Linda Stout

Linda Stout, a singer-songwriter from Ithaca, N.Y., introduces her jazz-infused songwriting on "Good Luck Child." This debut CD features an intimate, warm vocal sound compared to Dido and Everything But the Girl. She has been called a female Kenny Rankin for how she melds jazz, pop and folk.

The child of a professional jazz bassist, Linda immersed herself in musical theater repertoire growing up in the Appalachian foothills of Wellsville, N.Y.

She studied voice as a teen at Alfred University in western NY, delved into opera and art songs with a light soprano voice, was a music major at SUNY Fredonia and continued music studies while getting a journalism degree from the University of Oklahoma.

She was a staff reporter covering music for a daily newspaper in Lawton, Oklahoma, and later incorporated music into day jobs in mental health and addiction clinics. She has sat in with jazz bands and sang in a USO-style show band.

The twelve songs on "Good Luck Child," all originals by Linda, favorites of hers and her fans', were gleaned from around 300 songs she has written.

She is gaining a reputation as a dynamic solo performer with more jazz chops than most folk players. She has performed her music in duos with singer Dawn Hoff, bassist Dana Paul, blues guitarist Joseph Gaylord and pianist/singer Matt Robbins.

Her lively soulful trio features Charlie Shew (Samite of Uganda, Hank Roberts, Robbie Dupree, Orleans, Mectapus) the same percussionist who did everything from drumset to congas to finger snapping on her CD, and Joseph Prusch on bass. Joseph, a multi-instrumentalist played viola with Linda in an earlier incarneration of her band which included a cellist.

"You sing straight ahead," jazz drummer George Reed told Linda. Her singing has been recognized for its wide range, unaffected style, warm low tones and sweet, sometimes flute-like high notes.

Her guitar playing incorporates fingerpicking with flat-picking, Latin, jazz and rock elements. She has learned guitar along the way from Clint Swank, Tom Prasada-Rao, Artie Traum and numerous others, everywhere she can.

"Good Luck Child" Twelve songs are featured on "Good Luck Child," spiced with guest appearances by acclaimed country noir songwriter Johnny Dowd, a Koch recording artist, on guitar, Ithaca musician Doug Robinson on vocals, Cornell student Matt Robbins on piano and Nashville fiddler and mandolinist Ward Stout. (Ward, who tours with Aaron Tippin, is Linda's cousin; they grew up on the same farm.)

Charlie Shew played drums and bass on all but one track on the CD, and that's a jazz number that features Dana Paul (Cornerstone) on standup bass, Greg Emerson on drums and Jan Nigro on piano.

Using live recording as jazz players often do,"Good Luck Child" captures Linda singing and playing with Charlie Shew on drums and/or congas as basic tracks. For the subtle arrangements of guitars, bass, multi-layered percussion, piano and Linda's vocal harmonies, overdubs were recorded on state of the art and vintage equipment by Al Grunwell of Finger Lakes Recording who started Calf Audio in Ithaca more than 30 years ago.

Linda produced the CD, played multiple guitar parts, included the unique sound of baritone ukulele in one song and sang lead and backing vocals.

The CD is released on Ghost Cat Records, a new independent label named in honor of a close-up sighting of a young mountain lion, or ghost cat, as they are called in the Appalachians.

Other recording projects Linda has done studio singing for songwriters Chris Tate (www.IndigenousCowboy.com) and John Chapman (www.JohnChapmanMusic.com).

She produced, arranged guitar parts, sang and played a song attached to a storybook about a mother and daughter facing Alzheimer's by Christopher Perry of Syracuse (www.CenterPeacePress.com for orders). That project is starting to get national attention, and includes the talents of jazz-rock cellist Hank Roberts (HankRobertsMusic.com). Another project for Christopher Perry is in the works, with plans for Linda to sing, play and produce the song. Show less