Brenda Nicole Moorer Brings Together 20 Atlanta Artists for Genre-Bending Jazz Project
MARROW aims to shed light on the original works and talent of Atlanta based jazz artists, while creating a sound that has a unique perspective on jazz. The album will be released on August 7th on Ropeadope Records. The album's first single 'Take A Little Trip' will be released July 10th, and second single 'Find Your Way' on July 24th.
Preview the album and listen to the single here: https://ropeadope.lnk.to/TakeALittleTrip
MARROW is co-written with Brenda Nicole Moorer and American Pianist Association Finalist Kenny Banks Jr. The project is produced by conductor and composer, Troy Miller, who has conducted for the London Symphony Orchestra and Metropole Orchestra. The all Atlanta based band of musicians consists of guitarist Trevor Wolford, bassist Billy Thorton, drummer Che Marshall, along with a host of talented string and horn players. The project was fiscally sponsored by Fractured Atlas.
ABOUT THE PROJECT CREATOR- BRENDA NICOLE MOORER
Known for her distinctive vocal quality and genre-bending jazz, Brenda Nicole Moorer is an American born vocalist, songwriter, composer, and actor. Since making her debut with her 2011 album "Songbird" she has experimented with musical boundaries, exploring everything from jazz to traditional folk, striving for authentic voice and expression in a melting pot of sound. She has been a professional vocalist since the age of 16 and came to wider acclaim after releasing her 2015, jazz influenced EP "For Lovers & Believers," followed by the full length album "Brand New Heart" produced by Brooklyn based artist Jesse Fischer, which featured Chris Turner from Snarky Puppy's Family Dinner. She has shared stages with a variety of jazz musicians including Christian McBride, Booker T Jones, Roy Ayers, and Incognito. She headlined the next generation stage at the Atlanta Jazz Festival, the indie stage at Capital Jazz Festival, High Museum of Art, and Good Day Atlanta. Winner of Creative Loafing's Best Soul & Jazz vocalist award and the National Black Arts Festival NEXT UP award for music, Brenda has been building an audience for her brand of music.
In her latest musical endeavor, a collaborative concept jazz record entitled MARROW, - the Atlanta based artist dreams up a sound fusion of eclectic melodies and piano, with elements of jazz, folk, and chamber. Amidst its languid textures and intricate rhythms, MARROW finds Moorer achieving profound complexity in her lyrics, expounding on the purpose of life, ultimately creating music that inspires the soul. The album is co-written with pianist Kenny Banks Jr and guitarist Trevor Wolford, produced by London based Troy Miller (Gregory Porter, Jacob Collier, Laura Mvula, Jamie Cullum).
Born in Milwaukee, Wisconsin to a musical family, Moorer is the granddaughter of 60's soul group singer Alvis Moorer from "The Esquires." Her parents were both avid music fans, while her father was an aspiring musician who chose to raise his family rather than pursue music; but, passed a deep love and appreciation of music to his daughter. Moving to Atlanta as a preteen, Moorer began formal music training at Dekalb School of the Arts, where she studied voice and acting. At age 16, she began performing professionally with a girl group, and opened for artists like Ludacris and Busta Rhythms. She continued her music training learning directly from Atlanta based jazz musicians like Russell Gunn, Theresa Hightower, Julie Dexter, and Khari Cabral. Through college she worked consistently as an in demand background and session vocalist. Music opened the doors for film work and Moorer has appeared as a vocalist in tv shows "Greenleaf" and "Star" with Queen Latifah, and recently in a supporting role as Brenda Franklin in the official biopic of Aretha Franklin "RESPECT."
She is a graduate of SCAD's Master of Arts Program, an Arts Leader of Metro Atlanta Alum, and a Georgia Center for Nonprofit High Potential Diverse Leaders Alum. She is also the Founder and Artistic Director of Touch x Agree, a nonprofit music organization dedicated to creating space for emerging musicians. As a millennial and artist, her songwriting crafts lyrics with a quiet ache and intriguing pull. Her work has garnered attention from tastemaker Gilles Peterson, NPR, DJ Jamal Ahmad, Ebony Magazine, AfroElle, and Afropunk.
ABOUT THE CO-WRITER - KENNY BANKS JR
Raised by two parents who were also musicians, Kenny Banks Jr. started to play the piano at age seven and has been passionately evolving his craft since. The Columbus, Ohio native moved to Atlanta in 2009 to pursue his musical career full time and joined the Theo Croker Quintet in China that same year, playing at the Peace Hotel, Jay-Z Club, The Cotton Club, and for government officials of Shanghai and Hong Kong. Kenny has worked alongside many Grammy-nominated artists including Jennifer Holliday, Dionne Farris, India Arie, Carmen Bradford, Russell Gunn, Jazzmeia Horn, Les Nubians, and Phife Dawg of A Tribe Called Quest. Lizz Wright, Kathleen Bertrand, Joe Gransden, and UK's Julie Dexter also add to the list of great talents Banks has performed alongside. He has been featured in multiple film and television productions including "Bessie" alongside Queen Latifah, "Jacob's Ladder" with Michael Ealy, "Star," "Married to Medicine," and a Gil Evans documentary for executive producer Terence Blanchard. Kenny's 2018 debut album, "My Sentiments," was written in a traditional style with a modern twist that embraces his culture and upbringing. Kenny's compositions reflect his point of view on Black History and feature trio, poetry and choir performances.
ABOUT THE PRODUCER - Troy Miller
The multi-faceted, platinum selling producer, songwriter, composer, conductor and musician, Troy Miller studied at the Guildhall School of music where he is now a visiting professor. Troy has worked with orchestras including the Philharmonia Orchestra and BBC Concert Orchestra and this year returned to conduct the London Symphony Orchestra at the prestigious Barbican Theatre in a concert of his own arrangements of Laura Mvula's studio albums for Symphony Orchestra. Other upcoming conductor / arranger highlights include Szczecin Philharmonic and Netherlands Radio Philharmonic Orchestra.
Troy takes full advantage of his experience as one of the top drummers in the world having toured with the likes of Amy Winehouse, Chaka Khan, Donner Summer, Mark Ronson, Roy Ayers, Laura Mvula and Gregory Porter (the last three of whom he has also produced). Laura Mvula's album 'The Dreaming Room' was nominated for a Mercury Prize in 2016 and went on to win Album of The Year at The Ivor Novello Awards in 2017, produced and co-written by Troy. Troy also contributed his producer talents to Gregory Porter's Album 'Liquid Spirit' which went on to win a Grammy Award for best Jazz vocals in 2016. Later in 2016, he also produced Rebecca Ferguson's 4th album, 'Super Woman', released on RCA Records and which charted at No.7 in the Official UK top 100 albums chart. Other artists Troy has worked and recorded with recently include: Adele, Lulu, John Newman, Cee Lo Green, Rag n Bone Man, JP Cooper, Izzy Bizu, Andreya Triana and Matt Terry.
Troy has just finished producing an album with USA artist Becca Stevens in Brooklyn NYC and has also just finished producing Jamie Cullum's next album release on Island Records.
Link to Article: https://www.broadwayworld.com/atlanta/article/Brenda-Nicole-Moorer-Brings-Together-20-Atlanta-Artists-for-Genre-Bending-Jazz-Project-20200710
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