Jazz vocalist Sherine Wong bodes to romance American hearts with her first US album #jazz #music

Jazz Beauty: Vocalist Sherine Wong bodes to romance American hearts with her first US album, “3 & More,” a trio-based project culled from the Great American songbook.

 

 

Beauty, romance, and jazz. Former Miss Malaysia Universe winner Sherine Wong fell in love with the romance of the Great American songbook and became a jazz singer. After releasing two albums in Asian territories, she now has her sights set on seducing the American market with the release of her first US release, “3 & More,” an acoustic jazz album now available from Universal Music Hong Kong.   

 

“3 & More” is a collection of ten standards that began with Wong accompanied by a trio. From there, various world-class producers, musicians, arrangers, and engineers - Thelonious Monk International Jazz Guitar Competition winner Jesse van Ruller, Japanese vocalist and flugelhornist TOKU, trombonist Dree Peremans, guitarist Eugene Pao, trumpeter, flugelhornist, and drummer Stéphane Belmondo; and Paul Pouwer (Power Sound Studios) - added the rich color and crafted lavish backdrops decorated by horns, enhancing the trio into lush ten-piece band productions. Front and center is Wong’s bewitching voice, which ranges from soothing and sensual to graceful, impassioned and lovelorn.

 

As she worked on the album comprised of timeless classics from such iconic composers as George & Ira Gershwin, Richard Rogers, and Bill Evans, Wong shared glimpses into “3 & More” with the release of the singles “On Green Dolphin Street” last November, “Tenderly” in June, and “Moonglow” last month. Now comes the complete collection mastered by three-time GRAMMY® winner Bernie Grundman, poised to introduce the US to this captivating chanteuse who reimagines songs made famous by such legendary jazz vocalists as Ella Fitzgerald, Billie Holiday, Dinah Washington, and Julie London.

    

“3 & More” opens with “Waltz for Debby,” which features Pao.

 

“I remember hanging out at Eugene’s (Pao) place, randomly listening through his exquisite vinyl collection. The Tony Bennett/Bill Evans album ignited our collaboration on ‘Waltz for Debby.’ My daughter, Elizabeth, is turning four this November. I have this fear of missing precious moments with her. I want to be present to witness her every journey. She is growing up so fast, perhaps too fast. The lyrics in this song speak to that,” said the Hong Kong-based Wong who is from Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.

 

Elizabeth also factored into Wong’s decision to record “On Green Dolphin Street,” a tune that has been recorded by such seminal artists as Miles Davis, Sonny Rollins, Nancy Wilson, and Mel Tormé.

 

“What drew me to this song is the melody. But at the same time, Elizabeth was very much in love with anything to do with dolphins and she still is. So, I suggested the song to Jesse (van Ruller), and he worked his magic by producing, arranging, and playing guitar on the track,” Wong recalled.

 

On “Moonglow,” Wong shares the spotlight with TOKU, who sings, produces and plays flugelhorn on several tracks on “3 & More.” She explains, “I genuinely enjoy learning new music. TOKU recommended that we perform this particular song as a duet, and I must say, the warm tone of his flugelhorn really enhanced the arrangement. I am genuinely excited to add this beautiful romantic ballad to our set.”

 

Chet Baker’s version of “Everything Happens to Me” fueled Wong’s desire to record her own version.

 

“The captivating melody combined with Chet’s soulful vocals draws me in every time. The juxtaposition of melancholic lyrics against such a beautiful melody makes this song one of my all-time favorites.”

 

First introduced by Fred Astaire, Wong elected to record the Gershwins’ “A Foggy Day” for personal reasons.

 

“My husband (musician and the album’s executive producer Clem Fung) always requests that I sing ‘A Foggy Day.’ I am deeply moved by its beautiful melody and the lyrics as they echo the sentiments of our own love story,” said Wong.

 

Another standout track is “A Beautiful Friendship,” one of four numbers produced and arranged on the album by Peremans.

 

“I can still vividly recall stumbling upon one of the earliest renditions of this song, beautifully performed by Alexis Cole and Bucky Pizzarelli. The song has remained with me ever since, captivating me with its intimate instrumentation and romantic lyrics. When Dree (Peremans) proposed the idea of interpreting this song with his large ensemble, I initially struggled to envision the outcome. However, to my surprise, Dree presented a remarkable arrangement that I simply couldn’t turn down,” shared Wong.

 

“3 & More” builds on the evolutionary concept of Wong’s second album, “Two For The Road (Duo Concept Album),” which dropped in 2021. Her self-titled debut disc was released in 2018. Wong studied, trained, and learned jazz through mentorships with top musicians in Hong Kong, Japan, Europe, and New York City. As a teenager, she was a track and field athlete who competed in the Asian Junior Games. An exquisite and stunning beauty, Wong won the Miss Malayasia Universe crown in 1998. A model and an actor, she has been the face in print and television ads for such global brands as HSBC, Vidal Sassoon, Levi’s, Samsung, Shiseido, and the Malaysian Tourist Board.

 

Wong, who launched the album with a performance last Sunday (October 27) at the Hong Kong West Kowloon Jazz Festival on a marquee topped by GRAMMY® winner Herbie Hancock, is excited about her first American album release.

 

“I’ve always dreamed about releasing a jazz album in the U.S. and hopefully performing there, too. There is no end to the adventures we can have if only we seek them with an open heart. Keep the dream alive!”

 

“3 & More” contains the following songs:

 

“Waltz for Debby”

“On Green Dolphin Street”

“Tenderly”

“Don’t Be On The Outside”

“Moonglow”

“September in the Rain”

“Everything Happens to Me”

“A Foggy Day”

“A Beautiful Friendship”

“My Heart Stood Still”

 

 

For more information: https://www.sherinewong.com https://umhk.lnk.to/3andMoreOD?lf_source=qr

https://lnk.bio/umhkinternational. 

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New Self-Titled Album "EUGENIE" by Eugenie Jones, Produced by Lonnie Plaxico, Releases #jazz #music

The buzz is building about award-winning singer-songwriter Eugenie Jones' self-titled release, EUGENIE. I'm excited to share this new three-minute video that dynamically entertains while telling the story of this incredible artist and her music. As a #7 artist on the Jazz Week Top 50 and #30 on the Jazz Week Top 100 Albums of the Year List, Jones is a celebrated musician. She is a recipient of the Jazz Journalist Association Jazz Hero Award and has won multiple vocal awards. Recently, she was inducted into the Seattle Jazz Hall of Fame. With the release of her new album, she has again created an impressive collection of originals, standards, and soul classics. It's truly incredible! Click below to preview video.

EUGENIE JONES UNVEILS SELF-TITLED ALBUM- A GROOVE-INFUSED JOURNEY INTO PASSION, BETRAYAL, & REVENGE ON JANUARY 20, 2025 The Evolution of a Genre as Seen by One of the Few African American Singer/Songwriters in Jazz Today.

Produced by legendary bassist Lonnie Plaxico, EUGENIE sets to melody the singer/songwriter's poignant experiences and observations within new original songs, fresh-take jazz standards, and beloved soul classics.   “An extraordinary singer, songwriter, and a source of light we’re fortunate to experience.” – NEA Jazz Master and John Coltrane bassist Reggie Workman   “Tremendous talent, tireless energy and buoyant spirit.” – Thomas Staudter, The Gazette/New York   “…keen sense of phrasing … like a veteran horn soloist, she slides effortlessly from one octave to the next, always landing on the right, pitch-perfect note.” – Mark Holston, Jazziz

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About the Recording Seattle, WA—October 30, 2024 — Get ready for an exhilarating musical experience as Jazz Hero Award winning singer and songwriter Eugenie Jones releases her self-titled album, EUGENIE, set to drop on January 20, 2025. Credited for making jazz resonate with the broader audiences, Jones blends emotive storytelling with universal themes reflecting shared human experiences that transcend geographic and cultural boundaries. Her diverse style and engaging performances invite audiences to connect with jazz in a surprisingly relatable way.  Produced by jazz heavyweight Lonnie Plaxico, this album weaves rich melodies, exquisite string arrangements, and a narrative tapestry exploring the depths of love, betrayal, and resilience. Louis Armstrong Jazz Award recipient Lonnie Plaxico, also known for his collaborations with Academy Award-winning Director Spike Lee and Dizzy Gillespie, said, "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 is original and soulful. The selection of songs and Eugenie's original music is an atmospheric experience." Since her 2013 debut, singer and songwriter Eugenie Jones has established herself as a formidable force in the jazz landscape, captivating audiences with her evocative storytelling and soulful vocal artistry. With this sixth release and thirty-two published originals to her credit, EUGENIE further cements her reputation as a must-know artist, showcasing thirteen tracks that blend original compositions with fresh, "Eugenie-ized" interpretations of jazz standards and beloved soul classics. Critics are already buzzing about the album. C. Michael Bailey raves, "Eugenie Jones has released exceptional jazz-oriented recordings for the last decade. Her writing is beautifully grown up and real, and her voice is warm, humidly pliant with a deeply sensual center."  The album features a stellar lineup of sixteen musicians in New York and Seattle recording sessions. Jones collaborates with Plaxico in New York alongside the standout artistry of pianists Brandon McCune, and Mamiko Watanabe; trumpeter Gil Defay; saxophonist Rico Jones; cellist Jessica Wang, violinist Yoojin Park, drummer Russell Carter, and percussion Kahlil Bell.  Seattle's vibrant music scene contributes to the album's dynamic sound, with contributions from pianists Darrius Willrich and Peter Adams, saxophonist Alex Dugdale, guitarist Michael Powers, bassists Elliot Kuykendall and Chris Symer, drummer Ronnie Bishop and percussionist Ernesto Pediangco. Album highlights include the original smoke and satin string ballads "Starlight Starbright" and "Nothing Better," a sweltering, bluesy rendition of Peggy Lee's "I Love Being Here with You," the melodic self-declarative "Why I Sing," and a captivating take on Marvin Gaye's "Trouble Man." A refurbished rendition of Nina Simone's cult classic, "Sinnerman," and the life-inspiring original, "Hold Back the Night," join the array of song selections in showcasing the depth and breadth of Jones' exquisite vocal prowess and her ability to convey complex emotions authentically. Jazz enthusiasts and music lovers of all kinds are drawn Jones' vocal styleand heartfelt originals as storytelling that intimately parallels to their life experiences. Writer Charles Mudede unpacks this connection, saying, "​Eugenie Jones makes audiences feel jazz. She is an emotive, engaging song stylist who entertains, dazzles, and decisively wins over audiences."  Further cementing that connection, EUGENIE encapsulates Jones' artistic evolution, reflecting a decade of hard-won achievements. With multiple vocalist awards, a #7 ranking on Jazz Week's Top 50, and the International Jazz Association's prestigious Jazz Hero Award to her credit, Jones has proven to be more than a musician—she is a cultural force who has successfully intertwined jazz and community service.  Eugenie Jones has served as Executive Producer of Seattle's Jackson Street Jazz Walk for seven years. She presents a stream of community concerts and educational pop-ups that honor music icons of the once vibrant African American Central District area, an all-but-forgotten historical community where high school jazz musicians Ray Charles, Ernestine Anderson, and Quincy Jones began their iconic journeys. Jones doubles the event's impact by using it to raise funds for non-profits that serve the needs of disadvantaged residents.  When it comes to her music, Jones describes her artistic journey, saying, "Pursuing a music career is a Sisyphean act unlike any other I've taken on. But it brings unmatched joy and purpose to my life. So, with this release, here I stand, rolling that boulder up the hill again."   Mark your calendars for January 20, 2025, when EUGENIE, Jones' most personal and ambitious project to date, will be available on all major streaming platforms. An invitation into her "Eugenie-ized" world of creativity, where every note embraces divergent audiences who share a common bond of loving music they can feel.

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."

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Jazz Vocalist Laird Jackson to Release New Album “Life” on Nov. 1st, 2024 | LISTEN! #jazz #music

Alternative Jazz Vocalist/Composer
Laird Jackson’s Latest Release “Life”
Features A Spectacular List Of
Award-Winning Musicians

An original to the core, Laird asserts that whenever you sing, you’re giving voice to your soul. She spreads her emotional soundscape wide. She dives deep into dramatic mystery, quiet romance, elemental wonder, profound sadness, ruminative ecstasy, improvisational beauty and the dreamy tug between longing within and pushing outward away from all boundaries to find freedom.

Laird’s artistic certitude and freedom arrives beginning from her debut album (1994’s Quiet Flame on Venus) to her second (2002’s Touched) through to its emergence with so much gravitas on her 3rd alternative Jazz album (2024’s Life). Laird doesn’t apologize about her hiatus. “Life happened,” says the Cleveland-born, Detroit-bred, New York based artist. “I didn’t stop living. I traveled, I wrote, I recorded on other people’s projects. I stepped back from the business side to deal with the unexpected twists and turns that happened.”

With 15 tracks (only 5 of which are covers) taking the listener on a 74 minute genre-bending journey through a cinematic sonic landscape, Life paints a colorful image that is cohesively held together by Laird’s beautiful voice. Produced by Grammy. winner and percussionist extraordinaire, Jeff Haynes (Pat Metheny, Cassandra Wilson, Brandi Carlile) this new album will tingle your senses.

Photography by Vital Agibalow for Hensel. Publishing by LairdSongs (ASCAP)

Available From All Major Streaming Platforms

Artist Website: www.LairdJacksonMusic.com
Release Date: November 1, 2024
Label: Self-Produced

TRACK LISTING

1. I Believe 5:25
2. Suhaili 5:56
3. Dusk 4:45
4. Make a Smile for Me 5:49
5. Destiny 5:42
6. In the Pines 3:51
7. The River 4:59
8. Rainbows 3:01
9. Rounding the Sun 5:26
10. The Wind 4:19
11. Life 4:24
12. World of Dreams 4:49
13. Tender as a Rose 4:22
14. Wild is the Wind 5:37
15. Follow 5:07

Laird Jackson (vocals)
Jeff Haynes (percussion)
Marvin Sewell, John Smith and C Lanzbom (guitar)
Gregoire Maret (harmonica)
Michael Manring (bass)
Charlie Burnham (violin)
Premik Russell Tubbs (sax/EWI)
Brandon Ross (guitar)
Eugene Friesen (cello)
Jennifer DeFrayne (piano)
Sean Harkness (guitar/bass)
Doug Weiss (bass)
Candace Coates (harp)

Produced, Recorded and Orchestrated by Jeff Haynes. Executive Producer: Laird Jackson. Mixed and Mastered by Corin Nelsen at SynchroSonic Productions.

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