\u201cThe only thing that matters is the song,\u201d says singer-songwriter Madeleine Peyroux. That conviction along with a \u2018one of a kind\u2019 voice, has carried the Jazz artist from busking on the streets of Paris, all the way to mainstream recognition. Through intensely distinctive renditions of old classics and modern tunes by the likes of Leonard Cohen and The Beatles, Peyroux has proved to be an uncannily insightful \u2018interpreter\u2019 with her consistently impeccable choice of material. Peyroux\u2019s new album, The Blue Room, sees the genre-blending singer reworking some landmark musical gems, in a repeat collaboration with longtime Peyroux producer Larry Klein (Joni Mitchell, Walter Becker, Tracy Chapman, Herbie Hancock). The result is a sophisticated album that rather than just \u2018crossing over\u2019, seamlessly fuses musical styles together to create an entirely new sound.<\/p>\n
The Blue Room started life as Klein\u2019s re-examination of Ray Charles\u2019s classic, Modern Sounds In Country And Western Music, but soon moved away from being strictly an homage to that album. \u201cMadeleine and I decided to branch out to other songs we love,\u201d explains Klein, so alongside tunes from the original ABC Paramount project such as \u201cBye Bye Love,\u201d \u201cBorn To Lose,\u201d \u201cYou Don\u2019t Know Me\u201d and the anthemic \u201cI Can\u2019t Stop Loving You\u201d are Randy Newman\u2019s \u201cGuilty,\u201d Warren Zevon\u2019s \u201cDesperadoes Under The Eaves\u201d and John Hartford\u2019s \u201cGentle On My Mind.\u201d \u201cRay\u2019s \u2018cultural landmark\u2019 album has always been a part of me,\u201d says Larry Klein, \u201c\u2026the project naturally came to mind with Madeleine as a part of it.\u201d<\/p>\n
For The Blue Room Larry Klein has again called upon the talents of award-winning engineer\/mixer Helik Hadar as well as stellar musicians Dean Parks, Larry Goldings, Jay Bellerose and David Piltch. To this ensemble however, the celebrated producer has added an inspired orchestral element in the shape of Vince Mendoza\u2019s engaging string arrangements (Joni Mitchell, Robbie Williams, Bj\u00f6rk and Elvis Costello). Mendoza\u2019s masterful string orchestrations perfectly complement Madeleine\u2019s quest for open musical exploration. The sometimes eerie, often sparse arrangements prove the perfect canvas for Peyroux\u2019s musical palette and seem to effortlessly blend with her voice.<\/p>\n
Peyroux has come a long way from the streets of Paris to the word\u2019s grandest concert halls and collaborating with the some of the world\u2019s finest musicians. Still, where other artists might rest on their laurels and bask in the glory of countless gushing reviews, Peyroux continues to fearlessly explore new territories. The charmingly humble artist who \u2018didn\u2019t have any expectation of becoming someone that could make a dent in the outside world.\u2019 has done just that.<\/p>\n
For more information visit: www.madeleinepeyroux.com<\/a><\/p>\n