Indianapolis, IND. (Top40 Charts/ Owl Studios) - Midwesterner Cynthia Layne has loved live music since the moment she attended her first concert at the tender age of seven. Since then, live music has become a regular part of her life with both the general public and media impressed by her performances. Her upcoming album, an R&B and jazz-flavored collection titled 'Beautiful Soul,' showcases her vocal styling and will be released to a national audience by artist-friendly Indianapolis-based indie label Owl Studios on
September 25th, 2007.
A special CD listening party will be held in Indianapolis on Tuesday, October 2nd, 2007 at The Conrad Indianapolis. The event will allow fans and guests to listen to Cynthia's new album, meet her in-person and enjoy a beautiful setting presented by The Conrad. In addition, The Jazz Kitchen in Indianapolis will host a CD Release party for Cynthia Layne on Friday, October 5th, 2007 with two shows scheduled (8:30 p.m. & 10:30 p.m.).
Beautiful Soul was co-produced and co-composed by Rob Dixon, who has worked with Layne over the years. The Baltimore-born Dixon is also a respected musician who has toured all over the world.
"I've known and played with Cynthia for years even when I lived in New York," said Dixon, who would sometimes come back to Indiana just to work with Layne. "It is really easy to write songs for her and with her. I also really appreciate that she trusts me musically."
Layne (who hails from Dayton, Ohio) and Dixon, who plays saxophone, also regularly perform together. The rest of her band is comprised of Beautiful Soul co-producer/co-composer Reggie Bishop on piano, keyboards/keyboard bass along with Kenny Phelps on drums.
The new album is more R&B-influenced than her previous release Reality which was jazz. Songs of note on Beautiful Soul include "Be You," "Kings & Queens," "Letting You Go" and "I Can't Change You." The songs "Funny," "Pimp Talk" and "Free Yourself" were co-written by Layne.
I listen to a lot of music styles and grew up on R&B music," said Cynthia. "I wanted to do an R&B album to reach more audiences and listeners. I think there is a little something for everyone on the album. For example, "All I Need" has a more singer/songwriter vibe; "I Can't Change You" is more jazz; "Be You" is more neo-soulish and "Free Yourself" is plain old school funk."
"Owl Studios is very pleased with Beautiful Soul as their latest release," according to a label representative. "The album's multi-genre format allows Cynthia to reach a wide audience through R&B, jazz, funk, and soul. The label feels this is a great addition to its catalogue and looks forward to introducing the world to the 'Beautiful Soul' of Cynthia Layne."
Owl Studios may be relatively new on the scene (the company started in 2006), but the quality of artists they work with has always been a priority. In the short time since its inception, Owl Studios has become a well-respected, artist-friendly, independent record label in the genres of jazz, R&B/soul, and jam band. Rob Dixon, Buselli-Wallarab Jazz Orchestra, Derrick Gardner and Steve Allee are on the label's diverse roster. The label has made a point of including established artists that have made names for themselves performing with or arranging for Maria Schneider, Harry Connick, Jr., Stan Kenton, Wes Montgomery, JJ Johnson, Slide Hampton, Ray Charles, Pat Martino, Wynton Marsalis and The Lincoln Center Jazz Orchestra, The Smithsonian Jazz Masterworks Orchestra and the Count Basie Big Band. In addition to their reputations as performers and arrangers, many of their artists are also educators at top music institutions and jazz award winners, including a Grammy nomination, jazz historian/arranger/conductor for the Smithsonian Institute; winner of the 1996 American Pianists Association Jazz Competition; winner of the 1996 National Endowment for the Arts Jazz Performer Award and music director for the award-winning, nationally-syndicated Bob & Tom morning radio program.
Beautiful Soul will be available on September 25, 2007. For more information on Cynthia Layne, please go to www.owlstudios.com.
