New album and new touring shows


It's a new year and time to look forward to new shows, new music and new opportunities! I am excited about a few nascent projects coming around the bend...in particular, my next album, "Sweet Youth," will be released this spring. The project features the one and only John Chiodini playing several types of guitars, reflecting the varied nature of repertoire I selected to record. The project includes thirteen songs (eight originals) and a few different genres... John and I incorporated Latin, jazz, folk, blues and a bit of pop nuance throughout the course of this album. Jazz lovers will be right at home, as improvisation weaves itself throughout the project while the five non-original songs display my persuasion to arrange challenging, less well-known "standards" to suit my preferences, abilities and ensemble. John and I will enjoy performing material from "Sweet Youth" as a vocal/guitar duo on tour throughout the coming year.

I am particularly impressed by the way John adapts his sound and style so readily, suiting the character and feel of each composition with an honesty and sense of discovery that keep him always on the edge of fresh ideas. This willingness to explore and surprise as he records and performs helps me to remain inspired and courageous about venturing forth into uncharted territory. Some of the compositions "found themselves" in the studio--effectively defining their styles, genres and even personalities before our very eyes and ears. This, for me, is exciting music-making: determining to allow a sense of discovery and improvisation to guide the outcome of the recording (or live performance).

Another exciting venture I have undertaken consists of writing and producing a new themed show: Going My Way: A Tribute to Jimmy Van Heusen. I have long admired Van Heusen, not only because we share a hometown, but also for his numerous imaginative hit songs as well as his brilliance for writing material targeted for a particular artist. His songs composed for Bing Crosby and for Frank Sinatra reveal unparalleled understanding and masterful sensitivity toward the idiosyncratic qualities and strengths of these great singers. This show debuts in cooperation with the Central New York Jazz Arts Foundation on May 22, 2011, and will continue to be available nationwide at jazz festivals, performing arts centers, cabaret series, and university or college concert series. Please see www.tishoney.com for information about this and other touring concerts.

Finally, we are unveiling a new big band show, available on tour for 2011-12 and beyond: Tish Oney's Big Band Excursion, featuring big band arrangements of great standards (and my originals) by some of the greatest jazz arrangers on the international scene today. For this show I will not be traveling with a band, but flying solo, meeting up with bands all over the country and collaborating with them as their featured soloist...I am very excited about this venture--what an opportunity to perform great music with musicians all over the world who share my love for this genre! For more information or to book this show, please contact us at contact@tishoney.com. Thank you for reading and we hope to see you soon on the road!

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