Music Review: Grammy Nominee Nicole Zuraitis Releases Series Of Singles From Upcoming Album HOW LOVE BEGINS

Heigh Ho, dear lovely rainbow tribe, welcome back to Bobby’s CD sandbox where we offer our broken-down breakdowns of new music releases. So, strap in and get ready, as Bobby goes on the record ABOUT the record.

This week’s album entry in the BobbyFiles comes from FAB jazz chanteuse Nicole Zuraitis, who has released some singles from her upcoming album, three GOR-GEE-OUS self-penned tunes playing out all the give and take, from heartfelt to heartbreak, and the passion of love, with each tune representing one of these states of relationship, each. Starting with the song THE GARDEN, Nicole’s music is haunting, and longing fills this cut as she walks through her garden of love. Her lyrics of innocence, roses, and seasons all happening, mixing, if you will, in that garden, as she walks through. The build in the song gives a portrait of the beauty surrounding her that is life, with all its roses and thorns. 

THE GARDEN - Music Video

THE GARDEN
music and lyrics by Nicole Zuraitis 

with

Christian McBride, bass

Gilad Hekselman, guitar

Maya Kronfeld, rhodes

Dan Pugach, drums

Nicole Zuraitis, voice/piano

The second single, LIKE DEW, is the flip side of THE GARDEN, as a woman (Nicole) dresses and puts on her make-up (Lipstick like Dew) in preparation to meet "that someone". Here, her gentle jazz piano lifts up her voice before the addition of equally soft guitar and drums. She waits alone and is, ultimately, left unattended by whoever she was waiting for. The heartbreak of rejection is felt throughout this piece, and the natural tear in the lady’s voice makes the disappointment palpable.

LIKE DEW - Music Video

LIKE DEW
music and lyrics by Nicole Zuraitis 

Featuring
Nicole Zuraitis, voice/piano

Christian McBride, bass

Gilad Hekselman, guitar

Dan Pugach, drums 

Filmed and edited by Nicole Zuraitis
 

Finally, there is BURN, an upbeat contemporary jazz modernization of bee-bop that kicks off with an impossibly fast patter of complicated lyrics and a fab bass line from Christian McBride under Nicole's voice, at the top, that passes to David Cook on piano. The swift guitar solo by Gilad  Hekselman is super hot and pure jazz, leading back to Christian McBride KILLING IT on his Bass lick. All of them show fast-tempo instrumental virtuosity, in improvisations based on a combination of harmonic structure and occasional references to the lady’s melody. The nerves of passion and burning for someone are all with Nicole's voice, the instruments adding all the right amounts of tension.

BURN - Music Video

BURN
music and lyrics by Nicole Zuraitis 

Featuring

Christian McBride on bass

Gilad Hekselman on guitar

Billy Kilson on drums

David Cook on piano 

Nicole Zuraitis on vocals/composition 

In all, my dear Bobby readers, Nicole Zuraitis' collection of singles is a lush and lovely mini-collection for true lovers of jazz but remember: this is a PREVIEW of good things to come because the entire Nicole Zuraitis album HOW LOVE BEGINS will drop on July 7th!  You may count on Bobby being there to write about the whole collection of songs, as soon as they are brought into the light. 

This preview of HOW LOVE BEGINS gets 4 Out Of 5 Rainbows - Put this one in your collection/stream today.

You Can Hear Nicole Zuraitis in many recordings on Spotify HERE.

FINAL CREDITS & THINGS

Mixed by Todd Whitelock

Edited by Rich Lamb 

Mastered by Mike Piacentini

Recorded live in studio at Sound on Sound, Montclair NJ

For more information, sheet music, and lyrics visit www.nicolezmusic.com Or  www.bio.site/nicolezmusic

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