Critically-hailed singer, violinist, composer and arranger Jenny Scheinman has just released her latest album, The Littlest Prisoner via Sony Masterworks. She’s joined on the recording by her long-standing trio that features guitarist Bill Frisell and drummer Brian Blade plus guest appearances by bassist Tony Garnier and guitarist Bruce Cockburn. Scheinman was profiled on NPR’s All Things Considered discussing the new album. Listen here: http://n.pr/UFQDaF
The Littlest Prisoner is Scheinman’s eighth studio effort to date. It was mixed by Grammy-nominated producer, Tucker Martine (The Decemberists, Neko Case, My Morning Jacket, Sufjan Stevens) and was recorded in just three days of tracking at Martine’s Flora Studio in Portland, Oregon.
“I had always imagined that this album would have a sort of Buddy Miller acoustic Americana sound,” says Scheinman. “However, as fate would have it I ended up bringing the material into the ethereal, moody, stripped down world of my trio with Bill Frisell and Brian Blade. This added a sense of newness, risk and adventure to the process, which was extremely exciting.”
As for the lyrics, Scheinman says: “I attempted to look directly at love and all its ugly beauty through the eyes of mothers, inmates, wives, artists, and children. What amazes me about the album is that all the tough stuff of life is stuck in the middle of such a beautiful band sound.”
In addition to her eight solo records, Scheinman has collaborated with Rodney Crowell, Norah Jones, Bill Frisell, Bruce Cockburn, Madeleine Peyroux, Todd Sickafoose, Nels Cline and many others. She has also earned great acclaim for her high-profile arrangements for artists like Lucinda Williams, Bono, Lou Reed, Metallica and Sean Lennon.
Scheinman will play a series of shows to support The Littlest Prisoner over the coming months, including a New York City release show at LPR, as well as a series of tour dates supporting Bruce Cockburn in August.
Upcoming Tour Dates:
06/30 – New York, NY – Le Poisson Rouge
08/10 – Chicago, IL – City Winery *
08/11 – Chicago, IL – City Winery *
08/15 – Markham, Ontario – Markham Jazz Festival
08/18 – Parry Sound, ON Canada – Stockey Centre *
08/21 – Alexandria, DC – Birchmere Music Hall *
*w/ Bruck Cockburn
