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.

Pre-order/Purchase LP, CD, DL: http://courtneycutchins.com

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.

courtneycutchins.com

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

Flutist/Composer Elsa Nilsson & Pianist Santiago Leibson Continue Charting Atlas of Sound With New Series Release Quila Quina -40°17’38.21”S, -71°45’68.48”W

Out October 11 via ears&eyes

To purchase click here

“It’s as close as you’ll get to being there without actually being there, and it’s yet another intriguing project from Nilsson that touches upon themes of experience, memory, and interconnectedness.”—Dave Sumner “The Best Jazz On Bandcamp, April 2022″ 

“She is the logical choice to provide a needed next step for her instrument in the world of jazz and improvised music.” —Paul Rauch, All About Jazz 

Two years after her inaugural offering from Atlas of Sound — a series of multimedia captures of places — Brooklyn flutist and composer **Elsa Nilsson **has teamed up with Buenos Aires pianist Santiago Leibson for its evolution and continuation.

On October 11, via ears&eyes, Nilsson and Leibson will issue Quila Quina -40°17’38.21”S, -71°45’68.48”W— which builds on the vision its predecessor, Coast Redwoods 40°17’38.21”S, -71°45’68.48”W. This time, Atlas of Sound hones in on Quila Quina, in the Patagonian region of Argentina, in the province of Neuquen. The coordinates in the titles mark the exact location of the conception of the music.

Quila Quina sits on the southern shore of Lago Lacár, and is reachable only by gravel road or ferry from San Martín de los Andes. It is on National Park Lands, in collaboration with the Mapuche community that lives there. As the national park was being created through colonization, small plots of land were simultaneously being purchased by non-Indigenous folk, and logging became the primary industry. Nilsson arrived there days before the end of 2023, for a writing residency at Project Oasis’ by invitation of Maryella Marie and her partner Guillermina Fumagalli. Upon Nilsson’s arrival, her hosts set up a guided tour with a man named Guary Valenzuela — the youngest of 10 in a family of Mapuche folks, who lay claim to that ancestral land.

She soon began to learn all about Quila Quina’s landscape, and flora and fauna — including the call and response of birds, the medicinal properties of plants, and water’s preferred pathways through the local tree systems. She wrote Quila Quina over a five-day period soaking in — and learning about — this special environment. And Leibson — her valued, longtime collaborator — provided the perfect counterbalance for this musical representation of the natural world.

“One of the things I appreciate most about Santiago is his attention to texture and how quickly he picks up on really small details and brings them to the forefront,” Nilsson shares. “Santiago always brings all of himself to everything he plays, and these 5 hours at Estudio Doctor F. were no different.” The book that accompanies the release includes poetry by Mapuche poet Pukem Inayao, in Mapudungun, interweaved between descriptions of the plants and the compositions.This book is meant to be read as one listens to the album.

After an introductory poem by Pukem, Quila Quina kicks off with “The Wind From The North Comes From The West,” which Nilsson sums up as “the holding identity while changing directions.” “Winds are such powerful connectors. Everything that is alive breathes in some way, a measurement of life in time,” she says of that track. “I am perpetually aware of air. Every time I enter a space to play music I immediately note the air, my primary ingredient in creating sound. Each space has a distinctive texture that is a result of humidity, proximity to salt water, level of pollution, plant life, time since rain and countless other factors.”

 “Neneo, Charcao, Chacay” is an ode to grasses and brush. “I wrote this piece early in the morning after climbing straight up this very steep hill to get a closer look at the field of Neneo,” she says. “This particular hill was covered in the low growing brushes I’d seen with Guary the day before, with a few Maiten on the ridge. The view was so compelling, I just had to go up.”

“Waters Cold and Deep” pays homage to Lago Lacár, the body of water that touches Quila Quina’s shores. “The morning I wrote this the lake was in its mirror state, where the water is so still it looks like glass. This is a common morning occurrence as the winds often pick up around noon. The sunlight reflecting onto the Pataguas made it seem as if the trees were glittering,” Nilsson says. “This balance between playfulness and peace in this interaction brought this melody forward for me with my feet in the freezing water right alongside the Pataguas.”

“Tren Tren, Abanico, Vizcacha,” follows — and Nilsson wrote it for a currently inactive volcano that took on a legendary, mythological significance. “Of course, a song for the three mountains needed to be in 3/4,” she says. “It has three sections. These sections are shaped like the mountains they represent.”

Another Pukem poem follows, with “Ciprés, Roble Pellín, Ñire” right behind it. “This particular grove was in an outdoor event space called “El Bosque” where my hosts put on an amazing lunch and I played these melodies for an audience for the first time.” While they were setting up I wandered in the woods, listening,” Nilsson says.

“The recurring half step in the melody was coming at me from all over. It originated in the waves rolling against the beach covered in pebbles,” she adds. “The whoosh of the tree canopy responding in turn, branches interacting in half step motions as they change directions with the wind. The birds took it up and echoed it around to each other until the wind returned the phrase to the water.”

“Radal” is about its namesake tree, which offers a host of therapeutic properties and practical applications. “The bark is used to cure toothaches, the wood from fallen trees used for tools and art, and the honey that comes from the bees pollinating the flowers has a distinctive flavor,” Nilsson elaborates.

And, about the music: “The line that begins this song and is traded back and forth between flute and piano has minor changes only, but these details make a large difference,” Nilsson continues. “When we leave the line, it is still there. The details define the motion, even when they are not being observed. Imagine how rich our experience could be if the details were always acknowledged with such attention?”

“Maiten/Michay” frames the relationship between the soft, narrow Maiten tree, and the intense thorns of the Michay. “I’ve been thinking about this in relation to a phrase my friend Keith LaMar LaMar (a wrongfully-convicted death row prisoner in Ohio with much to teach the world about grace. Learn more at keithlamar.org) says: everything is everything,” Nilsson says. “I think about those words a lot, because I like the truth in them. It’s like the details we pass through to see their connection to everything else. We find our focal point from which we access all things, and that connects us to that which we don’t yet understand.”

Quila Quina -40°17’38.21”S, -71°45’68.48”W concludes with “Chin Chin/Puelche,” a musical transcription of the sensation of changes and shifts. Therein, she compares the Chin Chin, a tree with small, dark green leaves, with the movement of the air.

“Puelche is the wind from the east, the other direction. People don’t like it, said Guary. It leaves folks feeling unsettled,” Nilsson says. “I experienced the Puelche winds on my third day in Quila Quina and I understood. It was unsettling, and I couldn’t put my finger on why. Segundo, who ran the campsite, shared that things are built to serve the prevailing wind directions. In Puelche, winds fires go where they shouldn’t, shelters don’t work as designed. We have to pay more attention when things change.”

Throughout an accompanying book, Nilsson brings readers into Guary’s shared knowledge, and credits him throughout. As she explains, Valenzuela spoke of the Mapuche language, Mapudungun, and shared that it was originally a spoken language only, and the written aspect was added when creating Mapudungun to Spanish dictionaries. “Guary shared that when he was a kid, she adds. “Many parents weren’t teaching their kids the language out of fear of oppression, but it is now being taught in schools again.”

Undergirding this all is the language of nature itself — and Nilsson channels it with grace, intuition and an abundant sense of musical poeticism.

For Elsa website click here

Thank you to Lydia Liebman for sharing the press release

Samara Joy Returns With New Studio Album PORTRAIT – Out Now On Verve

October 11, 2024: 3x GRAMMY-winning vocalist Samara Joy has released her new studio album* Portrait* today via Verve Records. Emerging after a busy year of touring all over the world, the album finds the 24-year-old Bronx native channeling her success into the pursuit of musical exploration. Portrait, the follow up to her 2022 breakout album Linger Awhile,offers a snapshot of Joy’s growth not only as a once-in-a-generation vocalist but also as songwriter, arranger and band leader. VIBE Magazine called the collection “eight tracks guaranteed to not only impress, but change the way we listen to modern vocal jazz,” while Forbes named it “a monumental step forward as an artist for Joy, who co-produced the record, as well as was responsible in some way for arrangements, writing, even the artwork, on the genius work."

Co-produced by Joy and veteran trumpeter/bandleader and multi-Grammy winner Brian Lynch, the 8-song collection showcases a synergistic approach to arranging and the intimate, soulful chemistry Joy has developed with her touring band, an egalitarian octet featuring trumpeter Jason Charos, trombonist Donavan Austin, saxophonists David Mason and Kendric McCallister, pianist Connor Rohrer, bassist Felix Moseholm and drummer Evan Sherman. Joy’s role in the ensemble is multifaceted, balancing her prominence as a vocalist with her contributions as a musical collaborator. “I’m often the fifth voice, the fifth horn,” she explains. “I hope listeners will see that I’m a musician too.”

The album was tracked in streamlined sessions — just two or three takes of each tune — at one of jazz’s most hallowed sites, Van Gelder Studio. Portrait highlights Joy’s prowess as a lyricist, with new arrangements that meld her thoughtful lyrics with music by Charles Mingus, Barry Harris and more. The album also features vibrant interpretations of standards, including new arrangements “You Stepped Out of a Dream” (out now) and “Autumn Nocturne.” The tracklist ultimately proves that the vocal-jazz repertoire can still break new ground while nodding to jazz history.

“A well of inspiration that never runs dry because of the different streams that flow in, constantly pouring into the main source. That’s what comes to mind when I think of this project and the musicians who created it with me,” says Joy of the project. “Eight musicians, eight fresh perspectives and musical backgrounds - all joined together in a context designed for growth and exploration. Designed to put our pens and minds to work creating music inspired by many but still uniquely our own. Because of the incredible depth of musicianship and creativity infused into the sound of this band, I’m honored to be able to present Portrait, shaped after a year of development and revision on the road.”

Listen to* Portrait* (out now) HERE.

About Samara Joy

A native of the Bronx, Samara Joy became entranced by classic R&B as a child and cut her teeth as a singer in her church’s gospel choir. And while her family history is deeply musical — her grandparents helmed the Philadelphia gospel group the Savettes, and her father, the musician and songwriter Antonio McLendon, has produced, composed and arranged his own astounding original work — she didn’t delve into the jazz tradition until college at SUNY Purchase. During her studies there she won the 2019 Sarah Vaughan International Jazz Vocal Competition, which introduced her to the larger jazz scene as a rising star to watch. She was heard, by audiences and critics alike, as a masterful interpreter of jazz standards and a rightful heiress of the sound, technique and charisma that defined her jazz heroines — including Vaughan, Betty Carter, Abbey Lincoln and Carmen McRae.

Joy released her self-titled debut on the Whirlwind label in 2021, followed a year later by Linger Awhile, her breakout Verve debut, of which DownBeat said, “With this beautiful recording, a silky-voiced star is born.” The album earned her a Grammy for Best Jazz Vocal Album in addition to a headline-making win for Best New Artist. A deluxe edition of the album was released, as well as the EP A Joyful Holiday. Her new Verve album, Portrait, which Joy co-produced with the veteran trumpeter/bandleader and multi-Grammy winner Brian Lynch, showcases the intimate, soulful chemistry she’s developed with her touring band. Portrait also spotlights her burgeoning gifts as a lyricist, in ingenious arrangements that meld her thoughtful words with music by Charles Mingus, Sun Ra and her late mentor Barry Harris.

Connect with Samara Joy:

Website / TikTok / Instagram / Facebook

Elsden Music is proud to present Above The Clouds, the new album from The Ilario Ferrari Trio.

On the cusp of releasing his fourth studio album, pianist and singer Ilario Ferrari has developed a distinctive compositional style that blends contemporary instrumental jazz with vocal harmonies, incorporating classical nuances and influences from both Indian culture and his South Italian heritage. Ilario’s unique style is perfectly complemented by his two well-known collaborators and rising jazz stars: drummer Katie Patterson and bassist Charlie Pyne, who recently released her album "Nature Is A Mother," (featuring Patterson on drums), which has received high accolades from both the media and fans alike.

Formed in 2020 during the global lockdown, the trio found solace in their musical synergy, quickly developing their unique sound.Their debut performance in 2021 at Lauderdale House in London, live-streamed across Europe, served as a catalyst for their rise to public attention. The trio’s 2021 debut album, "Childhood Memories," was widely praised and received international radio support, helping them secure high-profile live shows.

These live performances include headlining the Watford Jazz Festival in 2022 and collaborating with the National Youth Jazz Orchestra on a world premiere composition by Ilario.They have also performed at the London Jazz Festival, Pizza Express Jazz Club, Ecosuoni Festival in Italy, and Jazzahead in Germany, among others. Additionally, Ilario’s duo with renowned Cuban violinist Omar Puente has garnered positive attention in a range of alternative circles.

Above The Clouds will be released via Elsden Music, a jazz label based in the heart of East London, run by recording and mixing engineer Greg Dowling. At the heart of this new record lies the theme of relationships: our connection to the planet andthe musical and personal bonds between Ilario, Charlie, Katie and their relationships with loved ones. It is also about elevation and observation, from ‘Above The Clouds’ and from the grounded embrace of Mother Earth, impressions of love, loss, and of home are expressed through a beguiling blend of vocal-led songs and instrumentals.

This recording is more than just a simple jazz trio album, with the trio expanding and contracting as each song requires.The Ilario Ferrari Trio’s innovative approach combined with their indisputable skill promises to be a breath of fresh air in the jazz world and beyond.

All music composed by Ilario Ferrari.

Lyrics by Ilario Ferrari except Summer Lullaby by Charlie Pyne Arrangements by Ilario Ferrari, Charlie Pyne & Katie Patterson

Drums and Vocals - Katie Patterson Double Bass and Vocals - Charlie Pyne Piano, Piano FX and Vocals - Ilario Ferrari

All sounds are produced by either acoustic piano, double bass, drums or human voices. Sound effects are generated using pedal effects on the instruments.

Recorded at Curtis Schwartz studio on November 21st and 22nd 2023 and on January the 11th 2024

Strings recorded by Michael John McGlone at Middlesex University Studio Children Choir recorded at St. Johns Church in Watford by Joe Jackson

Mixed by Joe Jackson

Mastered by Nick Watson at Fluid Mastering in Bristol. Album cover picture by Ciprian Turutea

Trio Pictures by Robert Crowley

Strings on the track “Above The Clouds” recorded by Soli Strings Quartet Violin - Abbie Davis

Violin - Annalise Lam Viola - Jules Dos-Reis

Cello - Miranda Lewis-Brown Release date: 11th October 2024

Elsden Music website click here

Ilario Ferrai website click here

“Imagine if Sarah Vaughan played saxophone like Dexter Gordon. That’s approximately the effect when singer and tenor saxophonist Camille Thurman performs.” Downbeat Magazine

“You’re hard-pressed to find rising talents more exciting than Camille Thurman.” The New York Times 

The new album Confluence: Vol. 1 Alhambra, a thrilling collaboration featuring the incredible Camille Thurman and the Darrell Green Quartet, releases on October 4, 2024.
Pre Order Here

'Confluence is a collection of songs recorded during our Fall 2023 tour of Spain. Each city was special and unique in history, culture, and people. The acoustics in each concert hall we performed were simply breathtaking. We wanted to create an album that sonically captured the spirit of the audience and the live magic of the band made on stage. On this album, you will hear each band member shine brightly, purely in their element, unedited, displaying a dynamic sense of virtuosic and creative expression. We hope you enjoy this album!'

Remember the name Camille Thurman. As an accomplished composer, esteemed saxophonist, vocalist, and unique interpreter of the jazz tradition, she is quickly becoming one of the leading standard bearers of the art form. Her distinct musical approach to classic and original repertoire, which highlights her craft as a powerhouse singer and instrumentalist, is a captivating blend of tradition and innovation. She makes a considerable and dynamic contribution to the legacy of jazz while paying tribute to its heroes through her music. 

​The New York City native has amassed several distinctive honors for her musicianship:  NAACP Image Award Nominee for Outstanding Jazz Album, recipient of the SOUTH Arts Creative Jazz Road Artistic Residency, Downbeat Magazine’s Critics Poll Nominee for Rising Star Tenor Saxophonist and Vocalist and Rising New Artist (2023, 2022, 2021 & 2020),  two-time winner of the ASCAP Herb Alpert Young Jazz Composers Award, a recipient of the Fulbright Scholars Cultural Ambassador Grant and Chamber Music of America Performance Plus Grant (Sponsored by the Doris Duke Charitable Foundation) among others. Thurman also has five full-length recordings as a leader to her credit. Her most recent project, “Confluence: Vol 1,” is a collaboration with master drummer Darrell Green and his quartet. 

Thurman made history, becoming the first woman in 30 years to tour, record, and perform full-time internationally with the world-renowned Jazz at Lincoln Center Orchestra as a saxophonist/woodwind doubler (2018-2020 season). A respected bandleader, she has headlined numerous notable concert venues and jazz festivals worldwide, including the Kennedy Center, The Library of Congress, and the Rose Theater. Her international recognition is a testament to the universal appeal of her music and the profound impact she has made on the global jazz community.

Thurman was chosen by the U.S. State Department under the Fulbright Scholarship grant to tour and perform in Paraguay and Nicaragua as a bandleader. She was recently selected by American Music Abroad and the U.S. State Department to tour and perform in Africa as a U.S. Cultural Ambassador in Cameroon, Mozambique, Nigeria, Senegal, and Mauritania. In May 2020, Camille founded “The Haven Hang: Young Lioness Musician Q&A/ Virtual Mentorship Series.” The Haven Hang serves as a virtual and in-person mentorship series for young women musicians, with an initiative to mentor, aid, and support young women pursuing music careers in the performing arts. Currently, she is an Assistant Professor of Jazz Performance at McGill University. 

The dynamic musician is endorsed by D’Addario Woodwinds & Co. for reeds, Henri-Selmer Paris /Conn-Selmer Inc. for saxophones, and Key Leaves for saxophone products.  

Camille Thurman Website

Drummer Holly Channell to release debut recording "Not Just A Standard"

Message from Holly! 

This is a very special project for me. I chose to do my debut album with arranged jazz standards because that’s how I learned to play and appreciate this music. Black American music is sacred music to me. It cuts deeper, and I am grateful to be a guest within this art form. I became enchanted by this music in January 2017 in a Jazz History class taught by Dr Ryan Nielsen. It was in this class that my life changed. He wasn’t afraid to teach the real meaning of this music, where it really came from, and the realities of the real history of the United States and where we are with those realities today. In this class I learned about Billie Holiday, Louis Armstrong and many other incredible human beings who used their gifts in music to fight for their basic human rights and tell their stories. I knew right there and then that I wanted to be on that side of history. Since that class I dedicated myself to the craft, and not just with playing but with striving to understand and respect the seat that I am now sitting in and who sat before me. I will always strive to acknowledge and accept that. I have a debt of gratitude to Dr Ryan Nielsen for his bravery, courage, and willingness to teach the truth in a place where that’s not always accepted.

And Thank YOU of course, to Jordi Pujol and Fresh Sound for taking a chance on me and putting out this record! I hope everyone that listens to this record dances a little. -With Love, Holly

About Holly Channell

Holly Channell is an American drummer, musician, educator and composer based in Boston, MA. Versatile, Holly plays everything from Straight Jazz to Pop and Rock. Recently off a tour celebrating the Academy Award Winning lyricist Dorothy Fields, Holly is currently set to release her Debut Jazz Album “Not Just a Standard” with FreshSound Records on a planned 2024 release. Holly’s sound steers from the straight ahead jazz tradition, but is influenced heavily from the 90’s and early 2000’s alternative sounds she grew up listening to. Finding her voice, she resonates heavily with drummers such as Roy Haynes, Max Roach and Elvin Jones, but also appreciates the sounds from the late Taylor Hawkins, Jeff Porcaro, and Nirvana’s Dave Grohl.

Holly started playing drums at age 10, being introduced to the craft by her late Metal-Drumming uncle, Brice Chaput. By age 15, Holly was studying percussion classically, touring with a Symphony Orchestra, and teaching privately and in group educational settings. In 2017 Holly was introduced to the world of Jazz, and never looked back. She got her BA in Jazz Studies, her Master of Music in Jazz Performance from ASU studying with the great Lewis Nash, and received a Master of Global Jazz from Berklee College of Music. Through her education and early career she was able to learn, play and create mentorships with Kobie Watkins, Benny Green, Roxy Coss, Jason Palmer, Wycliffe Gordon and many others. At Berklee Global Jazz Institute Holly worked heavily with Danilo Perez, John Patitucci, Joe Lovano, Marco Pignataro, Jerry Leake, Tony Malaby, Ron Savage, Terri Lyne Carrington and Yoron Israel. In 2023, Holly was Recognized and awarded as a Sister in Jazz with the Jazz Education Network where she got to work under the direction of acclaimed bassist Marion Hayden.

Along with her upcoming jazz album, Holly has also released self-produced singer-songwriter singles under the pseudonym Holly Marie, which helps her go back to her roots when she first started music; picking up a Guitar for Dummies Book. These releases are available on all streaming platforms. Holly continues to teach privately and in higher education while performing with musicians from around the world. She is also a loving mother and wife. As a member of the LGBTQ+ Community, she continues to be an advocate for human rights not only as a queer member of society, but as a woman in a man’s world. She is currently working on a musical project revolving around the life cycle of a woman in the United States and is set to premiere it at the Berklee Global Jazz Festival in April 2024.

Along with educating her own studio of music students and at University, Holly performs and is a clinician at Jazz festivals throughout the world, some of which include the Panama Jazz Festival, BYU-Idaho Jazz festival, Highland Jazz Festival, Berklee Global Jazz Festival and many others.

Holly Channell - Drums

Jason Palmer - trumpet

Mike Kocour - piano

Ben Headquist - bass

Release Date: October 4th, 2024

(Fresh Sound New Talent)

 https://hollychannellmusic.com/