BOSSA BLUE: THE JAMES TAYLOR SONGBOOK Debuts At The Green Room 42

THE GREEN ROOM 42 will present "Bossa Blue: The James Taylor Songbook" featuring Brad Cole and Kate Ferber on Thursday, November 14 at 9:30 PM. Created by award-winning singer, songwriter and bandleader Brad Cole, "Bossa Blue" re-imagines and re-energizes the songs of James Taylor by combining Latin rhythms, jazz, dub reggae, rock and soulful blues along with intriguing vocal interplay to create their unique and intoxicating grooves. The evening is a nostalgic and groovy journey with songs such as "Gone To Carolina," "Walking Man," "Mexico," "Sweet Baby James," and "Country Road." The show features vocalist Kate Ferber (Ghost Brothers of Darkland County by Stephen King, songs by John Mellencamp; original solo concert One Child Born: The Music of Laura Nyro).

"Bossa Blue" has created a buzz with their multi-genre mash-ups of contemporary and classic rock tunes that run the gambit from Radiohead to The Beatles, from The Killers to Joni Mitchell. Brad Cole has performed at Lincoln Center, Highland Park's Ravinia as well as renowned clubs in Nashville, Chicago and Los Angeles. For "Bossa Blue," the band delivers a unique dark and smokey retro lounge vibe combining elements of Cool Jazz, Bossa Nova, Soul & Blues over re-envisioned Standards, contemporary and classic rock tunes and in the groove originals.

"The James Taylor Songbook," says Cole, " is a treasure chest of gems and I'd put his songwriting in the same class as Cole Porter and Johnny Mercer, not to mention the 'A list' of his contemporaries. I decided to perform this songbook for a few reasons, primarily because these songs are so rich in melody and structure and, because there are so many classics. I discovered 'Sweet Baby James' in my sister's record collection. This music was gentle and I never second-guessed its honesty. From that day I have always felt a kinship to that young cowboy who lives on the range. The fun and/or challenge here is to update each composition and performance in a compelling way with this extraordinary group of musicians. Each tune has found its own blend of Bossa Nova, Samba, Jazz, Rock and Soulful Blues, all rich with vocal interplay and groove. Personally, the James Taylor set feels like an important body of work but, just as importantly, it is a lot of fun to perform."

BRAD COLE uses his passionate and distinctive delivery of roots-based folk music, woven with the grit and groove of old school bossa and rhythm & blues moves the listener's soul in a direction that is unexpected, yet perfectly familiar. Brad's fourth full-length record, Lay It Down, was described by Glide Magaizine as "one of the most beautiful albums you will hear this year." Brad has shared the stage with a range of immensely talented artists such as Chris Stapleton, Shovels and Rope, Ingrid Michaelson, Dave Davies, Ari Hest, Dan Navarro, Ellis Paul and Will Kimbrough. Cole has been a fixture on the Chicago music scene for years, performing along side artists that make up the fabric of the city's musical legacy such as Junior Wells, Otis Rush, Uncle Tupelo and The Smashing Pumpkins. Brad led several Chicago based bands including Treatment, The Second Story and toured with NYC-based The Subscribers. Along with singer-songwriter Jeff Libman, he is co-founder of the acoustic/soul collective known as Check With Lucy.

Kate Ferber was featured in Off-Broadway's Sleep No More, and starred in Ghost Brothers of Darkland County, written by John Mellencamp and Stephen King, with musical direction by T Bone Burnett, both on tour nationally and at the Alliance Theater. She has toured the northeast with her one-woman original show One Child Born: The Music of Laura Nyro, co-written with Louis Greenstein, which was received acclaimed most recently at ART's Oberon theater. Past credits include The Daughters by Shaina Taub (CAP21), Deep Cover (NYMF), Our Aneid with music by Duncan Sheik (Dixon Place), "You Made This" tour featuring the music of Brian Lowdermilk and Kait Kerrigan, Sometimes in Prague (The Tank), as well as countless composer showcases at New York venues Joe's Pub, The Laurie Beechman Theater, and Ars Nova. Her recent solo album is The Great Thaw.

"Bossa Blue: The James Taylor Songbook" will be performed Thursday, November 14 at 9:30 PM at The Green Room 42 (570 Tenth Avenue at 42nd Street, on the 4th Floor of Yotel). The cover charge ranges from $15 to $40. There is no food and drink minimum. For tickets, please visit www.TheGreenRoom42.com.

To post a comment, you must register and login.