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| "GLIMPSE," Vocalist/Songwriter JENNIFER LEE's Glittering Collection of Mostly Originals For GLIMPSE, the newest album by JENNIFER LEE, the multi-faceted singer and songwriter once again teams up with master guitarist PETER SPRAGUE to record an album of hip, mostly original songs. GLIMPSE is Lee's fourth album as a leader. It follows Jaywalkin' (2003), Quiet Joy (2009), and My Shining Hour (2018). All her albums have received wide critical acclaim. Jazz, Bossa and Beyond said, "On My Shining Hour, Lee emerges as a composer who has developed a striking repertoire exploring the human condition with humor, compassion, and imagination." And the San Diego Tribune said, "Lee sings and writes with warmth and clarity. She sparkles whether performing her own material or jazz and Brazilian-music classics." GLIMPSE comprises nine originals, one standard, and one song written by her close friends. The music covers a range of styles – from jazz swingers to bluesy, modern ballads, to toe-tapping Brazilian-influenced melodies to fun, pop inflected tunes. All the music hangs together beautifully with Lee's crystalline voice and the deep pool of top California jazz musicians, including PETER SPRAGUE (guitar), ADAM SHULMAN (piano/Rhodes), GUNNAR BIGGS (acoustic bass), DUNCAN MOORE (drums), VINCE LATEANO (drums), TOMMY AROS (percussion), DEREK CANNON (trumpet), TRIPP SPRAGUE (sax), RICH KUHNS (accordion), JUSTIN GRINNELL (electric bass), DOUG POHORSKI (acoustic bass), ANTON SCHWARTZ (saxophone), and JOHN WIITALA (acoustic bass); as well as one East Coast jazz virtuoso, RANDY BRECKER (flugelhorn). Born in Redwood City, CA, Lee spent her entire life in the Bay Area - the last 22 years in Oakland - until a recent move to Southwestern Idaho. Lee played piano as a young child and after high school, studied jazz piano at Foothill College. She often accompanied vocalists while nursing her secret desire to sing. Unfortunately, she had to leave school to take care of her ailing father who died the following year. Lee relates, "My dad was only 51. That really brought things into focus for me. I realized that none of us knows how long we have on planet earth, so I'd better do what I want to do now. I returned to school, but instead of backing other singers, I took over the microphone myself." She soon became a regular on the San Francisco Bay Area jazz scene and began touring around the state. She met Sprague when she hired him to accompany her at Dizzy's in downtown San Diego, thus launching a partnership that has lasted 24 years, with Lee recording all her full-length albums on his label SBE Records. "No words are adequate to express how lucky I feel to get to work with Peter, " says Lee. "He's incredibly skillful and creative as a guitarist, recording engineer, arranger and producer. My writing and arranging styles are heavily influenced by Peter. Not that he ever set out to teach me anything. Just watching him work and listening to his arrangements, aspects of his musical style have seeped into my ears and into my consciousness." Lee changed her artist name to "Jennifer Lee and the Ever-Expanding Universe" in 2017 when she realized that on the streaming platforms her profile had been interwoven with that of another vocalist named Jennifer Lee. She dedicates GLIMPSE to her husband, George. Five of the original tracks were inspired by him and by their relationship. Lee opens the album with "I Caught a Glimpse of Your Soul" – a song she refers to as a musical/lyrical description of the experience she had when George came into her life. She explains, "When we first met, we each felt an unusually strong connection to the other. It was a feeling that we had known one another forever. Neither of us had experienced anything like this before. It was truly remarkable." "Farewell to Comfort, " a spritely samba that Lee penned in 2017, turned out to be a premonition, foretelling some monumental changes in her life that include meeting her husband. While Lee currently does most of her own arranging, Sprague wrote the lines for the beautiful, wordless over-dubbed vocal interludes. "Dave Don't Mind the Rain" was composed by friend Shanna Carlson with lyrics by the late Cathi Walkup. The inspiration for the lyric was a rainy-day gig for one of their mutual friends, pianist David Udolf, with whom Lee has performed and recorded many times. "Vivid Technicolor Love" began as two musical phrases Lee recorded on her phone's voice memo app and rediscovered ten years later while clearing things out. At that point, having the inspiration of George in her life, the words "I've never felt this before, such a vivid technicolor love" came to her quickly. The horn arrangement is the first one she ever wrote. Lee was inspired to sing "If I Only Had a Brain" as a ballad after hearing Harry Connick Jr.'s version. She relates, "I found it to be so touching. I think it was the first time I really got how deep the lyrics are — how they speak to something so fundamental in the human condition: the fear that we're not enough." The intimate arrangement features Lee on piano and vocals and Rich Kuhns on accordion. During the pandemic lockdown, Lee shifted her energy from live performance to creating videos, among them a humorous version of this classic with an alternate lyric, "If I Only Had T.P." The lyric for "Serendipity" makes it clear that Lee believes in a higher power and in the power of gratitude. "I learned a long time ago that believing in my victimhood did not serve me, while choosing a positive outlook always did serve both me and those around me. So I try every day to do just that." "Warrior, Drop Your Sword" featuring Brecker's soulful playing, is a metaphysical take on her husband's dramatic journey – nine brain surgeries and a 38-year legal battle following his NFL career. Lee's lifelong quest to overcome the psychological wounds of childhood trauma eventually led her to psychedelic therapy. In a 2014 ayahuasca ceremony, she experienced an intense emotional release. Following the session, she went directly to her piano, and the song "Hold On" emerged. "Superhero" is a wacky but heartfelt musical tribute to her loving and supportive superhero of a husband. Reminiscent of the pop ballads from the 70s, "Here You Are" expresses Lee's awe and wonder at the transcendent love they share. Lee closes the album with "Strange and Beautiful." The kernel of the song originated with a throwaway lick she played while teaching her piano student to improvise over the chord changes for "Hit the Road, Jack." Lee's luminous voice, perfect intonation, and rhythmic dexterity, coupled with her pianism and superb songwriting skills make GLIMPSE an outstanding showcase for an artist who deserves much wider recognition. Backed by a band of top-notch musicians, this album will surely catch the attention of vocalists in search of beautifully crafted songs to add to their repertoire. GLIMPSE was released on June 6, 2025 on SBE Records and is available on all streaming platforms. Physical copies are available at www.jenniferlee.xyz. write your comments about the article :: © 2025 Jazz News :: home page |