Vanisha Gould & Pianist Chris McCarthy

Vocalist Vanisha Gould and
Pianist Chris McCarthy
to release new recording
“Life’s a Gig”

Chris McCarthy – Piano
Vanisha Gould – Vocals

Release Date: January 12th, 2024
(Fresh Sound Records)

“Life’s a gig, it doesn’t pay much but it costs a lot.” I said that at a party one eve ning, whispered it imitating Miles Davis. We all laughed. Truth is that life has offered me a lot. All I’ve ever wanted was to sing this beautiful music and make a living from it. I never thought I would also find family. Community. This album is meant to represent exactly that. Just family coming together singing tunes we’ve sung countless times before. I feel truly blessed to know Chris McCarthy (piano) and Kayla Williams (Viola – Jolene & Fall in Love With Me in Fall). They both carry this music with such integrity and ease. I want to flower my family with love. Arleen Simmons Gould and Hollis Gould are directly responsible for the voice that you hear on this album. Without their support and unending love, well, this gig called “life” would be undesirable, and without swing. My brother Victor Gould, also my favorite musician and composer, handed me my first Ella Fitzgerald & Louis Armstrong album – the rest is history. He is not just my confident, but he paved the path for me, as well. From middle school in Simi Valley, California to the New York Jazz scene, his extraordinary expertise and reputation has inspired me. Life’s a Gig.

Our first duo session was September 2016. I had just moved to New York City three weeks prior. One of the tune’s we tried that first session was Vanisha’s classic “Now That You’re Here,” and the lyrics represent how I felt then, and still feel about all the possibilities of playing together: “Now that you’re here, we should get to know each other. A lifetime of love is something we should both discover. Believe me my dear, if l had known you were here, we would have started this thing long ago.” I only wish we had started playing sooner. Seven years and thousands of playing hours later, you’re holding our first record. Every gig big or small has deepened our musical connection and led to this collection of our favorite tunes. These songs in Vanisha’s voice become stories you can’t look away from. Every musical choice I make when we play together is an attempt to complement the genius in every note sung. With Vanisha, the duo format is where I can be most free and myself, with ideals of beauty and swing shared coequally.

Thank you to Jordi Pujol for believing in this project, to Kayla Williams for her unwavering support and beautiful playing on “Jolene” and “Fall in Love With Me in Fall,” to my family for everything, to every venue that ever had us perform so we could hone our craft, and to Vanisha for being a musical partner for the ages. Life’s a gig worth playing when you’re on!

About Chris McCarthy:

Chris McCarthy is one of the most in demand pianists in New York City. Early accolades included the 2012 Gerald Wilson Award for big band composition at the Monterey Jazz Festival. After playing with Jerry Bergonzi and Jason Palmer’s working bands in Boston for several years, he moved to New York in 2016 and has been collaborating with artists from around the globe in NYC ever since. He released his debut for Ropeadope Records Still Time To Quit in 2020. The album received widespread critical praise. McCarthy is known for his sensitive accompanying of vocalists, working with many of New York’s finest. McCarthy is also active in the world music scenes, touring with Carnatic vocalist Roopa Mahadevan and Gnawa musician Samir Langus. His playing is featured on albums by rising stars such as vibraphonist Sasha Berliner, (Azalea 2019) and saxophonist Eden Bareket (Day Dream, 2021). In 2021 his playing was featured on BBC Radio 1 and drummer Questlove’s social media. He currently plays in legendary tap dancer Dormeshia’s new show “Rhythm is Life.” May 12th 2023 brings the release of Priorities (Fresh Sound Records), McCarthy’s new album of all originals in the piano trio tradition featuring Chris Tordini on bass and Steven Crammer on drums.

About Vanisha Gould:

Vanisha Gould came to New York in 2015 from Simi Valley, California. Inspired by artists like Billie Holiday, Nina Simone, Joni Mitchell, Carmen McRae and Ella Fitzgerald – Vanisha has successfully curated her own sound as a composer and band leader. Performing originals and music from the Great American Songbook on several groundbreaking stages both in New York and overseas, she aspires to continue sharing her voice with audiences in New York and beyond.

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