Vocalist/Songwriter JAMIE SHEW's "Spicy, Classy (and a little) Sassy" Harnesses the Healing Power of Music

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Vocalist, songwriter, and arranger JAMIE SHEW understands the healing power of music. After her husband Roger Shew died of cancer and left her a young widow with a small child, she turned to music to express her grief. On Eyes Wide Open, her second album released in 2018 shortly after Roger's death, she chose songs that follow the arc of her life from the early days of her relationship with him through his illness and beyond. Critic Scott Yanow said, "Jamie Shew has a strong, clear and attractive voice, sounding very comfortable in all registers. She can swing at every tempo, sounds at home interacting with jazz musicians, and is a subtle but creative improviser."

As the saying goes, time heals all wounds, and although they do leave scars, today Shew has found new love and learned how to tap into the joy she thought she would never feel again. The title of her newest album, SPICY CLASSY (and a little) SASSY is an exploration of love in all its beautiful and messy ways. It is a testament to the resilience of the human heart.

Shew is not only a mainstay on the Southern California jazz scene and has performed in festivals and jazz clubs around the world, she is also a respected educator and mentor to younger, aspiring jazz artists. She grew up in Washington state where she earned a bachelor's degree in music education from Washington State University and then a master's degree in vocal performance and jazz studies from Western Michigan University. Since relocating to California, she has taught at Fullerton College for 22 years, where she conducts courses in vocal jazz styling, improvisation, and music theory. She directs two groups in the award-winning vocal jazz ensemble program and is the vocalist for the Faculty Jazz Cadre high school educational outreach program. She is also an in-demand adjudicator and clinician for jazz festivals throughout the country, has served as the past Vocal Jazz Chair of the Southern California Vocal Association, and has directed the California and Washington All-State Vocal Jazz Ensembles.

Shew has performed with many of the top California jazz musicians and assembled a stellar band for SPICY CLASSY (and a little) SASSY, including pianist JEREMY SISKIND (Arturo Sandoval, Matt Wilson, Jay Anderson, Kurt Elling), KAIT DUNTON on Hammond B3 & Rhodes (Snarky Puppy), guitarist MIKE SCOTT (Stevie Wonder, Monica Mancini, Abraham Laboriel, Vince Mendoza), bassist LYMAN MEDEIROS (Steve Tyrell, Michael Bublé, Eric Marienthal, Lew Soloff), and MARK FERBER on drums (Lee Konitz, Gary Peacock, Fred Hersch, Billy Childs). Vocalist MARIO JOSE (John Legend, Michael McDonald, Ben E. King, Dua Lipa) is featured on background vocals on one tune.

SPICY, CLASSY (and a little) SASSY comprises 12 tracks, including nine reimagined jazz standards and three original songs, two by Shew and one by Siskind. Shew arranged all the songs, and although the title of the album describes the mix of songs, it can just as well describe Shew's engaging personality.

Shew's original songs are "Enough" and "Letters from You." "Enough" is a funky anthem with clever lyrics that capture the chaos of modern life while trying to maintain everyday relationships and the challenges of parenting a teenager in these chaotic political times. "Letters from You" is about Shew's late grandmother.

Shew relates, "At our family reunion this last summer, I read many letters my grandmother had written. They were mostly correspondences between my grandmother and her mother. My grandmother lost her husband when she was about 40 and was left a single mother, just like I was. Unfortunately, she never found companionship again. The letters revealed a desperate need for companionship, her deep love of family, her sadness when she began to lose her short-term memory, and the guilt she felt about not doing things she felt she should have done." This pop-inflected tune features background vocals by Jose.

Shew sings a duet with Medeiros on Siskind's original "Each Time." Siskind turned an exercise he wrote for his students into a swinging tune that almost sounds like a throwback to the vocal jazz groups in the 1950s and 60s. It's a fun song with a lot of harmonic twists and turns.

Shew and Siskind show off their chops on "Invitation." Shew arranged the song with a funk groove and creates additional textures with an Afro-Cuban treatment on the bridge. For Shew, the message of "Comes Love" sums up much of the storytelling on the album. The song's mysterious feel, reminiscent of Kurt Weill's music, perfectly accents Shew's bluesy, sexy vocals, enhanced by her soulful melodica.

"Close Your Eyes" has been performed by many artists since it was first recorded in 1933. Shew and the band give the song a contemporary feel, featuring both Dunton on Rhodes and Siskind on piano. Shew's take on "Ghost of a Chance" shows her ability to wring the emotion out of a torch song without getting sentimental or dramatic. She updates the arrangement with a 6/8 groove while keeping the emotional thrust of the song.

As an arranger, Shew creates textures by adding key changes and interesting grooves, which she does on a burning version of "Secret Love." On "Bewitched, Bothered, and Bewildered, " her emotional connection to the song is palpable. She sings it once through with no solos, and instead of singing the verse at the top, she adds it at the end.

Shew is a big fan of James Bond films and gave "All or Nothing at All" a vibe that would befit a spy movie. The arrangement developed from the swinging feel of the bass line and then picks up the pace by doubling the time in the bridge. Shew demonstrates that she can deftly handle a range of moods on her coy version of "Squeeze Me." She says, "After being married for 18 years, it didn't feel right to call my love my boyfriend, so I just call him my main squeeze. This song really spoke to me on that level." Shew closes the album with "I'm Glad There is You." She was particularly drawn the song's upbeat, hopeful lyrics. Siskind gives the arrangement a Latin groove.

Jamie Shew has experienced deep heartbreak and began the healing process through the curative power of music. As a singer, she eschews melisma and vocal pyrotechnics to tell a song's story with her elegant phrasing and appealing sound. As an arranger, she never strays too far from the composer's intent but adds her own artistic touches that give songs a fresh, new perspective. The stellar band on SPICY, CLASSY (and a little) SASSY adds their own inventiveness and artistic handiwork to this superb album.

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SPICY, CLASSY (and a little) SASSY was released on May 9, 2025 and is available on all digital platforms. Physical CDs are available at Amazon, www.jamieshewmusic.com, and Bandcamp.

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