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Imani Records proudly announces the October 6th, 2023 release of Two Moons, a bold encounter that joins acclaimed singer Michelle Lordi with pianist (and Imani owner) Orrin Evans, bassist Eric Revis, and drummer Nasheet Waits, partners on three albums as the collective trio Tar Baby, who contribute their customary attitude of what Lordi calls “reckless abandon” while also functioning as a nonpareil signifying rhythm section. The brilliant young alto saxophonist Caleb Curtis and adept bassist Matthew Parrish contribute poignantly to several tunes.
The acoustic ambiance of Two Moons, Lordi’s fourth leader album, diverges from its well-reviewed, plugged-in predecessor, the 2019 album Break Up With The Sound, described by Jazz Times as “a mesmerizing alt-country jazz dreamscape” whose personnel included masters like tenor saxophonist Donny McCaslin and drummer Rudy Royston. In both settings, she fulfills Downbeat’s assessment of the earlier date: “A warm and generous instrument, Lordi’s voice sounds at home in all of these settings, acutely expressive, unaffected, and fully engaged with her accompanists, who get plenty of space to work in.”
On Two Moons, Lordi admixtures three original songs and a text with five choice, less traveled covers culled from various corners of the Songbook and Americana canons. As on Drive(2015), which Evans also produced and played on, she selected the repertoire from songs she was performing and composing in the Covid months leading up to March 2021. “Everything still felt apocalyptic and dire, with tiny moments of light here and there,” Lordi says. “Nothing seemed sure at that time- in my music or my personal life. The first track, "Both" is a recounting of an ominous dream that I had just before the recording began. As the album unfolds, there are reflections of this dream and its paradox of good coming from bad and vice versa. This mirrored my unsettled internal and external atmosphere at the time the album was recorded" .
Both agree that the album stemmed from a “crime of opportunity.” “Nasheet and Eric were at my house one day during the pandemic,” Evans recalls. “Michelle said, ‘I’d love to do a record with them.’ I said, ‘Are you sure?’ ‘Yes.’ I said, ‘However you want your song to sound, let go of that. We will play your music. But let us come to this situation with our vibe, which may be different than any other trio that’s going to back you.”
“We rehearsed and then basically decided to let it go and let what happened happen,” Lordi says, "Orrin and I have a ten year friendship based on our shared love for music and bringing people together. Another important aspect of our relationship has been urging each other to move forward- personally and professionally. Orrin encourages me to step out boldly musically and challenges my tendency to overthink- this album is a good example of his ability to push me".
Lordi “lived many lives,” working as a photographer, drug sales rep, product designer, before devoting her energies to music. " I've always been an artist, first a visual artist and then a vocalist. "I'm drawn to jazz because it gives me the widest palette to create with." Lordi's visceral artwork enhances the CD packaging for her last two projects and has been incorporated into her performances, including NPR Music Live Sessions.
“Michelle lives in the land of misfit toys,” Evans says fondly. “She wants to give you beautiful lyrics in a jazz format. We came away with something really interesting.”
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