Jazz Articles

Carmen Lundy: Soul To Soul

by James Nadal
November 26, 2014

There are records created through years of preparation and production that take a lifetime to achieve. Soul to Soul by vocalist Carmen Lundy, indeed falls in that category, yet defies categorization. Lundy is setting her own course, while other singers seek safe refuge in tepid covers of popular standards. She offers original material delivered with authenticity that can only come from a seasoned jazz veteran. Studying the roster of musicians on this record, there is no surprise that ...

Carmen Lundy: Changes

by James Nadal
April 18, 2012

Contemporary jazz vocalists, caught in the current trend to accelerate their careers, are often indistinguishable from the pack, the essence of their music lost in haste. With her release of Changes , veteran singer Carmen Lundy proves that this premise does not apply to her, rising to that proverbial summit to enjoy the rarefied air of the chosen few.Graced and gifted with a smooth, effortless voice, Lundy has been highly heralded since her landmark 2005 record, Live at ...

Carmen Lundy: Jazz And The New Songbook

by Ernest Barteldes
April 13, 2006

Unlike many singers, Carmen Lundy does not recycle standards on her latest album, which was captured live at the Madrid Theater in Los Angeles. Instead, the program of new material she wrote (or co-wrote) makes for an unexpected listening experience. Backed by an eighteen-piece ensemble, Lundy showcases her songs, many of which she premiered here. One immediately arresting track is “Afrasia!, the lyrics of which basically say the word “God in several languages (Hebrew, Hindi, Spanish, Portuguese, ...

Carmen Lundy: Jazz and the New Songbook

by Jim Santella
February 20, 2006

With this live two-disc set recorded in the Los Angeles area, Carmen Lundy sings original songs that she's created in order to communicate exactly what she feels about the state of jazz in this new century. She's also a painter who uses oils on canvas, and her works were exhibited in a month-long exhibit at the same venue.

Expression comes in many forms. Lundy's silky alto voice and crystal clear articulation allow her to send each message fluently. ...

Carmen Lundy: Jazz and the New Songbook

by Michael P. Gladstone
February 13, 2006

It was probably close to twenty years ago that I saw Carmen Lundy perform in a small group setting to a non-jazz audience; she sang her own lyrical compositions. My thoughts were that it wouldn't be long before she would become a public persona. Although Carmen Lundy has recorded for several labels since, and each of these efforts is on the same artistic plane, it would appear that she has broken no real ground.

The release of Jazz ...