Shadow & Light illuminates five diverse original tunes from acclaimed singer-song- writer LaVon Hardison. Dipping into soul, blues, jazz, and pop sounds, she weaves heartfelt tales about the human condition: loss, empowerment, infatuation, and memory.
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My first recording of all-original compositions, played with a fantastic band.
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Did you ever hear a cover version of a popular song and think "That's what it's all about!"? Chances are you’ll feel that way about all of the songs on LaVon Hardison's There Will Be Trouble. Her fourth release -- and by far her most compelling work to date -- comprises ten eclectic selections that prove that great songs are great songs, regardless of genre or age.
Her selections range from the raucous 1925 jazz standard "Sweet Georgia Brown" anchored by stellar baritone sax work from Hans Teuber, to a powerfully intimate re-imagining of Katy Perry's 2010 hit "Firework."
In between, LaVon visits the 1930s ("My Funny Valentine," "Mood Indigo," "It's Only a Paper Moon"); the 1940s ("Frim Fram Sauce"); the 1960s ("Heat Wave," "The 59th Street Bridge Song (Feelin' Groovy)," "One Fine Day"); and the 1980s ("Should I Stay or Should I Go").
Each stop on this trip through diverse times and styles will make you smile, or cry, or think about your own journey in a new way. LaVon's remarkable ability as a musical storyteller -- rooted in a lifetime of acting and musical performance -- helps her become a conduit connecting song to listener. And the top-notch musicians she's chosen to work with support her voice at every step with just the right mix of verve and attitude.
Taking this musical journey with her, you can understand why LaVon was acclaimed as Earshot Jazz's 2017 Northwest Vocalist of the Year and winner of the 2016 Seattle-Kobe Female Jazz Vocalist Audition.
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Come Together is LaVon’s third album, but it truly marks a new beginning for the wildly talented singer. Building on the jazz interpretations of Choices (2006) and the inspirational bent of Everyday Gifts (2008), this long-awaited recording finds Hardison using her ineffable presence to tie together a wonderfully diverse selection of tunes with a first-class group of musicians.
“I was really excited to be able to mix jazz standards with other songs,” Hardison says. “Instead of trying to choose songs from a particular genre, I chose songs that have a melody or meaning that tell a story.”
With ease, Hardison erases the boundaries between jazz, funk, and soul, re-inventing well-loved tunes including “(They Long to Be) Close to You,” “Sunny,” and “Tomorrow.” She infuses The Beatles’ “Come Together” with rhythms that would be at home in New Orleans, and you can hardly imagine anything better than her version of the jazz standard “Better Than Anything.”
When Hardison smolderingly implores you to “Unchain My Heart,” you’ll gladly comply, if only because you sense her affection for the 1964 Ray Charles version of the song. “Ray Charles is a huge influence for me,” she enthuses. “He managed to do country, R&B, whatever – and he always understood the song and made it his own.”
What emanates from Hardison is not merely an admixture of those who came before. It’s everything she’s done, heard, seen and felt, plus a huge helping of musicianship, all drawn into her very own musical time machine. The result? An irresistibly distinct take on life and the living of it —from raucous to somber, gleeful to introspective. And there’s joy. Always joy.
with David Joyner - piano & organ Osama Afifi - bass Jeff Busch - drums & percussion (and cover art) Brad Schrandt - flute & sax
Single - The father of a friend of mine died quite suddenly, and I wrote this song for them both.