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| New Self-Titled Album "EUGENIE" by Eugenie Jones, Produced by Lonnie Plaxico Award-winning singer, songwriter, producer, and music legacy advocate Eugenie Jones prepares to again captivate audiences with a new release. Her self-titled album EUGENIE hits airwaves on January 20, 2025. Since she burst on the jazz scene in 2013, Seattle-based vocalist, composer, producer and legacy activist Eugenie Jones has proven to be one of today's most evocative artists. Her new self-titled release, EUGENIE, produced by the acclaimed bassist and bandleader Lonnie Plaxico, casts a focused spotlight on the depth and breadth of Jones' lyricism, as a songwriter with 32 published songs to her credit. Her keen lyricism is elevated by an adaptive vocal style that powerfully flexes between hard-swinging jazz classics, to sultry blues numbers and passionate renderings of emotively gripping ballads. EUGENIE is the singer, songwriter's sixth release on OPEN MIC Records. Unlike "Players, " recorded in Dallas, New York, Chicago, and Seattle with world-class musicians that included bassists Reggie Workman and Lonnie Plaxico, drummer Bernard "Pretty" Purdie, percussionist Bobby Sanabria, trumpeter Marquis Hill and legendary trombonist Julian Priester, EUGENIE is a single-disc project highlighting the depth and breadth of Jones' lyricism and her exquisite vocal ability. C. Michael Bailey formerly with All About Jazz and currently Wild Mercury Rhythm wrote about Jones' new project. "Vocalist Eugenie Jones has been releasing exceptional jazz-oriented recordings for the last decade. She has shown herself to be unafraid of any genre or style of music, singing all at a high level. Her vocal chops have few peers, and her writing is beautifully grown up and real. Jones shows she can sing with delicacy or grit, whichever is called for. Her voice is warmly, humidly pliant with a deeply sensuous center that she uses expressively with greater validity and genuineness than most better-known singers." Jones and sixteen musicians recorded EUGENIE in New York and Seattle. The New York sessions feature Lonnie Plaxico on bass, pianists Brandon McCune and Mamiko Watanabe; Russell Carter on drums; Rico Jones on saxophone; trumpeter Gil Defay; Jessica Wang on cello; violinist Yoojin Park and percussionist Kahlil Bell. Plaxico also served as the project's producer. "It was an honor to produce and perform with Eugenie Jones on her recording. She is laser-focused, full of expression, energy, and passion, with a voice that's original and soulful. The selection of songs and Eugenie's original music is an atmospheric experience, " states Plaxico. The musicians on the Seattle date included pianists Darrius Willrich and Peter Adams; saxophonist Alex Dugdale; guitarist Michael Powers; bassists Elliot Kuykendall and Chris Symer; drummer Ronnie Bishop and Ernesto Pediangco on percussion. The album features thirteen selections, including seven "Eugenie-ized" interpretations of jazz standards and soul classics composed by Nat Adderley, Oscar Brown, Jr., Nina Simone, Peggy Lee, Duke Ellington, Marvin Gaye, and Carole King. Additionally, there are six original compositions that demonstrate Jones' sensual vocals and her intelligent, thoughtful writing skills. The album offers a mix of jazz, swing, blues, and soul melodies, with accentuating string arrangements woven into two of Jones' original jazz ballads and the soul classic, "Natural Woman." The album opens with the satin smooth ballad, "Starlight Starbright, " telling the story of chance meetings and love born beneath a star-soaked sky. It is followed by "I Love Being Here with You, " a Peggy Lee staple and signature song of Jones' predecessor, Seattle jazz great Ernestine Anderson. Jones' version of the tune is a modernized, mellow, midtempo arrangement that is both bluesy and contemporary in its storyline, played in a slower, more evocative groove. On Earle Hagen's "Harlem Nocturne, " Jones evokes the ebony embers of an upper Manhattan after-hours club in the 1920s, with wonderfully shaped tones matched and sublimely buoyed by the horn play of saxophonist Rico Jones. Jones' enthralling rendition of Marvin Gaye's hit "Trouble Man, " a song from the same-titled 1972 movie, arranged by Plaxico, retains its jazz edge and big-city swagger of the original. Jones' rendition of the Nat Adderley/Oscar Brown classic, "Work Song, " features Jones' powerful vocal extremes, the luminous horn play of trumpeter Gil Defay, and stop-time syncopations highlighted by a hard-time melody. In Jones' original, "Hold Back the Night, "—an original based on Philippians 4:8—soothing tones build to a crescendo carrying the message of standing against life's troubles with focused thinking on what is true, honest, just, pure, excellent, and lovely. In addition to "Hold Back the Night, " Jones' additional original compositions include a sassy Latin tune, "It's Okay, " an upbeat bossa nova breakup song, and the percussion-propelled, bluesy swagger of "Say What You Will, " with its reap-what-you-sow lyrics. The swinging, mainstream-motored "Why I Sing, " in which Jones assertively proclaims—"drive, drive, drive to wherever jazz lives"—is arguably her most autobiographical song. Lyrically, it highlights the two most important days in one's life—the day one was born and the day one discovers why they're here—and encourages listeners to stay true to their life dreams. EUGENIE exemplifies how far Jones has come in the short life of her ten-year musical career. 'I did not study music in school. I graduated with an MBA and worked in nonprofit and corporate marketing communications before realizing my inherent musical abilities, which I believe I inherited from my mother." Jones' mother, a soprano gospel singer, was the singer of the family, and when cancer claimed her life, Jones managed her grief by setting out to see if she could carry forward that part of her mom's life. With an international following, the Seattle-based artist has achieved significant success in the jazz world. She has ranked #7 on the Jazz Week Top 50 and #30 on their Top 100 Albums of the Year list. Additionally, she has been honored as a two-time Earshot Jazz NW Vocalist of the Year winner and is the only vocal artist to have received Earshot Jazz's Recording of the Year award. The International Jazz Association recognized Jones with the Jazz Hero Award for her community work, which involves organizing concerts that honor Seattle's rich jazz African American music legacy while financially supporting nonprofit community service organizations. In 2023, the Seattle Jazz Hall of Fame inducted Jones, standing her alongside prior iconic recipients like Buddy Catlett, Julian Priester, Ernestine Anderson, and Jovino Santos Neto. Jones has received extensive praise and recognition for her discography, which includes Black Lace, Blue Tears (2013), Come Out Swinging (2015), Players (2022), Players 1.1 (2023), and The Originals (2024). EUGENIE reflects the continued evolution of Jones' gorgeous, jazz-honed vocals and clever, intelligent lyricism that has earned the artist comparisons to legendary African American female songwriters that have proceeded her, including Abbey Lincoln, Nina Simone, and Irene Higginbotham. With this and her previous releases, Jones has consistently showcased her unique blend of original vocal jazz and creative interpretations of beloved standards and jazzed-soul classics. Her music has the power to move the soul, entertain, and attract new audiences, all while staying true to the genre. Listeners are in for a truly unforgettable jazz experience as Jones invites them into her Eugenie-ized world of music with her standing mantra—"Welcome to jazz, you can feel." Reflecting on her career, Jones shared, "Pursuing a music career is a Sisyphean act unlike any other I've taken on, but it brings an unmatched joy and purpose to my life, so with this release here I stand rolling that boulder up the hill again." Get ready for the release of EUGENIE, which will be available on all major streaming platforms from January 20, 2025. For more information and to stay updated on Jones' upcoming tour schedule, please visit www.eugeniejones.com. About Eugenie Jones Since she burst on the jazz scene in 2013, the award-winning, Seattle-basedvocalist, composer, producer, and legacy activist Eugenie Jones has been one of our time's most evocative and evolving artists. NEA Jazz Master and bassist Reggie Workman described Jones as "an extraordinary singer, songwriter, and a source of light we're fortunate to experience." Thomas Staudter of The Gazette/New York lauded Jones for her "tremendous talent, tireless energy, and buoyant spirit, " and Mark Holston of Jazziz praised Jones for her "…keen sense of phrasing, [which] makes her extremely persuasive. Like a veteran horn soloist, she slides effortlessly from one octave to the next, always landing on the right, pitch-perfect note." Jones displayed all those attributes on her first four releases: Black Lace, Blue Tears(2013), Come Out Swinging (2015), Players (2022), and The Originals (2024). With the release of her new album, Eugenie Jones extends and elaborates on her jazz-honed, vivid, and vivacious vocals. Jones' vocals, which have been praised by legendary bandleader Joe Chambers as "Excellent" and capable of encompassing multiple idioms, are a true testament to her musical prowess. Unlike Players - a two-disc album recorded in Dallas, New York, Chicago, and Seattle with thirty-two world-class jazz musicians, including bassists Reggie Workman and Lonnie Plaxico; drummer Bernard "Pretty" Purdie; percussionist Bobby Sanabria; trumpeter Marquis Hill and legendary trombonist Julian Priester - Eugenie Jones is a single disc project that cast a focused spotlight on the depth and breadth of Jones' lyricism as a songwriter with 32 published songs to her credit, her adaptive vocal style from sultry blues to hard-swinging classics, and her ability to create intensely passionate renderings of emotively gripping ballads. "At this point in my life, the things that are important to me and the things that I'm feeling are different than when I recorded Players two years ago in 2022, " Jones says. "This project reflects that change in mental focus, that progression of ideas and abilities that have enabled me to mature as a singer/songwriter and gain the confidence to take on more complex and challenging compositions. I didn't study music in school. I graduated with an MBA and worked successfully in corporate marketing before realizing my inherent musical abilities, which I believe I inherited from my mother. But even without the benefit of a formal music education, I'm blessed to be able to create songs that resonate with listeners, entertain, and lift hearts." Eugenie Jones features 13 selections composed of selections featuring music associated with Nat Adderley, Oscar Brown, Jr., Nina Simone, Peggy Lee, Duke Ellington, and Carole King. In addition to her special “Eugenie-izing” interpretation of these classics, this release further exemplifies Jones’ ability to be an intelligent, thoughtful composer in the tradition of Abbey Lincoln and Nina Simone. Eugenie Jones was recorded in two cities: The New York sessions featured Plaxico on bass; pianists Brandon McCune and Mamiko Watanabe; Russell Carter on drums; Rico Jones on saxophone; trumpeter Gil Defay; Jessica Wang on cello; violinist Yoojin Park and percussionist Kahlil Bell. The musicians on the Seattle date included pianist Darrius Willrich, saxophonist Alex Dugdale, bassist Elliot Kuykendall, drummer Ronnie Bishop, guitarist Michael Powers, pianist Peter Adams, Chris Symer on bass, and Ernesto Pediangco on percussion. Jones chose Plaxico to produce the record. “I've never worked with a producer who worked with me to take on some of the load of releasing a project, and I wanted to see how bringing another voice into that conversation would be different. Since Lonnie had been a part of my previous project and the tour, I asked him to produce." A professional musician since 14-years of age, Plaxico's immense knowledge base combined with Jones' skill holding the pen and mic make for a grand collaboration of sound and ideas. Jones adds her arrangement spice to some well-seasoned favorites. Ellington's "It Don't Mean a Thing" swings with a wee bit of rhythmic displacement that Jones vocally plays with; "I Love Being Here with You, " A Peggy Lee staple that jazz great Ernestine Anderson - Jones' Seattle predecessor - adopted as her signature song is rendered by Jones and company in midtempo mellow tones that are both bluesy and contemporary in its storyline. Jones takeson Earle Hagen's "Harlem Nocturne" with wonderfully shaped tones matched and beautifully buoyed by the horn play of saxophonist Rico Jones. At the same time, Jones imbues and reshapes Carole King's "Natural Woman, " adding strings and newly written background vocals that result in a beautifully different outcome of this well-known Aretha Franklin classic. Jones brings the gospel glow she grew up listening to into her version of Nina Simone's "Sinnerman, " Marvin Gaye's "Trouble Man, " arranged by Plaxico, and her rendition of the Nat Adderley/Oscar Brown classic "Work Song." Beyond containing uniquely arranged standards, Jones’ originals on this release highlight an artist who is growing by compositional leaps and bounds. Hercompelling storylines in the ballad "Starlight, Starbright" and the waltz-tempo of "Nothing Better" are both reminiscent of great romantic ballads, layered with beautiful string arrangements performed by cellist Jessica Wang and violinist Yoojin Park. While her glass-half-full unfolding in "Hold Back the Night" is an inspirational selection that gives listeners an alternative approach to dealing with life's troubles. Jones' additional compositions include the Latin-tinged and sassy "It's Okay" and the percussion-propelled, bluesy swagger of "Say What You Will." Last, but certainly not least is the original, "Why I Sing, " which tells the story of Jones' Sisyphean commitment to her music. Eugenie Jones's music career originates from Morgantown, West Virginia, where she was born and raised with five sisters and three brothers. Her father, Eugene, was the Director of the family's local Friendship Baptist Church Choir, and her mother sang first soprano. She grew up listening to Nancy Wilson and Motown, earned her MBA, moved to the Seattle area, married, and raised a family. But Jones didn't begin her singing career until later in life, after the death of her mother in 2008, to carry forward a part of her mother's life. After woodshedding with local bands for many years, Jones released her debut CD, Black Lace Blue Tears, in 2013. Kirk Silsbee's 3.5-star review of the CD in Down Beat magazine praised Jones for her "rhythm and swinging" and her "unforced lyricism." In 2013 Jones' project was the first vocal release to win Earshot Jazz's NW Recording of the Year award. On the strength of her 2015 follow-up release, Come Out Swingin', she won the title of NW Vocalist of the Year from Earshot, and the CD was lauded in Jazziz magazine for her "smoke-and-satin vocals in settingsthat float like a butterfly and swing like a night at the Savoy." Jones garnered more critical acclaim with the release of Players in 2022. The double CD topped the Jazz Week Top 50 chart at # 7 and was #30 on Jazz Week's Top 100 Albums of the Year listings. In 2024, Jones released The Originals, a compendium of self-penned selections from her recordings. Jones has performed in many venues nationwide, including Minton's Playhouse/NY; Blue Llama/Ann Arbor; Atlanta Jazz Festival; Twins/DC; Sistas' Place/NY; Scat Jazz Lounge/Dallas/Ft. Worth, KUVO Studios/Denver, Piano Forte/Chicago, The Jazz Station/OR, Dirty Dog Jazz Café/MI, and The National Jazz Museum/Harlem. She paid tribute to legendary Seattle vocalist Ernestine Anderson in November 2021 at LHPAI, an event she co-produced with Stix Hooper, the legendary drummer and founding member of the soul-fusion groupThe Crusaders, who also managed Anderson. In 2023, Jones received the Jazz Journalists Association's Jazz Hero Award for her nonprofit, Music for a Cause, which for seven years has presented Seattle's Jackson Street Jazz Walk, employing 20 live bands on ten community stages, and raising funds for community service organizations. The release of Eugenie Jones represents a new signpost, a timestamp by an artist continuing her ever-evolving artistry. "It's vital to my existence to know that I'm growing, being more today than yesterday. This project is one more step in that life-fulfilling direction." write your comments about the article :: © 2024 Jazz News :: home page |