Canadian Jazz Songstress Mary Lou Sicoly Releases New Single “September” | WATCH NEW VIDEO! New Album “Lemon Meringue Pie” Available NOW

Facebooktwitterredditpinterestlinkedinmailby feather

Award Winning Jazz Songstress Mary Lou Sicoly Puts a Smooth, Sweet Spin on a ‘70s Classic with “September”

JUNO Nominated Singer/Songwriter & Multi-Award-Winning Music Educator Celebrates a Personal Connection with Sixth Single from Her Delectable Debut Album “Lemon Meringue Pie”

Just like the languid last days of summer can make you nostalgic for all the good times shared, the warm memories that a favourite song from our youth brings to the surface can make us long to relive those days as well. JUNO nominated Canadian jazz vocalist Mary Lou Sicoly knows the power of that feeling very well and celebrates a personal connection with the music and music makers of ‘70s supergroup Earth, Wind & Fire with her smooth, sweet take on their nostalgia-fueled classic “September” – available now!

The sixth single from her delectable debut album “Lemon Meringue Pie”, Sicoly’s “September” trades the punchy horns and high energy groove of the original for a more laid-back tempo and a vibey keyboard melody line supporting her sparkling lead vocal. Sicoly’s “September” is dreamier than dance-y, amping up the nostalgia and underlining the song’s “do you remember” focal point.

Re-making this classic in her own style was paramount for Sicoly, especially because of a wonderful personal connection she made with Earth, Wind & Fire themselves.

“The backstory for this song is quite exciting to me,” offers Sicoly. “I’ve always been a fan of Earth, Wind & Fire and lucky for me, my Musical Director, John Ebata is a personal friend of Myron McKinley, the musical director for this fabulous band.”

That single degree of separation helped pave the way for a special meeting between Sicoly and E, W & F. “A few months before we finalized the songs for “Lemon Meringue Pie”, I had an opportunity to attend a concert and enjoy a backstage visit with members of the band including Myron, indeed one of the highlights of my music career!”

<a
Photo Credit: Geoff George

So, when it came time for Sicoly and Ebata to deep dive into recording her debut album, E, W & F’s “September” was an obvious, if jitter-inducing choice.

“John assured me that we would do a more laid back, jazzified version of the song, which was already quite daunting for me,” explains Sicoly. “And then I thought about what the song was saying, how it painted memories, great memories that often sustain us as the years pass. With that story in mind and John’s brilliant arrangement to enhance the style of the tune, it was a unanimous choice for the album.”

Released last April, Lemon Meringue Pie lines up 10 delicious, hand-picked classics that Sicoly and Ebata have added their own secret sauce to. From the American Songbook standard “Blame It On My Youth” to Willie Nelson’s “Always on My Mind, to Cyndi Lauper’s “Time After Time”, this dynamic duo puts their experienced, innovative stamp on a batch of well-known and loved songs.

Lemon Meringue Pie may be Sicoly’s debut jazz album but that’s just the latest accomplishment in a career that has seen some wonderful milestones so far for the Toronto-based singer/songwriter. She has written and recorded five children’s albums, including the JUNO nominated Chase a Rainbow. Sicoly, Ebata and Nova Scotian vocalist Mark Riley also recently toured a “classic duets” album. Additionally, Sicoly, Ebata and Dora Award winning multi-instrumentalist, composer and vocalist Waleed Abdulhamid released “Canvas” on October 21st, the first single from their upcoming equity, diversity and inclusion album project called “Songs For Humanity.”

Sharing the educational foundations of music is also a big part of Sicoly’s career. An esteemed music educator, she’s a recipient of the CARAS (JUNO) Award for Music Education, a TVOntario Award for Innovation in Music Education and was the 1999 recipient of the Prime Minister’s Award for Teaching Excellence. A presenter at several education conferences, Sicoly has also toured the Arctic with “Strings Across the Sky”, leading music camps in Tuktoyaktuk and Iqaluit.

From singing with her dad’s dance band in Sault Ste. Marie to jingles and commercial spots, to performing in various solo, ensemble and big band shows everywhere from the CNE to the Hockey Hall of Fame, Mary Lou Sicoly has years of diverse and exciting performances behind her and ahead of her too. A recent tour of Ontario and the Maritimes in support of Lemon Meringue Pie saw Sicoly and Ebata share the pure joy of their brand of jazz that goes down smooth and warm, any time of year.

For Sicoly, it all starts with the songs she chooses to make her own, including her newest release. “The storytelling attributes of a song are the main drawing card when I’m looking for material to record and perform and this song has it abundantly.”

“September” and Lemon Meringue Pie are both available now.

marylousicoly.com

Eric Alper

MORE News on T.U.M.S.!

Meshell Ndegeocello to Release Blue Note Records Debut Album "The Omnichord Real Book" on June 16th,...
Singer Mary Cross Releases New Single "Meet Me On The Moon" | LISTEN! Official Music Video to Premie...
Soul-Jazz Group BT ALC Big Band to Release New Album "Hearing The Truth" on April 14th, 2023
Reggae Singer Romain Virgo to Release New Single "Driver" on March 24th, 2023
Music Artist Kwanza Jones Releases 3 New Tracks | LISTEN!
Jazz Trumpeter/Vocalist Johnny Britt Releases New Album "After We Play" | WATCH & LISTEN!
Singer JoDavi Releases New Single "I Won't Go" | WATCH NEW VIDEO!
R&B Singer LeVelle Releases New Single "Only If" | WATCH NEW VIDEO!
Nigerian Afro R&B/Soul Singer Winny to Release New EP "WINNY" on April 7th, 2023 | WATCH NEW VIDEO f...
Saxophonist Walter Smith III Releases New Single "River Styx" | WATCH NEW VIDEO!
Singer H'Atina to Release New Single "Foolish Heart" on March 17th, 2023 | WATCH & LISTEN!
The Top 100 Contemporary Jazz Songs – #97 | The Staff - Joy
Jazz Duo The Braxton Brothers Releases New Single "Let's Have a Good Time" | LISTEN!
Nigerian-Canadian Vocalist Sonia Aimy Releases New Single "TRACE" | WATCH NEW VIDEO!
Country-Neo-Pop Artist Roberta Lea to Release New Single "Too Much Of A Woman" on March 24th, 2023
Gospel Singer Melvin Crispell III Releases New Single "Alright" | LISTEN!
R&B Songstress Lettrice Lawrence Releases New Single "My Secret Lies" | LISTEN!
Singer Roderick Harper to Release New Single "Genuine" on March 13th, 2023 | WATCH NEW VIDEO!
Gospel Singer Kelontae Gavin Releases New Single “Live Again” | WATCH NEW VIDEO!
Neo Soul Singer KEA to Release New Single "We Made It Thru" on March 31st, 2023
Jazz Guitarist Jonathan Butler to Release New Album "Ubuntu" on April 28th, 2023
Soul Singer Bradd Marquis Releases Official Music Video for "Blowin' in the Wind" | WATCH!
Afro-Colombian Sister Trio MUSAS Releases New Single "Fantasy" | WATCH NEW VIDEO!
Emerging Band People of Earth to Release Self-Titled Debut Album on May 5th, 2023 | WATCH NEW VIDEO!
Soul Singer Bette Smith Releases Cover of "Tennessee Whiskey" feat. Guitarist Harvey Mandel | LISTEN...
Singer MARIAH. Releases New Single "MAYBE" | WATCH NEW VIDEO!
Singer Osasioo Releases New Single “Home” | LISTEN!
R&B Singer Kem to Release New Memoir "Share My Life: A Journey of Love, Faith and Redemption" on Apr...
Vocalist Pierre L. Chambers to Release New Album "Shining Moments" on March 17th, 2023
Saxophonist Tobias Meinhart and Berlin People to Release New Live Project "Dark Horse" on April 28th...
Caribbean-American Singer Ronya-Lee Releases New Single "Runaway" | LISTEN!
Mercury/UMe Releases Digital-Only 40th-Anniversary Deluxe Edition of Donna Summer's "She Works Hard ...
Jazz Legend Wayne Shorter Dies at 89
Horn Arranger/Trumpeter Philip Lassiter to Release New Single "Purple" feat. Candy Dulfer in Tribute...
Gospel Group Spoken Praise Releases New Single "Make It" | LISTEN!
Pianist Keiko Matsui to Release 30th Album "Euphoria" on March 31st, 2023 | WATCH & LISTEN!
Innervision Records Celebrates 25th Anniversary
Soul Singer Shailaun Releases New Single "Glowing" | LISTEN!
Whitney Houston's Unreleased New Gospel Single "He Can Use Me" is Now Available - LISTEN! New Projec...
Saxophonist Walter Smith III Releases New Cover of Kate Bush’s “Mother Stands for Comfort” | LISTEN!...