Eugenie Jones - Eugenie

(Open Mic Music, 2024)

Sennia Kyle

Vocalist Eugenie Jones has been releasing exceptional jazz-oriented recordings for the last decade, including, Black Lace Blue Tears (Open Mic Records, 2013), Come Out Swinging (Open Mic Records, 2015), Players (Open Mic Records, 2022), and The Originals (Open Mic Records, 2023). She has shown herself unafraid of any genre or style of music, singing all at a high level. Jones’ simply entitled, Eugenie, reflects an artist capable of working seamlessly between “with strings” (“Starlight Starbright”) and soul jazz (“Work Song”). On the former, the singer summons a classic ‘50s style ballad featuring violinist Yoojin Park and cellist Jessica Wang, both who appear later on the Jones original “Nothing Better” and “Natural Woman.” On the latter, Jones turns in an impressive slow-burn performance, soulful and sensual, as she takes the hard edge off of the Nat Adderley composition.

Jones recasts standards in her own funky forward self image. The singer gives Peggy Lee’s “I Love Being Here With You” a bluesy-gospel infusion suitable to dance to. The original “Hold Back The Night” is based on based on Philippians 4:8 (“Finally, brothers and sisters, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things.” (NIV)). This song is a celebration of all that is good and Jones treats the song gently. Jones slows down Marvin Gaye’s “Trouble Man” with Brandon McCune’s Fender Rhodes giving the reimagined classic a Steely Dan feel.

With no shortage of fortitude, Jones addresses Carole King’s “Natural Woman” as a nod to both Aretha Franklin and the composer. The singer doubles her voice, introducing an interesting duet with herself. If it is possible for this song to be fore soulful than the original, then it is so. This is exceptional. The disc closes with a New York City tryptic comprised by Nina Simone’s “Sinnerman” (recalling Peter Tosh’s version entitled “Downpresser Man”), Earle Hagen's “Harlem Nocturne,” where Jones takes the mood well past crepuscular deep into the indigo, and Ellington’s “It Don’t Mean A Thing” which the singer takes at a fast NYC clip.

Eugenie is a bicoastal project with Jones and sixteen musicians recording in two cities: New York and Seattle. The New York recordings featured Lonnie Plaxico on bass (who also produced the project); pianists Brandon McCune and Mamiko Watanabe; Russell Carter on drums; Rico Jones on saxophone; trumpeter Gil Defay; Jessica Wang on cello; violinist Yoojin Park and percussionist Kahlil Bell. The Seattle date included pianists Darrius Willrich and Peter Adams; saxophonist Alex Dugdale; guitarist Michael Powers; bassists Elliot Kuykendall and Chris Symer; drummer Ronnie Bishop and Ernesto Pediangco on percussion.

Eugenie Jones is building up to something special with the fine recordings she has released so far. What great fun it will be when she gets there.