New York, NY. (Top40 Charts/ Shore Fire Media) - Regarded as one of the most diverse talents in modern jazz, vocalist Kate McGarry shines on her new CD 'If Less Is More...Nothing Is Everything,' released on Palmetto Records August 19. McGarry illustrates her less is more approach in stunning renditions of jazz standards and contemporary pop and folk songs that reveal the essence of the songs.
McGarry sees her version of the Irving Berlin classic, "Let's Face The Music and Dance," as "a song for the world we live in today, a time when we need to take responsibility for our actions and meet the challenges of the future with courage." The Cars "Just What I Needed," a favorite song of McGarry's in high school, is set to an achingly slow tempo to explore "the intense feelings of longing and loneliness that young people often face." McGarry turns Joni Mitchell's "The Priest" into "a dance with religious authority." The record also includes a loose and free wheeling resetting of the Crosby Stills and Nash classic "You Don't Have To Cry" and an update of Bob Dylan's "The Times They Are A-Changin'" that invokes a compelling battle cry for change. The Wall Street Journal hails McGarry's new CD as "an exceptionally appealing blend of folk and jazz," and in a recent New York Times interview, McGarry elaborated "I'm taking new avenues to a place where jazz and folk meet and really get along well."
Here's what the critics are saying about 'If Less Is More...Nothing Is Everything':
"'If Less Is More...Nothing Is Everything' is the third in a series of superb recent recordings by Ms. McGarry." - Martin Johnson, Wall Street Journal
"Spin McGarry's hushed amble through the Cars' "Just What I Needed" to see how high the bar can be set." - Jim MacNie, Village Voice
"McGarry's sense of musical authenticity is beautifully blended with her always-original musical vision." - Don Heckman, The Los Angeles Times
"There's no greater influence on the young generation of post-Joni female jazz singer-songwriters than Kate McGarry." - Jon Garelick, Boston Phoenix
"Rooted in an acute jazz sensibility and a passion for sophisticated pop songcraft, singer/songwriter Kate McGarry transforms all material-anything from Bjork to Jobim-into her own expressive worlds of drama, poetic, pitch-perfect but never prissy." - Owen McNally, Hartford Courant
"Astute and sensitive" - Nate Chinen, New York Times
"McGarry is absolutely heartrending - she puts her whole soul into this performance...her melodic lines are brilliantly conceived and executed. McGarry moves into the big leagues with this impressive release." - Ted Gioia, Jazz.com
"Singer Kate McGarry employs her light, airy voice and intelligent way with words once again on her latest Palmetto release." - Time Out NY
"Saying more with less is the signature approach of singer/songwriter Kate McGarry, who delivers these songs straight from the heart in a sweet, pitch-perfect voice that has few parallels in any genre." - Judith Schlesinger, AllAboutJazz.com
"At a time when there are so many vocalists performing in styles that hearken back two or more generations, Kate McGarry strikes me as a quiet yet fearless original voice. She's not necessarily moving music ahead by shredding tradition but by incorporating so many different elements into her repertoire. - Richard Kamins, HartfordCourant.com
"On the brink of her fourth release, and possibly her best, she shows no sign of relaxing her high artistic standards...she's one to watch and savor." - Josef Woodard, Santa Barbara News-Press
"McGarry sings with the same gusto as the old-school jazz singers: Dianne Reeves, Nina Simone, Ella Fitzgerald...The album has class written all over it." - Charlie Owen, Vail Daily
The first (and still only) vocalist on the Palmetto label, 'If Less Is More...Nothing Is Everything' is McGarry's fourth release on Palmetto. Her 2007 release, 'The Target,' reached No 1 on the Nationwide Jazz Charts, and was named one of the best jazz vocal CDs by both Downbeat Magazine and the New York Times. McGarry has recorded or performed with artists ranging from Bobby McFerrin and Kurt Elling to Luciana Souza.
