Gretchen Parlato’s second album, “In a Dream”, was a breakthrough in 2009 and signaled the arrival a modern jazz singer. She has a lot of staying power, as her follow-up album, “The Lost and Found”, proves. In a Dream received international acclaim from Billboard magazine, who called it “the most captivating jazz vocal album 2009”, and it also reached the top of the year-end polls at Jazz Times, Jazz Globe, Village Voice, NPR, and Jazz Times. The Lost and Found has a more dynamic range and immediate intensity. Parlato says, “I feel like the music allowed me to be more vulnerable and revealing.” Parlato reveals a seamless, crystal-clear, and most importantly, personal voice. She says the theme of “The Lost and Found” is accepting opposition and embracing all aspects of life. One day, we might think we have all the answers. Then something happens that suddenly makes it seem like nothing makes sense. This is the nature of life. It is liberating to accept that we are always in flux without attaching any judgments to the experience. We are always the found and lost.” Parlato is an alumni of Thelonious Monk Institute. She has been turning heads since winning the 2004 Thelonious Monk Institute International Vocal Competition. With it, she demonstrated a musical individuality filled with paradoxical abilities. Parlato’s unique and rhythmically fluid phrasing and captivating voice were a magnet for listeners. She has been touring the world to sell out audiences, with BBC Radio declaring that “Star over London…A Star is Born!” Her uniqueness attracts musicians, too, and she was invited to appear on more than 50 recordings with Terri Lynn Carrington, Kenny Barron, Terri Lynch Carrington, Terence Blanchard, Esperanza Spalding, Terri Lynn Carrington, Terri Lynn Carrington, and Terence Blanchard. She has been a sought-after clinician for vocal styling and her stunning performances have been captured on TV in Europe and Japan. Parlato’s third album features a group of like-minded people who have cultivated a tight sound through years of recording and performing together. GRAMMY-nominated pianist Taylor Eigsti and bassist Derrick Hodge were her main band mates. Guest appearances came from Dayna Stephens, tenor saxophonist, and Alan Hampton, who is a great singer and guitarist. This band, which is a leader in their own right and a shining example of the new generation of jazz, is highly regarded. Parlato states, “I adore these artists, not just for what they do but for who they are.” We couldn’t have recorded this album with a more productive, supportive energy. This energy enabled her to reach subliminal musical heights. One that engages in musical conversations that tickle and warm the heart, as well as musical adventures that move the body. They all contributed so much to this project that it felt like a collaboration effort in the end. It is not an exaggeration to say that “collaborative effort” is a strong word. Parlato emerges as a thoughtful composer and poet in “The Lost and Found”. Parlato actually wrote the lyrics to many compositions, including Eigsti’s haunting song “Without a Sound,” trumpeter Ambrose Akinmusire’s plaintive “Henya” and Stephens’ suspenseful “The Lost and Found.” Gretchen’s tender musings about forgiveness and compassion are enhanced by Hampton’s raw vocals in a duet. “Alan created such an introspective and simple groove that I wanted to create lyrics that were almost like a mantra. It is a powerful theme that can be repeated many times. Love is the best theme. She composed and penned the music for the beautiful bossa-nova-tinged “Winter Wind,” and the hopeful “How We Love.” The hypnotic and uplifting “Circling” contains verses that are representative of the whole disc’s meditations about light and dark. Parlato explains that “Circling” is a play on the idea of cycles in our life. “The ones that we don’t control like death and birth are the ones we can’t control. Then there are the cycles that we can control, such as our behavior patterns. Robert Glasper, a GRAMMY-nominated pianist and composer, joined the team as associate producer. Robert is a great composer and I love working with him in arranging, re-harmonizing, and arranging. Robert is a great musician and there is a lot of love and respect among all the musicians. Parlato continues to develop her ability to reinvent intriguing R on “The Lost and Found”.
