Somewhere by Angela Verbrugge

Angela Verbrugge

Somewhere

Format: CD
Label: OA2 Records
UPC: 0805552222821
Catnr: OA2 22228
Release date: 07 March 2025
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Label
OA2 Records

UPC
0805552222821

Catalogue number
OA2 22228

Release date
07 March 2025

Album

Artist(s)

Composer(s)

About the album

In a very casual-sounding way, Canadian vocalist Angela Verbrugge offers truths of the heart, urgent and genuine. A gentle authenticity without pretense that lends a light-hearted tenderness and a speaking naturalness. With the stellar accompianment of New York and Canadian players such as pianists Ray Gallon and Miles Black, bassists Cameron Brown and Jodi Proznick, and drummers Anthony Pinciotti and Joel Fountain, Angela's take on Bernstein's "Somewhere" is sweetly sustaining, "Born to Be Blue" is a playful piano/voice duet, and "If the Moon Turns Green" is a masterpiece of delicate ardor. Throughout the set, Verbrugge and her band create singular landscapes of feeling that run parallel with these intriguing melodies and lyrics.

Die kanadische Sängerin Angela Verbrugge bietet auf eine sehr beiläufige Art und Weise Wahrheiten des Herzens, eindringlich und echt. Eine sanfte Authentizität ohne Verstellung, die eine unbeschwerte Zärtlichkeit und eine sprechende Natürlichkeit verleiht. Begleitet von New Yorker und kanadischen Musikern wie den Pianisten Ray Gallon und Miles Black, den Bassisten Cameron Brown und Jodi Proznick sowie den Schlagzeugern Anthony Pinciotti und Joel Fountain, ist Angelas Interpretation von Bernsteins „Somewhere“ sanft und tragend, „Born to Be Blue“ ein verspieltes Klavier-/Gesangsduett und „If the Moon Turns Green“ ein Meisterwerk zarter Inbrunst. Während des gesamten Sets erschaffen Verbrugge und ihre Band einzigartige Gefühlslandschaften, die parallel zu diesen faszinierenden Melodien und Texten verlaufen.

Artist(s)

Angela Verbrugge (vocals)

Writing original Canadian lyrics and music that combines the sensibilities of bebop, vintage movie musicals, and the Great American songbook, jazz vocalist Angela Verbrugge has emerged as one of Western Canada's busiest performers. Since winning the JazzTimes' Magazine poll for Best Female Vocalist in 2020, the charismatic musician has toured her romantic, humorous and inventive songwriting to top venues for jazz in Japan, the UK, Germany, Luxembourg and Turkey. She released her debut album, recorded in NYC in 2019, and followed it up proving her skills as a lyricist and composer with an all-original project in 2022. Positive reviews from top international publications in jazz singled out her projects as "head and shoulders above the usual barrage of vocal jazz albums" (JazzLives). Angela's third album, Somewhere, is coming out in May 2024 on OA2 Records (Seattle, USA). Both Angela's albums were included in LA Jazz Journal/DownBeat critic Scott Yanow's top albums of the year list, and he predicts that her songs may become standards in the future. Angela is primarily influenced by the swing era, vintage musicals, and bebop. WSJ writer Will Friedwald describes her unique instrument as "a vocal sound that's full of depth and nuance - welcoming the light without denying the darkness." She has appeared at the festivals and jazz clubs in Canada, and top jazz clubs internationally in London, Berlin, Munich, Frankfurt, Istanbul, Luxembourg, Tokyo, and across Japan. Verbrugge has performed with Grammy-winning/nominated, Juno-winning/nominated and/or Order of Canada recipients. Her ensembles have included Neil Swainson, Reg Schwager, Terry Clarke, Lauren Falls, Jodi Proznick, Buff Allen, Miles Black, renowned NYC musicians Ray Gallon, Cameron Brown, and she has shared the stage with top international musicians including Thomas Stabenow, Xaver Hellemeir, Hiroko Mase, Akane Matsumoto and Takashi Sugawara. Angela was one of the youngest graduates from Toronto's George Brown College School of Performing Arts in Theatre Studies after a youth spent in Kingston, Ontario. She relocated permanently to Vancouver in 1997, and has resided on Vancouver Island since 2019. Angela is a mother to three teens. Verbrugge began intensive jazz studies in 2012 after she had three brushes with death including being diagnosed with cancer in 2010. She began her professional career with the release of her 2019 debut album.

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Composer(s)

Stephen Sondheim

American composer Stephen Sondheim was born on March 22, 1930, in New York City. After early practice at songwriting, his knowledge of musical theater was influenced by master lyricist Oscar Hammerstein II, whom served as a mentor. Sondheim's contributions to West Side Story and Gypsyin the 1950s brought him recognition as a rising star of Broadway. Known for the startling complexity of his lyricism and music, his major works for the theater also include A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum,Sweeney Todd, Sunday in the Park With George and Into the Woods.

American composer Stephen Sondheim was born on March 22, 1930, in New York City. After early practice at songwriting, his knowledge of musical theater was influenced by master lyricist Oscar Hammerstein II, whom served as a mentor. Sondheim's contributions to West Side Story and Gypsyin the 1950s brought him recognition as a rising star of Broadway. Known for the startling complexity of his lyricism and music, his major works for the theater also include A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum,Sweeney Todd, Sunday in the Park With George and Into the Woods.

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George Gershwin

George Gershwin was an American composer, who is mostly known due to his combinations of classical and popular music genres. George Gershwin grew up in a poor neighbourhood in New York. His parents were Russian immigrants who had trouble making ends meet. They did, however, decide to purchase an old piano so Ira Gershwin could study to become a musician. Yet, it turned out not Ira, but his younger brother George showed remarkable talent. Ira applied himself to writing song lyrics and together the Gershwin brothers became absolute greats in the world of 20th century musicals. Nowadays, George's compositions are still relevant, as is evidenced by the many performances of his Rhapsody in Blue from 1924. But the best example is the ageless Summtertime,...

George Gershwin was an American composer, who is mostly known due to his combinations of classical and popular music genres.

George Gershwin grew up in a poor neighbourhood in New York. His parents were Russian immigrants who had trouble making ends meet. They did, however, decide to purchase an old piano so Ira Gershwin could study to become a musician. Yet, it turned out not Ira, but his younger brother George showed remarkable talent. Ira applied himself to writing song lyrics and together the Gershwin brothers became absolute greats in the world of 20th century musicals. Nowadays, George's compositions are still relevant, as is evidenced by the many performances of his Rhapsody in Blue from 1924. But the best example is the ageless Summtertime, which has been covered a countless number of times by a countless number of artists.

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Leonard Bernstein

Leonard Bernstein was one of the most iconic American composers and conductors of the 20th century, and was among the first American musicians who gained worldwide recognition.
He actually made his breakthrough as a conductor by chance, when he suddenly had to stand in for the ailing Bruno Walter for a concert by the New York Philharmonic in 1943. The concert, which was broadcast live on radio, received critical acclaim from the press. Bernstein would soon become a sought-after guest conductor.
From 1958 till 1969, Bernstein was principal conductor of the New York Philharmonic, with which he performed amongst others the complete symphonies of Mahler, which sparked a renewed interest in the music of the Austrian composer in the United States. He was also an advocate of the music of American composers, in particular that of his close friend Aaron Copland. Bernstein recorded nearly all of his orchestral works, and paid much attention to his music in his popular television series Young People’s Concerts, in which he introduced a young audience to classical music.
As a composer, Bernstein is primarily known for his accessible theatre works such as Wonderful Town, Candide and The West Side Story, which still is his most popular work. He also composed three symphonies and several shorter chamber works. In his music he fused elements of Jewish music, theatre music and jazz with those of composers like Copland, Stravinsky and Gershwin.

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