Written by: Zoe Loos
Macy Gray’s distinct raspy voice has always sounded like it belongs a nightclub in 1953, elegantly mingling with clouds of cigarette smoke and the click of glasses.
For years, the Ohio-born singer has brought her Billie Holiday-inspired jazzy, bluesy melodies to modern audiences and her Grammy-winning “I Try” remains her signature number.
Gray only took two days to record her new album Stripped, which is out September 9th.
Recorded using the binaural sound technique, which uses two microphones to create a three-dimensional audio experience, Stripped marks Gray’s first foray into audiophile music.
Out on Chesky Records, Stripped features not only Gray’s unique sound but also a talented jazz ensemble. Gray’s voice has room to become liberated and take center stage. She’s accompanied by a rhythm section that includes bassist Daryl Johns, guitarist Russell Malone (Diana Krall), trumpeter Wallace Roney (Dizzy Gillespie, Miles Davis), and drummer Ari Hoenig (Joshua Redman).
Gray is returning to the smoky jazz club with cutting-edge melodies, exciting new covers, and outstanding re-imagined classic hits. Although she’s known as a multi-platinum pop-artist, she has always believed she was a jazz singer at heart.
Stripped Track List:
01) Annabelle
02) Sweet Baby
03) I Try
04) Slowly
05) She Ain’t Right For You
06) First Time
07) Nothing Else Matters
08) Redemption Song
09) The Heart
10) Lucy
