Jazz Vocalist Carmen Lundy To Release New Album “Fade To Black”

Jazz Vocalist Carmen Lundy To Release New Album, “Fade To Black,” September 30th

“Fade To Black,” the 16th album from the multi-talented and multi-faceted Grammy-nominated jazz vocalist Carmen Lundy, is a stunning and provocative song cycle created during the turbulent and often isolating times of the Covid-19 pandemic. Featuring 11 tracks all written by Carmen, “Fade To Black” explores such themes as the rethinking of our personal values, loss, a woman’s right to vote and choice, the invasive culture of modern technology, commitment – both to oneself and to one’s partner, and police brutality. (Just a few key points of discussion!) “Fade To Black” will be released September 30thvia Afrasia Productions with tour dates to accompany including a New Year’s Eve engagement at The Kennedy Center in Washington, D.C.

Jazzy, passionate, introspective, thoughtful, smart, kind, honoring and loving, Carmen has crafted an album without borders that transfixes its listeners. Carmen explains, “I approached the writing of these compositions from being in this moment. Not necessarily looking back, but observant of the times we live in NOW. Traditional Jazz composition involves understanding its evolution and the spirit of improvisation. I wanted to explore different approaches to harmonic progressions, extended forms, and subtle rhythmic concepts while providing plenty of space where lyrics and melodies sing and tell stories without necessarily feeling the need to represent preconceived ideas about vocal jazz, harmonies or rhythms.”

A stellar group of musicians accompany Carmen on “Fade To Black” including Kenny Davis on acoustic and electric bass, Giveton Gelin on trumpet, Morgan Guerin on tenor sax, Terreon Gully on drums, Curtis Lundy on acoustic bass, Andrew Renfroe on guitar, Wallace Roney Jr. on trumpet, Julius Rodriguez on piano, Camille Thurman on tenor sax and keyboard prodigy Matthew Whitaker on organ and keyboards. Carmen, of course, sings all vocals and also plays keyboards, guitar and percussion.

All songs on “Fade To Black” were written and arranged by Carmen and the album was produced by Carmen and Elisabeth Oei. It was recorded and mixed by Don Murray at Stagg Street Studios and Afrasia Studios, and mastered by Eric Boulanger at The Bakery Mastering Lab.

As well as being a celebrated singer, Lundy is also a critically acclaimed visual artist (check out a gallery of her work on her website www.carmenlundy.com). Her extraordinary art graces the cover of “Fade To Black”, with one of her works illustrating the album title. Several of Carmen’s multi-media sculptures will be featured as part of the upcoming Shifting The Narrative: Jazz And Gender Justice exhibit opening at Detroit’s Carr Center October 14th. Curated by Terri Lyne Carrington, the exhibit is an artistic, biographical, and academic narrative that spans the past, present and future of jazz and considers a more equitable cultivation of the art form through a variety of multi-disciplinary mediums. The exhibit exists at the intersection of history, corrective work, gender, race and innovation.

Also a burgeoning filmmaker, Carmen’s first documentary, “Nothing But The Blood – The True Story Of The Apostolic Singers Of Miami,” will world premiere at the DTLA Film Festival (Los Angeles) on Saturday, September 17th. The Apostolic Singers (featuring singers from several generations of Carmen’s family) have performed for over 40 years in the Florida area and never made a studio recording documenting their incredible gospel voices until December 26, 1991. A true labor of love, “Nothing But the Blood” documents the taping of their first recording session ever, complete with interviews.

“Fade To Black” was funded by a New Jazz Works grant from Chamber Music America (CMA). The commission was granted in 2019 and was written during the challenging months of the pandemic. “My hope is that these songs reflect this time of great loss, sorrow, healing and hope for a brighter, more inclusive future for us all,” said Carmen, “Thank you to CMA for their dedication and support for the arts and Jazz Composition in particular.”

www.carmenlundy.com

“Fade To Black” Track Listing:

1. Shine A Light (8:07)
2. So Amazing (3:31)
3. Daughter Of The Universe (5:39)
4. Ain’t I Human (3:19)
5. Lonesome Blue Butterfly (5:20)
6. Spell Of Romance (4:41)
7. Say Her Name (7:15)
8. Transition (To A Promised Land) (5:21)
9. Privacy (3:49)
10. Reverence (5:52)
11. Rest In Peace (3:47)

Alisse The Muse