I wanted to mention Alyssa Graham right away, because she's playing on KTST today - plus her latest album, Echo was just released July 29th
It's hard to listen to Graham and not think about her beautiful voice, as it seems the light and easy jazz music is there to play around her voice. Her biography lists her as from "north eastern", but sometime, and maybe it's just the way she's pronouncing certain words, it sounds like her voice is from the south.
She's always loved music, but by 2005, she was committed to it by releasing her debut album, What Love Is. The album went on to will "Best New Recordings of 2005" and other awards.
On her latest album, Echo, there are original songs by her guitarist Douglas Graham and pianist Jon Cowherd, but like most Jazz albums, there are a few cover songs.
I only glance at it, but I do recall seeing Paul Simon's "America" and Sting's "I Burn for You". The best cover here is a Spanish duet song called "Izaura". The liner notes doesn't list who sings on here with Graham, so I'm assuming it's probably Cowherd, as he had a hand in all the arrangement on this album.
Of the original songs, I liked "Echo", which is what the album was named after. They seem to really love this song, and what I love about it is the piano intro with, what sounds like, cello. Graham's voice is on full display here, painting us a love-lost picture. You can currently hear this song on her myspace.
I also really dig the poppier sounding of "Arkansas", co-written by Bryan McCann and Jon Cowherd. Some great piano and harmonica-playing here, with, again, Graham's saucy voice.
Echo was just released on Sunny Side Records, be sure to see her live at some odd locations - such as the Philadelphia Museum of Art in Pennsylvania. Keep up with her latest news on site.w♥m. Also be sure to check out more songs on her ecard.