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On
TRUTH BE TOLD, singer and songwriter ANGIE
WELLS explores the truths of life and living in 13 jazz standards
and covers and four original songs. This is Wells’ second release and
follows LOVE and MISCHIEF (2017), for which All About Jazz
raved, “This performance is simply exceptional…Angie Wells has
arrived… big time."
Wells
grew up in Philadelphia in a house filled with music. Her mother sang and played
gospel piano, and her father was a jazz and blues fan. Her own deep
interest in music began when she was just five and Count Basie came
to her school and played for her kindergarten class. Although she started singing
at a young age in her church choir and continued singing throughout
her school and college days, she did not seriously entertain the idea
of becoming a professional until she took a trip to Paris to visit a
friend. Her friend took her to an intimate supper club in
Saint-Germain-des-Prés and encouraged her to sit in with the trio for
a few tunes. The response was so positive that she began seriously
studying and honing her chops when she returned home to Los Angeles.
After
she recorded a demo with Los Angeles jazz luminaries drummer Joe
LaBarbera, bassist Tom Warrington, and pianist Bill Cunliffe, it did
not take long for Wells to attract the attention of other top jazz
musicians in town. Wells became a regular on the L.A. jazz scene and
began performing at jazz festivals and other major venues around the
country, including the Telluride Jazz Festival, the San Jose Summer
Jazz Fest as guest vocalist of Kermit Ruffins, and the Los Angeles
County Museum of Art’s Friday Night Jazz Series, sponsored by jazz
radio station KJAZZ. She also developed a following in France and
appeared at The MoZ'aique Festival, Festival Jazz au Chateau,
Festival Jazz De Colliure, and Festival Jazz de Monsegur, to name
just a few. Her original composition, "She Ain't the Kinda
Girl," reached #4 on France's Jazz Radio, and she qualified as a
semi-finalist in the first annual Sarah Vaughan International Vocal
Competition.
Produced
by legendary bassist JOHN CLAYTON, who is also featured as a
special guest in a duet with Wells, TRUTH BE TOLD
includes JOSH NELSON (piano), CLAYTON CAMERON (drums), TREVOR
WARE (bass), LARRY KOONSE (guitar), JACOB SCESNEY (tenor
sax), IVAN MALESPIN (trombone), KYE PALMER (trumpet and
flugelhorn), KATISSE BUCKINGHAM (flute), and CAREY FRANK
(Hammond B3). Vocalists LYNNE FIDDMONT and VALERIE GEASON
provide background vocals on two tracks and vocalist ZION G duets
with Wells on one track.
A
natural storyteller,
Wells’
inspiration for this album came after the brutal death of George
Floyd in 2020. Wells relates, “Although I was sad and angry, I felt a
glimmer of hope as I watched people of all races, nationalities,
cultures, sexual orientations and religions take to the streets
together. About two weeks later
as
I was taking a pleasure drive in silence, I began to hear and feel a
melody rise from inside. It was in the form of a deep emotional
humming that felt like it came directly from my ancestors. This
melody stayed in my head in the following days and began combining
with the phrase “truth be told” until a song was born.”
Writing
the song “Truth Be Told” became the impetus for Wells to embark on a
new recording that would be a collection of original music and covers
that spoke to the love, joy, sadness, family, spirituality and hope
that give meaning to her life.
Wells
wrote four originals for the album. On the title track, "Truth
Be Told," Wells doubles down with a finger-snapping a cappella
gospel sound that addresses black deaths (detailing many) at the
hands of the police, counted with snare shots, and presented as a
call to action. “There’s Always Time for Lovin’” speaks to the
importance of making time for love in our busy lives. “Talkin’ All
Under My Clothes” is a humorous nod to the language of flirtation.
The final original, “Where the Livin’ Is Good,” takes a satirical
look at being homeless while living in a neighborhood of homes worth
millions of dollars.
Wells
gets down on "Do I Move You," a sexy, blues featuring Larry
Koonse’s greasy guitar solo. Wells breathes new life in the old
chestnut "Accentuate the Positive," written in 1944 by
Harold Arlen with lyrics by Johnny Mercer, with a contemporary,
R&B-flavored interpretation. "Nick of Time" was a big
hit for Bonnie Raitt. Wells’ soulful version features a laid-back
solo by Koonse with hip comping on the piano by Josh Nelson.
John
Clayton’s arco bass adds a dark undertone to their duet version of
“You Don’t Know What Love Is,“ while Wells’ bluesy, gospel-inflected
mash-up of "Moanin’/Work Song" features Carey Frank on the
Hammond B3 and Katisse Buckingham on flute.
Wells
presents four different interpretations of the traditional hymn,
"I've Got a Feeling," which she intersperses throughout the
album. The first version stays true to the original hymn as an
instrumental featuring Nelson and Trevor Ware on bass. For the next
version, Wells demonstrates that she can be bluesy and soulful by
just humming a few bars of the tune. The third version is another
instrumental featuring John Clayton playing arco bass with Nelson on
piano, and the final version is Wells with the full band.
The
pared back instrumentation of guitar and piano highlights Wells’
evocative vocals on the poignant "Here's to Life." She
closes the album with "They Can't Take That Away from Me,"
sung as an a cappella duet with hip-hop artist Zion G.
Angie
Wells is a multi-talented artist. Besides being an engaging singer
with a warm, sensual and bluesy voice, she is also a successful
Hollywood makeup artist with two Emmy nominations. She has built a
large following of admirers throughout Southern California and
France. TRUTH BE TOLD is not only a personal statement
from a thoughtful, sensitive singer, it is also a showcase for her
impressive songwriting talent.
# # #
TRUTH BE TOLD was
released on February 24, 2023 on Café Pacific Records and is
available everywhere.
WATCH: TRUTH
BE TOLD EPK
Online:
Angiewellsjazz1.com
Facebook.com/angiewellsjazz
Instagram.com/angiewellsjazz
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