HI-FIDELITY DOTI-1001 LAUREN KINHAN CIRCLE IN A SQUARE CIRCLE MY PAINTED LADY BUTTERFLY ANOTHER HILL TO CLIMB IN A CHASING THE SUN I’M LOOKIN’ FOR THAT NUMBER SQUARE TO LIVE OR DIE POCKETFUL OF HARLEM WE’RE NOT GOING ANYWHERE TODAY CHAUSSURE’S COMPLEX BEAR WALK VANITY’S PARAMOUR THE DEEP WITHIN LAUREN KINHAN CIRCLE IN A SQUARE CIRCLE IN A SQUARE CHASING THE SUN Music by Lauren Kinhan & Ada Rovatti Music by Lauren Kinhan Lyric by Lauren Kinhan Andy Ezrin, piano Andy Ezrin, Fender Rhodes David Finck, bass Ben Wittman, drums + percussion Ben Wittman, drums + percussion Will Lee, bass Aaron Heick, alto flute Randy Brecker, trumpet Romero Lubambo, guitar Lauren Kinhan, Marlon Saunders, Ella Marcus, backround vocals I’M LOOKIN’ FOR THAT NUMBER Music & Lyric by Lauren Kinhan MY PAINTED LADY BUTTERFLY Horn arrangement by Lauren Kinhan Music and Lyric by Lauren Kinhan Andy Ezrin, piano and B3 organ Andy Ezrin, piano David Finck, bass David Finck, bass Ben Wittman, drums Ben Wittman, drums Donny McCaslin, tenor saxophone Joel Frahm, Soprano Saxophone John Bailey, flugel horn ANOTHER HILL TO CLIMB TO LIVE OR DIE Music & Lyric by Lauren Kinhan Music & Lyric by Lauren Kinhan String quartet arrangement by Rob Mounsey Andy Ezrin, piano Andy Ezrin, piano David Finck, bass David Finck, bass Ben Wittman, drums + percussion Ben Wittman, drums Romero Lubambo, guitar Sara Caswell (1st violin), Joseph Brent (2nd violin), Lois Martin (viola), Jody Redhage (cello) POCKETFUL OF HARLEM BEAR WALK Music by Lauren Kinhan & Andy Ezrin Music by Jiro Yoshida, Lyric by Lauren Kinhan Lyric by Lauren Kinhan Andy Ezrin, piano Andy Ezrin, piano Will Lee, bass Will Lee, bass Ben Wittman, drums Ben Wittman, drums + percussion Randy Brecker, trumpet Chuck Loeb, guitar Lauren Kinhan, background vocals VANITY’S PARAMOUR Music and Lyric by Lauren Kinhan WE’RE NOT GOING ANYWHERE TODAY Andy Ezrin, piano Music & Lyric by Lauren Kinhan David Finck, bass Andy Ezrin, piano Ben Wittman, drums David Finck, bass Donny McCaslin, tenor saxophone Ben Wittman, drums THE DEEP WITHIN CHAUSSURE’S COMPLEX Music by Peter Eldridge & Lauren Kinhan Music & Lyric by Lauren Kinhan Lyric by Lauren Kinhan Andy Ezrin, piano Peter Eldridge, piano David Finck, bass David Finck, bass Ben Wittman, drums + percussion Ben Wittman, drums Gary Versace, accordion Joel Frahm, tenor saxophone LAUREN KINHAN CIRCLE IN A SQUARE he first thing you notice is her voice, and then her savvy Let’s talk about that title track, which opens the album. “It’s choices. Lauren Kinhan possesses a rare and beautiful a bird/It’s a plane” Kinhan sings, but instead of a Superman T instrument, tough and tender, clear and fine-grained in sighting she’s hailing music itself. Sounding like a cross be- every register, whether she’s dipping down into husky chest tween Donald Fagen and Joni Mitchell, the song captures the tones or ascending into silvery head tones. With her glorious evocative power of a record spinning on a turntable with a sound, she could sing anything and make it a memorable lis- finely etched lyric married to a seductive melody that embod- tening experience, but Kinhan is defining herself as an artist ies the very transportive power Kinhan describes. It’s a bra- by creating her own material, making a compelling case that vura performance, and everything that follows lives up to its 21st century jazz singers can thrive outside the context of the implicit promise. She often makes brilliant use of contrasting American Songbook. Rooted in jazz’s improvisational impera- musical elements, like the way the jagged piano figure sets tive, she knows that you best celebrate the music by remaking off the long sinuous melody of “My Painted Lady Butterfly” it in your own image. “Think of me as a horn player who sings (a song tied together by Joel Frahm’s serpentine soprano sax a lyric or a dancer filling a phrase, a reedy voice that’s lived solo). She summons the intensity of a gospel singer on the in, adventurous and unapologetic,” Kinhan says. “It all circles deceptively languorous “Another Hill to Climb,” which initial- around living in the moment, telling a story and letting conven- ly sounds like an uplifting anthem but instead unfolds as a tions be undressed and re-outfitted.” cautionary tale. Whether rapturously becalmed (“The Deep Within”), on the good-time prowl (“Pocketful of Harlem”), or ANDY EZRIN Circle in a Square is only Kinhan’s third release under her tormented by the search for unknowable answers (“To Live or own name, but she’s already established a vivid identity as Die”), Kinhan turns each piece into a self-contained emotional BEN WITTMAN a songwriter with a gift for capturing the emotional currents narrative driven by her unerring musical taste. DAVID FINCK of everyday life. She made a powerful first impression with 2000’s Hardly Blinking, an eclectic program of original songs A master at folding her particular gifts into collaborations WILL LEE exploring an array of topics and instrumental textures. A de- with other musicians, Kinhan has spent her illustrious career cade later, she followed up with the highly personal Avalon, keeping superlative company. None other than avant-garde an album deeply informed by her experience of motherhood, legend Ornette Coleman gave her an early boost, featuring with and the pleasures and challenges of family life. In many ways Kinhan on “Don’t You Know by Now,” a ravishing tune from Circle In a Square picks up where Avalon left off, evoking the his 1996 album Sound Museum, Three Women. He was so SPECIAL GUESTS numinous possibilities in a flirty pair of shoes, a familiar mel- taken with her voice and presence that he invited her to re- ody, or an insinuating groove. prise the song with him at Lincoln Center and to sing one of RANDY BRECKER her originals. But she’s best known as a singer who thrives Part of what makes Circle in a Square so revelatory is that amongst fellow vocalists, particularly for her ongoing 20-year ROMERO LUBAMBO it provides a rare 360-degree glimpse into Kinhan’s musical tenure with New York Voices. She’s also a founding member of world. She wrote all the lyrics and almost all the music for ev- CHUCK LOEB two other vocal supergroups, the quintet Moss (with Luciana ery piece, and shaped each arrangement working with her core Souza, Kate McGarry, Theo Bleckmann, and Peter Eldridge), rhythm section of pianist/keyboardist Andy Ezrin and drummer DONNY MCCASLIN and the trio JaLaLa (with Janis Siegel and Laurel Massé). But Ben Wittman (the well-traveled Will Lee and David Finck di- there’s no denying the scope and power of Kinhan’s individual JOEL FRAHM vide bass duties). The steady personnel provides a cohesive vision. With Circle in a Square she fully reveals herself as an feel throughout the album, while an all-star gallery of special GARY VERSACE and inspired singer and songwriter whose voice gains depth with guests contributes instrumental commentary and eloquent so- every listen. PETER ELDRIDGE los, such as Brazilian guitar great Romero Lubambo’s perfectly sculpted acoustic passage on the intricate, lyric-less “Chasing Andrew Gilbert is a music writer in Berkeley, Calif. who the Sun” and trumpet maestro Randy Brecker’s melodically writes for the San Francisco Chronicle, San Jose Mercury charged passage on the title track. News, JazzTimes and other publications. would first like to thank my dear friend and partner Elliot heart. You just know how to get to the essence of the music Thank you to my mom, brothers and sisters, close knit friends Scheiner for making this one of the most creative and and say the most profound things. Donny, having known you and extended family in New York Voices for your constant I pleasurable recording experiences of my life. You create from our Berklee College of Music days, you are that unique support. Heartfelt thanks to Paul Slifer, Amy Estrin, Don Frank, an environment of trust and respect that everyone thrives in. and powerful voice that comes along once in a lifetime. And Linda Kinhan, David Kinhan, Char Fitzpatrick, and Sarah Slifer Thank you for opening your home to me and sharing your won- Peter, my dear friend and colleague, I know my musical life is for your fine art creations for this project. And finally, thank you derful family (that means you Diana). Which leads me to your grander because of you. to my husband Rob and daughter Ella for sharing this dream talented and charming son, Mathew Scheiner, who began en- with me everyday and making our life one big circle of love, Thank you Rob Mounsey for the delicious string quartet ar- gineering our vocal sessions and quickly became a core part of art and laughter. rangement that was in turn so divinely played by Jody Red- the realization of the project. Awright, now! Thank you to my hage, Sara Caswell, Joseph Brent and Lois Martin. Thanks trio extraordinaire. Whether the formation was Andy, Ben and to Aaron Heick for adding the deep moan of the Alto flute on David or Andy, Ben and Will, you guys gave me such rich and “Chasing the Sun.” And a big hug to my dear friend Marlon nuanced performances. Andy, thank you for the extra care in Saunders for “whooping up” the “Circle in the Square” vocals, preparing for the session. You are an exquisite musician and along with my talented daughter Ella Marcus who is becoming human being. Ben, we have shared all three of my solo proj- quite the beautiful singer and musician. ects together and on each one you graced it with your artist- ry, generosity of spirit and taught me so much along the way.