of songs that speaks to the tumultuous times we live in. SOCIAL ANTHEMS VOLUME 2 is her 16th project as a leader. As a songwriter, teacher, impresario, and jazz writer, Segal-Garcia is a pillar of the Los Angeles jazz scene. A prolific recording artist and an exceptionally creative singer who's not afraid to take chances, each of her projects is stylistically different than those that came before. All About Jazz says, "She's simply a weaver of dreams, a starry-eyed wanderer and free spirit who, nevertheless, possesses strong artistic instincts and the organizational savvy to pull off one unique project after another." From duets, to trios, to quartets, to a full-blown jazz orchestra, each of Segal-Garcia's albums usually features a different band configuration. VOLUME 2 features some A-list Los Angeles musicians. CAREY FRANK (piano, B3, synths) has worked many top names in jazz and pop, such as Tedeschi Trucks Band, Michael Bublé, Veronica Swift, Mike Garson, Hot Tuna, The Wood Brothers, Jane Monheit, Dr. Lonnie Smith, Bruce Springsteen, to name just a few. NICK MANCINI (vibes) is a bandleader and much sought-after sideman who has worked with the likes of Arturo Sandoval, Peter Erskine, Poncho Sanchez, Kenny Werner, and Kamasi Washington. Guitarist WILL BRAHM has worked with Arturo Sandoval, the New West Guitar Group, Gordon Goodwin's "Big Phat Band, " Kim Richmond, Otmaro Ruiz, Sara Gazarek, Jane Monheit, and Gretchen Parlato. The album also features three different bass players, ALEX BONEHAM, DAVID PILCH, and JOHN LEFTWICH, as well as three different drummers, STEVE HASS, JAY BELLEROSE, and CHRIS WABICH. She also shares the microphone with three of her favorite vocalists, MON DAVID, PAUL JOST, and KANGA LAVRADO. David and Jost also appeared on Volume 1. A consummate jazz artist, Segal-Garcia has a warm, alto voice. Whether she is singing a swing tune or a tender ballad or scatting a bebop line, she captions the emotional depth of a song, conveying her innate honesty and deeply held convictions. For VOLUME 2, Segal-Garcia chose some of her favorite pop tunes from the 1970s through the 90s. They not only contain messages that resonate with her, but they had to be amenable to jazz arrangements. The events of the last few years - Covid, wars, racism, the ecology disaster that is rapidly unfolding - are all fodder for her art. She opens the album with Peter Gabriel's love song "In Your Eyes." According to Gabriel, the lyrics can refer to either a romantic relationship between a man and a woman or a divine relationship between someone and God. Segal-Garcia was drawn to its soulful lyrics about hope and sadness. One of Marvin Gaye's most socially conscious tunes is the funky "Inner City Blues, " from What's Going On, depicting the bleak conditions of the inner-city. Segal-Garcia does a bluesy duet version of Stevie Wonder's "Living in the City" with Mon David, who also appeared on Volume 1. He and Segal-Garcia are good friends and have been collaborating for years. Segal-Garcia says, "Mon and I very compatible musically. We even have many of the same songs in our repertoire. We also share views about social justice. I just love his intensity." "Russians/My Russia" is a mashup of music by Sting and Prokofiev plus a Segal-Garcia composition originally on her Secret Life album. She wanted a marching feel for the tune to highlight its sobering message. David and Kanga Lavrado, a Los Angeles vocalist, sing backup on this song. "The Book of Love" is another song by Peter Gabriel. Segal-Garcia duets with New York vocalist Paul Jost. Jost, who also sang on Volume 1, is one of most inventive vocalists on the scene today. Segal-Garcia is also a prolific songwriter and wrote the soulful, modern song, "The Beginning of You." The bluesy tune is a paean to youthful love back in the free love days. Segal's "Suite: Judy Blue Eyes" is a Stephen Stills song that appeared on Crosby, Stills, and Nash in 1969. Segal-Garcia's version is re-imagined via the creative arrangement by Mancini and features background vocals by David and Lavrado. Much of the music in the late 1960s and early 70s reflected the social conscience of those times. The songs were early influences on Segal-Garcia's growth as an artist, and their messages are still as relevant today. Segal-Garcia's warm voice and deep attachment to the lyrics, combined with the hip, updated jazz arrangements and top-notch musicianship, make SOCIAL ANTHEMS VOLUME 2 a relevant and compelling project that reverberate in today's social and political climate. About Cathy Segal-Garcia Cathy Segal-Garcia was born and raised in Boston. Coming from a musical family, she loved jazz since she was five years old. She attended the renowned Berklee College of Music from 1972-1975, studying flute and Arranging & Composition. Segal-Garcia is the co-founder of three organizations dedicated to jazz and the art of singing. She received an award from the "California Lawyers for the Arts" in 2011, from "Jazz Del Corazon" in 2015, and was declared a "Jazz Hero" by JEXA in 2021 for her position as a leader in the Los Angeles jazz community. Segal-Garcia is a respected vocal clinician and coach. Besides her extensive private teaching, she has been a jazz vocal professor at CSULA, Occidental College, Musicians Institute, LACM, and Idyllwild Arts Academy. Cathy travels to Buenos Aires, Italy, Germany, Scandinavia, France, Spain, Austria, Switzerland, Australia, Korea, England to record and perform, and considers Japan her home away from home, having traveled there frequently since 1990. # # # SOCIAL ANTHEMS, VOL. 2 was released on August 30, 2024 on Dash-Hoffman Music and is available at Bandcamp and on all streaming platforms. write your comments about the article :: © 2024 Jazz News :: home page |