New York, NY (Top40 Charts) Carol Duboc and seminal contemporary jazz keyboardist
Jeff Lorber wrote "Wavelength" about being in simpatico and now the pair hopes the second single from the jazz singer-songwriter's newly released "Colored Glasses" album is in perfect attunement with GRAMMY® voters. The danceable pick-me-up shipped to radio stations for airplay is being considered for best instruments and vocal arrangement on the long-form ballot presently in the hands of NARAS's voting body.
For a lasting burst of summer, Duboc selected Venice Beach as the backdrop for the "Wavelength" video (https://bit.ly/1Uqy1Z1), a buoyant tune that hangs ten on a retro
Paul Jackson Jr. guitar lick and frothy horns courtesy of
David Mann. Throngs of beachgoers took part in the shoot, forming a human wave on the beach that ran a couple football fields long.
On her seventh album, "Colored Glasses," Duboc bares her soul in song as part of her post-marriage therapy. She is open and honest with her lyrics about moving onto the next chapter in her life, transparent about her feelings and observations. Despite the emotional heft of the subject matter, the grooves throughout the session are funky, upbeat and "signature Lorber," meaning sturdy R&B beats and crafty and crisp live instrumentation. Notables such as bassists Jimmy Haslip and Brian Bromberg, Vinnie Colaiuta (drums), Lenny Castro (percussion), Michael Thompson (guitar),
Eric Marienthal (saxophone) and jazz flute legend Hubert Laws light the proscenium for Duboc's stories to unfold.
Duboc was joined by Lorber, Haslip, Thompson and drummer Gary Novak at a pair of concerts on the night of the record release (September 18) at Hollywood's famed jazz club The Baked Potato. The packed houses were treated to set lists culled from "Colored Glasses" and the album's predecessor, "Smile," a 2013 Duboc and Lorber collaboration that journaled the initial phases of the dissolution of Duboc's marriage and featured an almost identical lineup of musicians. The concerts were videoed and a live performance clip of "Wavelength" was posted on Duboc's YouTube page (https://bit.ly/1hUveoU) on Tuesday.
The first single from "Colored Glasses" that predated the album release, "Hypnotic," was among Billboard's most added singles last summer. Album reviewers have been consistent in their praise of the disc from Duboc, who has penned tunes for Patti LaBelle, Chante Moore, Tom Jones,
Stephanie Mills, Jade, Fine Young Cannibals, Maurice White and the late
George Duke. Below is a sampling of the record reviews:
"The gal with the impeccable songwriting chops hooks up with some jazz pals with their own impeccable chops for a 'one for me' set that doesn't aim for the top of the charts in a blatantly commercial way but by going through your heart." - Midwest Record Recap
"Duboc has placed her signature on this style of storytelling, and the luminaries she recruits to help tell the story obviously further enhance it. Simply put, here is an audio project that has to be 'read' with the soul in order to feel its gravity." - The Smooth Jazz Ride
"Carol is lyrically gifted, and her uncanny ability to tell stories is a part of her charm." - Pink & Blue Notes
"The contradiction is that the lyrics speak of longing, sadness, despair, but the music is full of joy, life, energy. The union is an ironic, yet pleasing audio experience." - Smooth Jazz Daily
"This is a recording that comes as close as is humanly possible to being a genuine contemporary jazz vocal album. Not only that, with
David Mann providing his trademark horn arrangements that add vibrancy, lushness and depth, it is also an instrumental tour de force." - Smooth Jazz Therapy
"'Colored Glasses' continues the sparkling meeting of the minds… Once again, Duboc with Lorber puts the same pop-savvy magic into her own personal accounts as she did with countless Top 40, platinum-selling artists." - AXS
"Ultimately, you'll find that listening to Carol Duboc's 'Colored Glasses' is the best kind of therapy." - Something Else Reviews
For additional information, please visit www.CarolDuboc.com.
