Irene Serra and Luca Boscagin: The Great British Songbook
29th November 2024
Critically-acclaimed Italian vocalist Irene Serra (Wynton Marsalis, Norma Winstone, US3) and guitarist LucaBoscagin (Jason Rebello, Cinematic Orchestra, Jim Mullen) announce the upcoming release of their new album “The Great British Songbook” preceded by four singles.
2nd Single release date “There Must Be an Angel : Friday 4th October 2024
3rd Single release date “Eleanor Rigby” : Friday 1st November 2024
4th single release date “Every Little Thing She Does Is Magic” : Friday 29th November 2024
Album preview launch will take place on Saturday 2nd November Cafe Posk, London.
Brought together by their passion for British pop music, Irene and Luca have handpicked some of the most loved songs by famous British singer and/or songwriters of the last 70 years and created fresh-sounding, unique arrangements.
From The Beatles to Sting, Massive Attack and Imogen Heap, this album is a celebration of the most defining songs of the British music scene reimagined through their signature soulful sound.
“The Great British Songbook” is their defiant and passionate love letter to the brilliance of British music (which was one of the main reasons they both moved to London from Italy) in the face of Brexit and its aftermath.
“…sublime vocals…” - JAZZ FM
"...Irene Serra has a strong stage presence and a compelling vocal tone, which she uses to great effect…." - JAZZWISE
“…Serra’s voice is graceful and sensual…” - ALL ABOUT JAZZ
“...Serra’s singing is superb, perhaps at its most effective when she sounds bruised and vulnerable...” - Kind of Jazz
Irene Serra is a critically-acclaimed Italian Jazz vocalist and composer based in London. She is known for her varied and eclectic repertoire, masterfully performing straight ahead jazz standards, blues, Brazilian music and her own original compositions.
Irene has performed in world-class venues in and around the UK, including at the premiere of the Abyssinian Mass at the Barbican (with Wynton Marsalis and the Lincoln Center Jazz Orchestra), Southbank Centre, Ronnie Scott’s, Pizza Express Jazz Club, Union Chapel and King’s Place.
Her poised performances have already earned her much critical acclaim: her original project, ISQ, was a ‘Time Out Critics Choice’ in 2015 and she was longlisted for “Best Jazz Vocalist” at the 2022 Parliamentary Jazz Awards. She was also a finalist at the Shure Montreux Jazz Competition in 2009. Irene is currently working on her 5th album of original music with her project, ISQ and is also set to release her first album of Jazz standards in 2025.
Luca Boscagin
Guitarist Luca Boscagin grew up heavily influenced by Rock & Jazz, and as a musician has an equally wide range of guises to play with. He moved to London in 2009, driven by a passion for the British music scene where he recorded at major studios such as Abbey Road and Real World.
The Great British Songbook
Line up
Irene Serra – vocals
Luca Boscagin – guitar
Tracklist
Give Me the Night (Rod Temperton)
Jesus He Knows Me (Tony Banks, Phil Collins, Mike Rutherford)
There Must Be an Angel (Playing With My Heart) (Annie Lennox, David A. Stewart)
Eleanor Rigby (John Lennon, Paul McCartney)
Off the Wall (Rod Temperton)
Teardrop (Robert Del Naja, Elizabeth Fraser, Grantley Marshall, Andrew Vowles)
7. Wonderwall (Noel Gallagher)
8. Night Fever (Barry Gibb, Robin Gibb, Maurice Gibb)
RESONANCE RECORDS PRESENTS PREVIOUSLY UNHEARD LIVE RECORDINGS BY UNSUNG GUITAR GREAT EMILY REMLER
Cookin’ at the Queens, documenting Las Vegas gigs in 1984 and 1988, to be released as 3-LP set on RSD Black Friday, November 29 and as 2-CD set on Friday, December 6
First Remler Release in 34 Years! Deluxe package includes liner notes by acclaimed author Bill Milkowski, plus recollections from esteemed guitarists Russell Malone, Mike Stern, Rodney Jones and Dave Stryker along with Remler advocates Mimi Fox, Jocelyn Gould, Amanda Monaco
Resonance Records proudly presents the first release in 34 years from the unsung jazz guitar great who tragically died on May 4, 1990 at the age of 32. Culled from a previously unreleased collection of performances that were broadcast on KNPR Las Vegas in 1984 and 1988 as part of Alan Grant’s weekly radio program, “4 Queens Jazz Night from Las Vegas,” Cookin’ at the Queens captures Remler in quartet performances with pianist Cocho Arbe, bassist Carson Smith and drummer Tom Montgomery (1984) and trio performances with bassist Carson Smith and drummer John Pisci (1988).
Taped live at the 4 Queens Hotel and Casino in the old part of the Vegas strip (where Resonance’s 2016 release, Live at the 4 Queens from Shirley Horn, was originally recorded), these stunning performances by Remler reveal her abiding love of her personal guitar hero Wes Montgomery and other influential players like Pat Martino and George Benson. Taken as a whole, they represent some of Emily’s most scintillating, swinging, exploratory, unrestrained and inspired playing ever.
Whether it’s burning on an uptempo bebop number like Tadd Dameron’s “Hot House” or tackling modal classics like Miles Davis’ “So What” and John Coltrane’s “Impressions,” delving into a deep blues feeling, as on Bobby Timmons’ “Moanin’” and Montgomery’s “D-Natural Blues,” settling into a sublime ballad like “Polka Dots and Moonbeams” or basking in a bossa nova like Jobim’s “How Insensitive,” Remler’s sheer mastery of her instrument is readily apparent on these superb live tracks, recorded during separate engagements in the French Quarter Room of the 4 Queens Hotel in Las Vegas. They capture Remler in the joyful act of swinging in unencumbered fashion and stand as a testament to her greatness as a jazz guitarist.
“Anyone who's ever heard Emily play can immediately tell how much Wes Montgomery was part of her life,” noted bassist Eddie Gomez, who appeared on Remler’s 1983 album Transitions and 1985’s Catwalk, both alongside drummer Bob Moses. “She really had that sound of Wes’s and that feel together. She really had a great feel for the music and for that sound and that style. Other guitarists might’ve tried to play more like different guitarists, but she really got ahold of Wes. She really had that feel and that way of spacing chords and playing octaves together. If you closed your eyes, you’d think you were listening to Wes Montgomery. It was really impressive.”
Added Moses, “She out-swung most guitar players. She definitely had the feel, the groove and the soulfulness. She could do the standards and Wes Montgomery-ish stuff, but she had her own thing. And above all, she had that swing.”
Dave Stryker, who had met Remler in the early ‘80s, noted the impact she had back then. “Emily was such a good player, I think she helped inspire other musicians who came along later who might think, ‘Oh, wait, here’s another female musician that is out there doing it and dealing with this music.’ She was just one of the cats and she just happened to be a woman who played her ass off.”
Disciple Sheryl Bailey was lucky enough to have taken a guitar lesson with Remler as a developing young player. “The lesson was unbelievable, one of the best lessons ever,” she recalled. “She was a great teacher. She knew exactly what I needed and was clear about communicating it. I use everything she taught me every day. I teach it to all my students. As a player, she’s swinging, soulful, all about the melody, gorgeous tone, incredible technique, incredible control over the mechanics of the instrument. And she was a great educator.”
Added renowned jazz detective Zev Feldman, who along with Bill Milkowski co-produced this Resonance Records release, “As time goes by, some artists’ legacies get even more interesting and become more important, and I think Emily Remler is such a significant artist. She needs to be talked about and discussed more. She was a trailblazer and I hope these recordings are going to contribute to and validate her story and her importance.”
Released in cooperation with the Emily Remler Estate, the limited-edition 180-gram 3-LP set, mastered for vinyl from the original tape reels in the UNLV archives by Bernie Grundman, will be released on RSD Black Friday, November 29. A deluxe 2-CD set and digital download edition will be made available the following Friday on December 6.
Resonance Records is a multi-GRAMMY® Award-winning label (most recently for John Coltrane’s Offering: Live at Temple University for "Best Album Notes") that prides itself in creating beautifully designed, informative packaging to accompany previously unreleased recordings by the jazz icons who grace Resonance's catalog. Headquartered in Beverly Hills, CA, Resonance Records is a division of Rising Jazz Stars, Inc. a California 501(c) (3) non-profit corporation created to discover the next jazz stars and advance the cause of jazz. Current Resonance Artists include Tawanda, Eddie Daniels, Tamir Hendelman, Christian Howes and Donald Vega. www.ResonanceRecords.org
KIM CYPHER TO RELEASE NEW ALBUM – ‘CATCHING MOMENTS’ NOVEMBER 22nd 2024
“One of the UK's most exciting saxophonists, vocalists, & composers”-All About Jazz
British jazz saxophonist, vocalist, composer and band leader Kim Cypher releases her third album Catching Moments on November 22nd 2024. The album is a continuation of Kim’s ‘Brighter Tomorrow’, a collaborative project started during COVID lockdowns to showcase all those who work in the arts, and demonstrate their unbending passion, drive, resilience and dedication to their craft.
Kim is one of the UK’s most beloved jazz musicians. As a figurehead of independent arts in Britain, her work extends to furthering the reach of grassroots musicians by means of collaboration and independent concert promotion, working with the Women In Jazz Media collective, and her weekly radio show ‘The Big Jazz Hullabaloo’ hosted by Kim and her husband Mike every week on Jazz Bites Radio. Her charity single releases have seen thousands of pounds raised across multiple campaigns, simultaneously drawing attention to some of the most talented players residing in the UK and abroad.
“Accessible and classy music with a very wide appeal”- London Jazz News
The rich tones of Kim’s signature tenor saxophone playing offers nods to both of her mentors; the legendary jazz saxophonists Andy Sheppard and Pee Wee Ellis. The album covers a lot of genre-ground, from bossa to swing, and is already receiving attention from Jazzwise, Jazz FM, and BBC Radio 3, and she recently sold out her second Ronnie Scott’s concert.
“A bright, passionate performing light on the UK Jazz scene”– Jazz In Europe
The album is a showcase for an all-star cast of global musicians including guitarist Antonio Forcione, double bass player Raph Mizraki, percussionist Karl Vanden Bossche, drummer Mike Cypher, and special guest performers including pianist and vocalist Liane Carroll, saxophonist and vocalist Ray Gelato, and trombone player Ashley Slater. With Kim’s sublime production and tasteful arrangement giving space to each instrument, the musicians playfully syncopate and solo through this offering diverse in genre and tempo.
The twelve tracks on the album, including ten originals, are inspired by world and personal events of the past few years and focuses around catching precious moments in life. Kim and her band showcased many of these songs and more at her recent Ronnie Scott’s date.
Emma Smith new album ‘Hat-trick!’ Out on Oct 25th (pre-ordered copies are sent out 3 weeks before official release!)
Emma Smith returns with 'Hat-trick!', her third studio album following the success of 2022’s ‘Meshuga Baby’, which received a plethora of praise from fans and critics alike.
'Hat-trick!' will be introduced to the world by a triple show album launch by Emma and her swinging trio and is an amalgamation of music from three very diverse EP’s, but is much is much more than a celebration of all things thrice, as Emma explains:
"Being an independent artist in this day and age is a roller coaster, to say the least. But whilst the music industry landscape remains totally unpredictable, there is one thing that can be relied upon; one must be capable of wearing an abundance of hats. We must be able to write the theme tune, sing the theme tune, design the front cover of the theme tune, register the theme tune for royalties collection services...etc. So this album is simultaneously a tip of the hat (whoops!) to all the incredible, brave and resilient independent artists out there following their dreams, and also to the supportive, loving and culture-curious music fans who buy the music, come to the shows, and roar with joy when we succeed. I see you, I respect you and I am you!"
It is this outlook that has helped Emma Smith achieve a whole range of diverse and extensive experiences throughout her career to date, performing everywhere from the 02 Arena to the leading jazz clubs of New York City, collaborating and recording with the likes of Michael Buble, The Quincy Jones Orchestra, Jeff Goldblum, Georgie Fame and Seal along the way. Emma Smith has created a formidable reputation as a powerful and expressive artist in UK jazz and will continue to augment this with Hat Trick, as its concept can extend beyond the music word.
Emma remarks that “As a society we so used to wearing so many hats; mother, daughter, sister, wife, employee, friend, career, student, boss, explorer, creator... it’s sometimes a challenge to get in touch with the truest, purest part of who we are. Music helps me to do that, the intangible, heartfelt, joyfulness of it. And so my wish is that this record allows you, even if for a few minutes. to get close to that pure, magical true, YOU.”
Some of the music on Hat-Trick will remain off streaming platforms for sometime to give exclusivity for those who purchase the album. To honour you, my loyal fans.
Beyond its many meanings, Hat-trick is quite simply a showcase of Emma Smith’s unique and uniquely exhilarating vocal ability – a slice of inspiration in musical form for the world to enjoy.
KRISTIN KORB BRINGS NEW LIFE TO EURYTHMICS CLASSICS! "SWEET DREAMS" ALBUM DROPS OCTOBER 25.
“She has a way of taking anything and making it sound cool!" - London Jazz News
Step back into the iconic sounds of the 80s with American jazz vocalist/bassist Kristin Korb's eagerly anticipated Eurythmics tribute album Sweet Dreams, set to drop on October 25, 2024.
REIGNITING THE 80s
MTV and the innovative sounds of Eurythmics provided the soundtrack to Kristin Korb's teen years. Annie Lennox’s powerhouse vocals and striking imagery were impossible to ignore and left a lasting impact. Now, Kristin brings her unique artistry to these timeless hits, blending her skills as a bassist and vocalist to create spellbinding renditions that honor the originals while showcasing her personal connection to Annie and the band’s music.
A JAZZ JOURNEY THROUGH EURYTHMIC'S GREATEST HITS
Sweet Dreams is more than just a cover album. Kristin Korb reimagines Eurythmics' classics through her jazz-infused lens, weaving vibrant new arrangements and interpretations.
The project began with a sensational live debut at the legendary Jazzhus Montmartre in Copenhagen, Denmark, in September 2023. The crowd went crazy, and the enthusiastic response spurred Kristin and her band to capture this magic in the studio, resulting in twelve carefully curated tracks that embody the essence of Eurythmics with a jazz twist.
FEATURING A-LIST COLLABORATORS
Kristin's bass grooves swing deep and hard with her long-time co-conspirators Magnus Hjorth on piano and Snorre Kirk on drums. Their familial connection is clear from the first beat, and you can really hear the trust and friendship that comes only with years of making music together!
The album also features the multi-awarded young Danish harmonica virtuoso Mathias Heise, who masterfully extends Stevie Wonder’s original solo on "There Must Be An Angel", transforming it into an outstanding lead part with a catchy Brazilian twist.
Joining in is also Swedish saxophonist titan Karl-Martin Almqvist,adding a dynamic layer to the songs, e.g. to the up-tempo version of the iconic anthem "Sisters Are Doin’ It For Themselves". Additionally, the project includes Danish trombone master Steen Nikolaj Hansen, and the vibrant rhythms of Cuban percussionist Yohan Ramon.
"Sweet Dreams" is available on CD and on all major digital platforms from October 25, 2024.
Singer-Songwriter Courtney Cutchins Re-Imagines Potent Songs from her ‘90s Youth in Seattle on Genre-Bending Debut. Grunge to Grace includes jazz interpretations of tunes by Soundgarden and Nirvana
MUSIC AVAILABLE ON OCTOBER 18, 2024 ON ALL STREAMING PLATFORMS.
A singer with an uncommon command of her luminous voice and an organic, soulful and dramatic sense of phrasing a lyric, Seattle native Courtney Cutchins is also a vivid storyteller and prolific songwriter. All of those qualities come to bear on her auspicious debut as a leader, Grunge to Grace (Laseryn Music***)***. Backed by a stellar crew of rising stars on the New York jazz scene — pianist-producer David Cook (Taylor Swift, Mark Guiliana, Lizz Wright, Nicole Zuraitis), guitarist Nir Felder (Keyon Harrold, Terri Lyne Carrington), bassist Matt Clohesy (Darcy James Argue’s Secret Society, Maria Schneider Orchestra) and drummer Obed Calvaire (Jazz at Lincoln Center Orchestra, Dave Holland, Cécile McLorin Salvant) — Cutchins deals in purely authentic terms on six stirring originals and three re-imagined anthems from her ‘90s youth in Seattle by grunge rock luminaries Nirvana and Soundgarden.
“These deep, introspective grunge rock songs make sense to me,” said the singer who spent three years in New York City and currently splits her time between the Big Apple and the Greater Savannah Area. “They fit the theme of this album, which is about living in your authentic truth. It’s about the journey to become who you are and who you want to be.”
Recorded at Bunker Studio in Brooklyn, Grunge to Grace is the culmination of an idea that was sparked nine years ago and picked up momentum through the years. As Cutchins wrote in the liner notes: “In 2015, while navigating difficult times, I found my way to a supportive music therapy exercise: ‘rediscover songs from early childhood that bring you joy.‘ After combing through dozens of Disney soundtracks, folk songs and Muppets movies, an unexpected memory hit me from when I was growing up in the Seattle area — hearing Soundgarden’s mystical, soaring ‘Black Hole Sun’ on the radio. With this song as my muse, I created a variety of reinventions of grunge tunes from my youth and had some of the most fun ever performing them in NYC.”
Performing her new jazzgrunge repertoire at venues like Rockwood Music Hall, Cornelia Street Cafe, Silvana and the 55 Bar was a liberating experience for Cutchins, allowing her to live her own authentic truth through song. “Grunge emerged from a need for musical rebellion and rawness, and it sits in an introspective space which speaks to me deeply,” she said. “This album includes three of my favorite arrangements from that time. It’s my intention to encourage and inspire the listener to be free and live as who they are, and then shine that out into the world.”
That theme of struggle for self-identity is apparent from the opening track, a daring interpretation of Soundgarden’s “Boot Camp” from the group’s fifth studio album, 1996’s Down on the Upside. Against an urgently swinging undercurrent provided by Felder, Cook, Clohesy and Calvaire, Cutchins sings about the oppressed resigning to the authority of the oppressors, conforming to the status quo while still fantasizing about how there must be something good/there must be something else/far away from here. Courtney’s vocals are resounding and cathartic while Felder unleashes with signature fluency on his guitar solo against Calvaire’s unrelenting pulse, putting a new and decidedly ‘jazzy’ suit of clothes on this grunge classic.
Her own moody ballad “Star on the Sea,” underscored by Calvaire’s brushwork and Cook’s gentle piano accompaniment, is as intimate and poignant as Billy Strayhorn’s “Lush Life” or Sarah Vaughan’s rendition of “Midnight Sun.” As Courtney explained, “This song is about a place where femininity is safe and celebrated and imagines a galaxy where women are free to live in a place of peace and power.”
“Passenger” is Cutchins’ catchy, R&B flavored ode to the New York City subway system. Paced by Calvaire’s insistent backbeat, the tune features a striking, warm-toned guitar solo from Felder. As the kinetic piece builds to a dramatic crescendo, Calvaire is turned loose to wail on the kit.
Perhaps the most intimate and revealing song on Grunge to Grace is Cutchins’ duet (with Felder on steel string acoustic guitar) on a version of Soundgarden’s “The Day I Tried to Live” from their 1994 album, Superunknown. A droning bit of introspection written by Soundgarden frontman Chris Cornell, it addresses the introverted singer’s frustration at trying to “be normal” by going out and living with people. And while it may be tinged with melancholy, Cutchins also sees a sense of hope in the lyric: One more time around (might do it)/One more time around (might make it). As she offered, “We can have the best of intentions, but for one reason or another we feel a sense of failure — or we’re living a lie and get caught up in something that isn’t actually true to who we are. It’s about identifying these aspects of ourselves and growing as human beings.”
Courtney’s affecting ballad “Hold Up the Moon” opens with some ethereal wordless vocals against a drone, setting an atmospheric mood. The song was based on a dream and describes a sense of devotion despite disaster.
Tackling Kurt Cobain’s “All Apologies,” which appeared on Nirvana’s third and final studio album, In Utero, was daunting. But Cutchins rose to the occasion with the most moving and dynamic performance of the album, full of soaring wordless improvisations and nuanced interpretation of the tortured lyrics. “That song was definitely a big part of that soundtrack from the ‘90s, for me,” she said. “The melody is beautiful, so I really wanted to play with it and put it on a different musical planet. But the message remains the same. I interpret it as such a great statement on vulnerability and equality, while also being a defiant proclamation of living unapologetically.”
Courtney’s “Prison in Your Mind” is a lilting, confessional number with universal appeal about her struggle with perfectionism, while “Grunge to Grace” is the album’s soul-stirring hymn. “That one is my personal favorite,” said Courtney. “It came about soon after Chris Cornell had passed in 2017. That was a shock.
Between that tragic event and the general weight of the world at that time, everything felt painful. So, I wrote a song acknowledging the pain that we can all feel and experience, while staying hopeful at the same time. Those two feelings can exist together and that’s okay.”
“Illuminate,” is the big power-chording, distortion-laced guitar closer that gradually builds to a throbbing crescendo with Obed bashing forcefully over a band ostinato. “It’s got a little bit of Radiohead in there, some Soundgarden, a little David Bowie, just a mix of things that we also felt,” said Cutchins. “This song was inspired by the pandemic, my experience with chronic fatigue, my love of the ocean and the process of soul- searching. I felt it would be like an exclamation point at the end of the album.”
These songs of self-discovery reveal a singer-songwriter who was deeply immersed in jazz through her college years (she earned a Bachelor of Music degree in Jazz Vocal Performance from Cornish College of the Arts in Seattle and a Master of Music degree in Jazz Vocal Performance from prestigious Manhattan School of Music in New York City) but still felt a symbolic connection to the music of an earlier time in her life. Both sides represent the full picture of this sensational, risk-taking singer who is coming into her own with Grunge to Grace.
All compositions and arrangements by Courtney Cutchins except The Day I Tried to Live (Chris Cornell), All Apologies (Kurt Cobain) and Boot Camp (Chris Cornell, Arr. by Cutchins/Cook).
Produced by David Cook
Recorded by Aaron Nevezie at The Bunker Studio, Brooklyn, NY, September 12 & 13, 2023 Mixed by Christian Paschall
Mastered by Fred Kevorkian at Kevorkian Mastering
Photography by Mackensey Alexander Photography, Savannah, GA and Anna Yatskevich, Brooklyn, NY Design by Miriam Castillo
