Night Traxx Radio

Although she's already firmly established as one of the jazz world's most acclaimed and respected young vocalists, Nicole Henry's vibrant new album Embraceable makes it clear that she can't be categorized so simply. "I consider myself a singer who loves singing jazz," notes the versatile Miami Beach-based artist. "However, no matter the style or story, I’m always striving to be myself.”powerfully expressive, emotionally resonant voice has already earned her three international top 10 albums, the most recent being her 2008 release The Very Thought of You. She's also won an international reputation as a beguiling live performer, enchanting audiences on multiple continents. The aptly titled Embraceable showcases the uplifting energy, sophisticated soulfulness and lyrical sensitivity that have endeared Henry to listeners around the world. However, the new album is a substantial departure from her prior releases, which established her as a peerless interpreter of jazz and pop standards. In contrast, Embraceable finds Henry applying her sublime vocal skills to a captivating set of songs drawn from a diverse array of sources, encompassing impressive new originals, covers of some '60s and '70s classics, and a trio of vintage jazz numbers. The material is delivered in a variety of musical settings that range from expansive orchestral arrangements to spare acoustic performances. The album matches Henry's distinctive voice and abundant charisma with a stellar musical cast that includes saxophonist Kirk Whalum, pianist Gerald Clayton, harmonica virtuoso Gregoire Maret, and Grammy-winning arranger Gil Goldstein, and was helmed by Grammy-nominated producer Matt Pierson (Kirk Whalum, Jane Monheit, Joshua Redman).