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| An Original to the Core, Alternative Jazz vocalist/composer Laird Jackson Releases: Life An original to the core, Laird asserts that whenever you sing, you're giving voice to your soul. She spreads her emotional soundscape wide. She dives deep into dramatic mystery, quiet romance, elemental wonder, profound sadness, ruminative ecstasy, improvisational beauty and the dreamy tug between longing within and pushing outward away from all boundaries to find freedom. Laird's artistic certitude and freedom arrives beginning from her debut album (1994's Quiet Flame on Venus) to her second (2002's Touched) through to its emergence with so much gravitas on her 3rd alternative Jazz album (2024's Life). Laird doesn't apologize about her hiatus. "Life happened, " says the Cleveland-born, Detroit-bred, New York based artist. "I didn't stop living. I traveled, I wrote, I recorded on other people's projects. I stepped back from the business side to deal with the unexpected twists and turns that happened." With 15 tracks (only 5 of which are covers) taking the listener on a 74 minute genre-bending journey through a cinematic sonic landscape, Life paints a colorful image that is cohesively held together by Laird's beautiful voice. Produced by Grammy winner and percussionist extraordinaire, Jeff Haynes (Pat Methany, Cassandra Wilson, Brandi Carlile) this new album will tingle your senses. Featuring Jeff Haynes (percussion), Marvin Sewell (guitar), Gregoire Maret (harmonica), Michael Manring (bass), Charlie Burnham (violin), Premik Russell Tubbs (sax/EWI), Brandon Ross (guitar), Eugene Friesen (cello), Jennifer DeFrayne (piano), Sean Harkness (guitar/bass), Doug Weiss (bass), Candace Coates (harp), and more. "Laird Jackson is in possession of both a voice and a vision that brings to this delicate music, a balance of lightness and weight. Her sound, her approach, her perspective emanates from that place where poetic fragility and soulful determination stand side by side." - James Browne - former programmer for WBGO Newark, involved in the NYC jazz scene for over 30 years, is also a co-producer on Laird Jackson's 2nd recording 'Touched'. "So many talented jazz ladies, but Laird Jackson is right there with the pack, running in front…a musical diamond buffed and polished, all facets flashing." Dan McClenaghan - All About Jazz "Laird Jackson's soulful vocal yoga, (she has the ability to hold notes effortlessly, and to stretch into uncompromising vocal positions)..." Kathryn Shackleton - BBC Jazz review 1. I Believe 5:25 2. Suhaili 5:56 3. Dusk 4:45 4. Make a Smile for Me 5:49 5. Destiny 5:42 Track Listing: 6. In the Pines 3:51 7. The River 4:59 8. Rainbows 3:01 9. Rounding the Sun 5:26 10. The Wind 4:19 11. Life 4:24 12. World of Dreams 4:49 13. Tender as a Rose 4:22 14. Wild is the Wind 5:37 15. Follow 5:07 Produced, Recorded and Orchestrated by Jeff Haynes. Executive Producer: Laird Jackson. Mixed and Mastered by Corin Nelsen at SynchroSonic Productions. Photography by Vital Agibalow for Hensel. Publishing by LairdSongs (ASCAP). ?2024 Laird Jackson. All Rights Reserved. All songs available on your favorite streaming platform. write your comments about the article :: © 2024 Jazz News :: home page |