Waiting for someone to rub shoulders with the likes of esteemed African American singers/songwriters Nina Simone, Abbey Lincoln, and Irene Higginbottom? Well, my musically discerning friends, the wait is over: introducing especially emotive jazz vocalist and songwriter Eugenie Jones. This exceptional talent, renowned for making jazz resonate with broader audiences, presents her latest album, the January 20th-debuting, self-titled, talent-brimming Eugenie. Were we captivated by her rich vocal stylings, the exquisite strings, the globally pervasive emotional themes, the effortless piano musings, and elegant but natural production? Let’s hit the highlights.
Wait. Who does what (and from where are they doing it)?
Eugenie Jones – Vocals
NEW YORK Players:
Brandon McCune and Mamiko Watanabe – Piano
Gil Defay -Trumpet
Rico Jones – Saxophone
Jessica Yang – Cello
Yoojin Park- Violin
Lonnie Plaxico – Bass
Russell Carter- Drums
Kahlil Bell – Percussion
SEATTLE Players:
Darrius Willrich – Piano
Michael Powers – Guitar
Michael Powers and Elliot Kuykendall – Bass
Ronnie Bishop – Drums
And let’s not forget personal, pristine production by Grammy-winning, Jazz Award recipient Lonnie Plaxico.
What’s the meaning, the inspiration, behind Eugenie?
Per Eugenie’s personal and passionate press, “this album weaves rich melodies, exquisite string arrangements, and a narrative tapestry exploring the depths of love, betrayal, and resilience.”
And now, we listen.
What we’re really digging (i.e., hitting the highlights).
The album begins with “Why I Sing,” introduced by snapping, rolling snare and blinking jazz piano. Eugenie Jones’ voice takes center stage with sultry, subtle expressions and a deeper voice cocooned with natural, room-stretching reverb. Why does Eugenie Jones sing? The song tells us: “I sing because I breathe, giving harmony to everything inside me.” This is a strong, assertive opener that can only come from embracing, finally, one’s true, often dismissed purpose.
“Starlight Starbright,” with its dramatic, lamenting strings, immediately elicits equal parts sadness and resilience. And Eugenie paints the glowing instrumentation with her emotive human story. She survives, she strives, and she does it all under a distant but always guiding light. EXCELLENT track!!!!!!!
“Hold Back the Night” is a relaxed, laid back affair with Eugenie’s rhythmic vocal telling a human story over and between steady snare-rim beats and rain drop-emulating piano. It’s perhaps expressed/sung under an umbrella while crossing puddles reflecting rippling city lights.
“It’s Okay” rests on a rolling, latin-flavored beat, more prevalent, song-defining chords, mood–changing chord diversions, and Jones’ voice combining strength, vulnerability, and a playful, sultry wisdom. Great stuff.
You heard “Natural Woman,” but not like this. The strings and arrangement lift the emotional impact by…at least 500%, and Jones’ vocals, harmonizing and accompanying, grant the song’s empowered protagonist a strength and tenacity not felt on the already capable original. If you think the first version just isn’t feeling it, Jones’ more instrumentally lustrous and vocally commanding interpretation truly hits the songwriter’s soul-baring intent.
“Nothing Better” is light, airy, string-glazed, and sung under orbiting city lights. Instrumentally, it’s more of a lament, but lyrically, it sparks with gratitude (which, given the lamenting quality, may have been derived through great impedance). Another great, emotionally encompassing and introspective musical testimony.
The album ends with “Harlem Nocturne,” and the piano is quiet, softly struck, and respectfully restrained while tip-toeing through city blocks of quiet slumberers. Eugenie grieves, galvanizes, and goads the darkness to action, but knows its ferocity is arrogantly feigned, and rarely irrefutable. Her vocals dip and bend, describing solitude, the reduced bustling, and the final thoughts of what may have been an eventful, emotional day. “Harlem Nocturne” is the perfect reflective denouement after our jagged, unrelenting story is given a brief bed-time respite. It’s the end of a moment, of a time, but only temporarily; it is the final tear cast before the sun cracks, and it all begins again.
But is it actually good?
Thee’s a real depth of emotion here. When the press mentions a pervasiveness of common human feeling, it’s right on the money – Eugenie knows what you feel and how you feel it, because she feels it in all its drilling detail and toppling magnitude. Her singing is the pain you bear and the joy you radiate. Her songs are equal parts lament and elation. She sings in the street, at night, when the monsters creep and the machines go silent. She sings when the sun shines and a baby smiles big. Eugenie Jones knows the tonal qualities of every conceivable emotion, and you’ll find yourself enthralled by their collective musical punch. Is Eugenie good? No – it’s giving, unforgiving, and emotionally grand. HIGHLY recommended.
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BELOW: Listen to Eugenie Jones and check her out on Facebook, Instagram, X, Youtube, and Bandcamp. Please support Eugenie Jones by visiting her website and playing, downloading, and/or purchasing her music. And, as always, thank you for supporting real music.
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“Eugenie” will be released on 01.20.25