CELEBRATED JAZZ VOCALIST & COMPOSER JACQUI NAYLOR’S 11TH AND LONG-AWAITED ALBUM THE LONG GAME
Released on Ruby Star Records
Acclaimed jazz vocalist and songwriter JACQUI NAYLOR’s 11th album, THE LONG GAME, is filled with both original and timeless love songs. The recording highlights the singer’s magnificent songwriting and deeply rich and soulful voice on thoughtfully arranged songs, all selected by Naylor’s fans via ballots distributed at her performances, a process she used for her prior four albums.
The title of the album was born from one of Naylor’s philosophies of life: “Keep going, stay hopeful and enjoy your life. If you continue to make positive efforts, happiness is sure to emerge. We have to play life for the long game, never give up, and win in life and in love.” This sentiment rings especially true today as the country deals with the global pandemic.
Naylor is best known for her ability to interpret a diverse repertoire, bringing together music from different genres and generations. THE LONG GAME features ethereal jazz arrangements of rock classics from David Bowie (“Space Oddity”), Peter Gabriel ("Don't Give Up") and Coldplay ("Fix You") that pair well with Latin treatments of standards from Kurt Weill (“Speak Low”) and Charlie Chaplin (“Smile”). Interwoven throughout are the singer’s own compositions, co-written with long-time pianist, guitarist, and arranger (and Naylor’s husband), ART KHU. “Her songs are Joni Mitchell good,” writes JazzTimes.
“Love Look What You’ve Done” is an original, personal, and hopeful song about finally finding love after a long journey. Naylor officiated at her sister’s wedding in November and sang this song to the couple from afar during a recent Livestreamed concert. Naylor wrote “All My Life” for her partner, Art Khu. The song celebrates the difficulties of maintaining relationships and how important it is to truly appreciate one another. “When my days are over, I’ll be happy that I spent all my life with you.” She placed this song at the end of the album to serve as the celebration of a great journey.
Naylor gained attention with an arranging technique she coined “acoustic smashing,” where she sings the lyrics and melody of a jazz standard over the groove of a well-known rock anthem or vice versa. “Acoustic Smashing marks a turning point in her career,” writes The Wall Street Journal. On THE LONG GAME, she uses the technique on “Fix You” from Coldplay while the band plays a Miles Davis-inspired “It Never Entered My Mind.” “Naylor has the chops and sensitivity to pull this off,” writes New York Magazine.
The musicianship and camaraderie of Naylor and her longtime bandmates, JON EVANS, bass (Tori Amos, Paula Cole, Sarah McLachlan), JOSH JONES, drums and percussion (Don Cherry, Omar Sosa, Steve Coleman), and ART KHU, piano, organ and guitar (arranger and producer for multiple artists and composer of “The Symphony of Souls” for The Oakland Symphony), shine brightly throughout this thoughtfully produced album.
When describing the synergy of these talented players, Khu says, “Each member of this band is an accomplished musician and storyteller, sensitive to Jacqui’s mission and lyrics, supportive, intuitive and compassionate. Decades of work culminate in THE LONG GAME as each band member uses their individual talents to contribute, shine and support each other. Jacqui’s interpretations are deep, thoughtful but also human and unpretentious.”
Most of the songs were captured in the studio in just one take, including the vocals. Naylor explains that “Like Someone in Love,” the first track on the album was also the first song we recorded in the studio, and we used the first take. I knew in that moment we would create something special.”
To support the album, Jacqui and Art have been inviting fans into their home as part of their monthly Livestream concert series they call Home2Home (no mask required). They created the concert series after an extensive tour that started with six shows at the SF Jazz Center and ended after a multi-city European tour was cancelled due to the Covid pandemic. The concerts are available for 48 hours following the broadcast for ticket holders.
Naylor tours regularly throughout the world with her quartet, headlining esteemed venues and festivals, including the Monterey Jazz Festival, Germany’s Women In Jazz Festival, Jazz Aspen Snowmass, The Vancouver Jazz Festival, London’s Ronnie Scott’s, Berlin’s Quasimodo, New York and Hamburg’s Birdland, and the Blue Note Jazz Clubs worldwide in New York, Milan and Tokyo.
Naylor’s original music has been featured in national advertising campaigns and her signature song “Celebrate Early and Often” was named by Martha Stewart Weddings as one of the best new wedding songs. The singer’s music has also been featured in television and film including a full-length documentary about her called Lucky Girl. Her version of REM’s “Losing My Religion” was featured in the hit reality series “So You Think You Can Dance” and the artist’s many albums have been named in the “Top 10” lists of USA Today, Jazziz Magazine, and The Washington Post, among others.
1. Like Someone in Love 03:03
2. Give Me One More Chance 03:50
3. Fix You 05:25
4. I'll Be Loving You 03:20
5. Love Look What You've Done 03:29
6. Walkin' out the Door 04:18
7. Smile 04:35
8. The Thrill is Gone 05:47
9. Space Oddity 04:19
10. The Long Game 04:55
11. Don't Give Up 05:43
12. Speak Low 03:32
13. It's the Right Time 03:17
14. All My Life 03:34
Jacqui Naylor, vocals
Art Khu, piano
Jon Evans, bass
Josh Jones, drums, percussion
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