New Release:
Lisa Kirchner "Charleston For You" Verdant World Records Street Date August 1, 2012 |
 |
 LISA KIRCHNER
shares her artistry in song and songwriting, as she performs an
eclectic brew of crossover classics in several languages, presenting
original music and lyrics in a diverse and expressive album. Kirchner is
a remarkably versatile singer, with a beautiful sound, and eloquent
phrasing. Here she takes the listener on an international voyage across
musical genres in collaboration with seasoned and imaginative players.
Charleston For You on Verdant World Records
Lisa Kirchner has been pushing the envelope, crossing boundaries with every release, performing a diverse repertoire of folk, jazz, French and Brazilian songs, Kurt Weill, pop music, jazz renditions of contemporary classical art songs, her own music and lyrics, and songs on which she has partnered as lyricist with other composers. Charleston For You, is Lisa Kirchner’s fifth solo vocal album, and her first release on her new label, Verdant World Records. Lisa Kirchner’s expressivity and musicality are trademarks of her singing. She has a rare ability to plum the emotional depths of a song and to present its subtle phrasing elegantly. Says Galt MacDermot, with whom she has written and performed several songs on this album, "Lisa finds that subterranean tone in her voice and in the song that raises pop singing to an art." John Michael Koroly wrote of her live performance, "she's got striking range with the ability to emote rage, loss or longing in equally convincing measure... Kirchner is a singer who can galvanize the stage both vocally and physically”. Electronic Link Journey wrote, "…the French songs defy explanation when it comes to intensity and emotion... Her renditions of ‘Ne Me Quitte Pas' and 'Jessie' may be the most heart-wrenching ever." With Charleston For You, listeners may share in the varied repertoire and unique delivery for which Lisa is noted, as she slips effortlessly through performances of Gershwin, Piaf, Janis Ian, Brazilian music and her own and Galt MacDermot’s compositions. Lisa’spenchant for empathetic, and highly skilled musicians is evidenced in these tracks, and Charleston For You, features some of New York’s first class players in jazz, pop,classical, and theater music, with whom Lisa has collaborated throughout her years performing in theater, jazz clubs and cabaret. The formations range from quintets, to duos and her own voice- guitar solo. The musicians include, composer Galt MacDemot, pianists Mark Berman,Tommy Mandel, Phillip Namanworth, and James Weidman, bassists, Jonathan Miller and Lonnie Plaxico, drummers Adam Cruz and Sue Evans, guitarist Ron Jackson, accordionist Walter Kuehr, and saxophonist Paul Ostermayer- leaders, composers, musical directors, and arrangers, who have performed folk, jazz, pop, R&B, and classical music with icons in every genre. In her fluid liner notes Lisa writes, “This is a compilation album made up of tracks I recorded in the late 90’s.The Man I Love, was recorded live at Birdland. The album features some of New York’s finest musicians, inspired and seasoned pros in jazz, pop, classical, rock and theater music, with whom I have been so pleased to collaborate, and whose paths crossed mine early on in music. The song narratives follow the heart on its journey through a jungle of romance and psychology in several languages, traversing the Amazon, haunting the streets of Pigalle, and illuminating the Berkeley sky from the San Francisco Bay to Riverside Drive in cinematic overlay. Phat Hat, was impelled, one hot summer night on Broadway, by a girl leaning against a lamp post in a large brimmed hat. I thought, “she’s grooving in a phat hat.” Weeks later for the first time, I heard the expression “phat.” Thanks to Mac Rebennack, "Dr. John", for kindly providing the lyrics, years ago, and inspiring the performance of Marie Laveau, the tale of a hair dresser rumored to practice spells, buried at night, and dubbed the Voodoo Queen. I am grateful to Galt MacDermot for generously collaborating on, performing, and recording six songs with me, after our run of his show, The Human Comedy, at the Public Theater and on Broadway. Three songs are featured on this album, and three on the forthcoming sequel. The bayou fueled Blue By the River (Port of New Orleans.) Jesse, written by Janis Ian, and permeating the air waves in the days of Be-Ins on the Cambridge Common, and my own song, Charleston For You, animated by a window view of the Hudson River and the Pallasades at dusk, are songs my parents loved. I sang them for their memorial services – Jesse for my mother, Gertrude Kirchner, and Charleston For You, for my father, Leon Kirchner.” In addition to writing and composing her own songs, and partnering as lyricist with composers Galt MacDermot, James Weidman, and Ron Jackson, Lisa has also written lyrics to instrumentals by Wynton Marsalis and by film, Broadway and contemporary classical composer Paul Chihara. She wrote and sang her own songs, appearing as a regular on NBC’s Another World. She has recorded three albums of standards, one in Paris, from the American Songbook that include French and Brazilian classics, her own songs, and those written with James Weidman, Ron Jackson, and Galt MacDermot, garnering praise from international press and colleagues. Lisa expedited and executive produced the sound recordings of four albums of music by her father, eminent composer, Leon Kirchner, several of which made the Best Classical Album lists in the years of their release. She has recorded a jazz vocal album of contemporary classical art songs, entitled, Something To Sing About, in session with world class jazz and classical players, in a first of its kind release that aired on over 130 radio stations, making several top ten lists and receiving superb press notices. Lisa has played many of New York’s notable venues and has appeared at Gracie Mansion, the White House, at Harvard University and the Harvard Club. She began singing folk music, playing classical piano and studying ballet, modern and jazz dance. A “triple threat”, she was featured in numerous theatrical productions on Broadway, at the Public, Delacorte, La Mama, Westbeth and American Place Theatres. Off- Broadway she originated the role of Irma Vep in Richard Foreman and Stanley Silverman's Hotel For Criminals and its sequel, The American Imagination. Loving to sing harmonies, she improvised vocals with Judy Collins in concert, on recording and on television, and was Collins' featured soloist at Carnegie Hall. Lisa Kirchner has performed under the radar of the general public catching the notice of press and peers. She has persevered, challenging the boundaries of genre, and evolving her musical craft at the highest level. Her approach is from the heart, and her affinity is with the material. Charleston For You, represents a journey of musical collaboration and a celebration of song across genre and in three languages. |
 |
