Album release – Songs of Friends – Josh Kyle and Sam Keevers

Josh Kyle & Sam Keevers Songs Of Friends
Release date: 14 November 2014

From the media release

SongsOfFriends-coverA beautifully intimate collaboration featuring works by some of Australia’s best jazz musicians.  Josh Kyle and Sam Keevers present  Songs of Friends

“Josh Kyle’s unfailingly beautiful tone, crystal clear articulation and super fine phrasing announces a singer with a real jazz sensibility” Jazzwise UK

“The 28 year-old singer has a high alto range capable of sustained notes, exacting control, and expressive depth, Kyle sensitively accompanied by pianist Sam Keevers”, – The Australian 2013

Following up from his first release Possibilities Kyle has looked to mentors, colleagues and friends for inspiration.  Exploring the Australian musical landscape having been in the UK for a number of years opened his eyes and ears to new music, ideas and sounds.

This is a beautifully intimate project, featuring Kyle’s vocals set against the gifted piano playing of Sam Keevers, one who truly understands the relationship between the voice and piano.

Songs of Friends allowed Kyle to re-imagine works by some of Australia’s leading jazz instrumentalists with the addition of new original lyrics, weaving vocals into an otherwise instrumental context.  The project features music by Sydney based saxophonist Sean Coffin, a long time mentor and tutor, Daniel Gassin, originally from Melbourne now Paris based, played piano in Kyle’s band before relocating.  Sam Keevers is a new collaborator but a long time source of inspiration.  Kyle grew up listening to Vince Jones records that featured Keevers on piano, 10 or so years later a dream was realized working together on this album.  A track by vocalist Kristin Berardi is also featured.  This is the only track on the record that has not been changed in any way.  Berardi has been a huge source of inspiration and support to Kyle over the years and one of her works had to be included.

In many ways this came about by Kyle wanting to thank the musicians for their generosity over the years, finding a way to show them that the music they were creating was appreciated and celebrated, and the only way for him to do that was to sing it back to them.

The idea of working with friends extends far beyond just the material.  Hugh Stuckey – guitarist and composer – was involved from the recording to finally mixing the record and the artwork was by super talented designer Lana Daubermann.

This is a project that will continue to grow and develop as Kyle continues to explore and collaborate with more musical friends.

Launch details

Friday 14 Nov     Sydney’s Improvised Music Association Corner of City Rd and     Cleveland St
, Chippendale, NSW,
 2008
Phone: (02) 9351 7940
www.sima.org.au

Sunday 16 Nov     Bennetts Lane Jazz Club 25 Bennett’s Lane
Melbourne,      Victoria
, Australia, 3000
Phone: (03) 9663 2856
www.bennettslane.com

Track listing

1. Simple Pleasures (S. Keevers/J. Kyle)
2. All The Reasons (S. Coffin/J.Kyle)
3. Cutez (S. Coffin/J.Kyle)
4. Breathe (S. Coffin/J.Kyle)
5. Ballad Of The Cranes (S. Keevers/J. Kyle)
6. Crossover (D.Gassin/J.Kyle)
7. One Moment. Please (K. Berardi)

Personnel

Josh Kyle (voice)
Sam Keevers (piano)

Credits

Recorded at Allan Eaton Studio, June 2014.
Mixed by Hugh Stuckey
Mastered by Joe Carra at Crystal Mastering
Artwork by Lana Daubermann

JoshKyle-SamKeevers-SingersLounge-AngelyneWolfe
Josh Kyle & Sam Keevers | image by Angelyne Wolfe

About Josh Kyle

Relocating to the UK in 2009 Josh was quickly identified as one to watch. “Standing out in a town full of singers” is how Jazzwise magazine, London’s premier jazz publication described him. Gaining support from UK heavy weight Claire Martin, OBE, BBC Radio 3 presenter and jazz vocalist, Josh was quickly working with the best in town. A chance meeting with Bassist/Producer Geoff Gascoyne (Jamie Cullum) saw the beginning of a musical partnership that would see Josh release his Debut album “Possibilities” as a part of the London International Jazz Festival in 2011. Having played Ronnie Scotts, Pizza Express Jazz Club, 606 and The Spice of Life, Josh was able to create quite the buzz and build his career on an International level.  Josh returned to Australia in 2012 to release the album “Possibilities” touring nationally, playing Venue 505(Sydney), The Ellington (Perth) The Paris Cat (Melbourne) Darling Harbour Jazz Festival (Sydney) and The Stonnington Jazz Festival (Melbourne) The album received rave reviews from the UK press and was album of the week on Jazz FM UK and now ABC Jazz radio, the album was also spun by Jamie Cullum himself on BBC Radio 2.  Josh was the only male finalist in the 2012 National Jazz Awards featuring Voice at The Wangaratta Jazz Festival.   In 2013 Josh presented “Songs of Friends” at both the Stonnington and Wangaratta Jazz Festivals, and at The Perth International Jazz Festival in 2014.

About Sam Keevers

Sam Keevers was born in Mount Isa Queensland and began playing piano and cello at age nine. After finishing high school, Sam studied piano at the QLD Conservatorium of music and the Victorian College of the Arts (with Mickey Tucker). Since then he has performed and recorded with many Australian Artists including:- Scott Tinkler, Ian Chaplin, Mark Simmonds, Simon Barker, Brett Hirst, Adam Armstrong, Hamish Stuart, Jonathan Zwartz, Bernie McGann, Phil Slater, James Muller, Jamie Oehlers, Kate Ceberano, The Black Sorrows, Stephen Magnusson, Alison Wedding, Paul Williamson’s Hammond Combo, The Bamboos, Gary Pinto, Guy Sebastian, Daniel Merriweather, Katie Noonan, Renee Geyer, Ali McGregor and many others.  Sam has also performed with international artists such as Chris Potter, Bobby Previte’s Bitches Brew Project, Joe Bataan, Ricky Lee Jones, Sinead O’connor, John Cale, Meshell Ndegeocello, Mavis Staples and Joss Stone.
Sam was a member of the Vince Jones band from 1996 to 1999, recording the album “Vince Jones Live” at the Basement, Sydney Australia in 1999.  In 1996 he formed the 14-piece Latin Jazz group “Los Cabrones” which continues to perform around Melbourne and has performed at international festivals in China and New Caledonia.

In 2004 Sam toured Europe with the Jamie Oehlers Quartet performing at the Montreux Jazz Festival, Edinburgh Jazz Festival, Galway Arts Festival, a tour of Ireland and a residency at Ronnie Scott’s Jazz Club in London.
Sam was a finalist for the Freedman Jazz Fellowship in 2005 and was nominated for an ARIA award for the album “Grace”, a duo recording with Jamie Oehlers.  Sam toured Australia with the Jamie Oehlers Quartet throughout March/April 2008 and toured Japan with Jamie Oehlers and Alison wedding in July 2008.  In August 2008 Sam recorded “Blackbird” (an album of his arrangements of Lennon and Mcartney songs) in New York City with Katie Noonan, Joe Lovano, Ron Carter, John Scofield and Lewis Nash. This recording won the ARIA for Jazz Album of the Year in 2009.

One Reply to “Album release – Songs of Friends – Josh Kyle and Sam Keevers”

  1. Hi
    I’m a music retailer in Cowra, NSW. I have a customer who is after the Kyle/Keevers “Songs of Friends”
    Are you able to advise where I can get a copy for the customer.

    Kind Rgds
    Brian
    B-88, Cowra

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