Grunge to Grace: Jazz Album Release w/ Courtney Cutchins & NYC’s David Cook – Hilton Head Island, SC

Join us for a magical, glittering galaxy of jazzrock and tasty treats, celebrating an early release of NYC-HHI jazz vocalist Courtney Cutchins’ debut album, “Grunge to Grace” (available everywhere October 18th!) Courtney has been a performer for 15 years and is the founder of award-winning, international vocal studio, Seadragon Songhouse.

Featuring special guest pianist/producer from New York City: David Cook. David is a Grammy-winning musician who has music directed and/or played for many notable artists, including 14-time Grammy-winner Taylor Swift, Thomas Rhett, Maren Morris, Emmy/Oscar/Tony winner Ben Platt, Shoshana Bean, Lizz Wright, Shayna Steele, EGOT-winner Jennifer Hudson and Grammy-winner Nicole Zuraitis.

Joined by Charleston jazz heavyweights Lee Barbour on guitar, Brett Belanger on bass and Ron Wiltrout on drums.

Afterparty with delicious hors d’oeuvres and dessert provided. Beer and wine available for purchase, benefitting the Hilton Head Symphony Orchestra (HHSO) and Soundwaves. All ages welcome.

“With “Grunge to Grace,” the music shimmers in the cosmic space between darkness and light, calling the listener to create beauty from life’s challenges and live in their most luminous, authentic self. Influenced by echoes of Jeff Buckley, Billy Strayhorn, David Bowie and Sarah Vaughan.”

To follow along with the project, check out:
http://instagram.com/courtneycutchins
http://facebook.com/courtneycutchinsmusic
http://courtneycutchins.com

About Courtney and the album:

A singer with an uncommon command of her luminous voice and an organic, soulful and dramatic sense of phrasing a lyric, Seattle native Courtney Cutchins is also a vivid storyteller and prolific songwriter, as she demonstrates on her genre-bending debut album, “Grunge to Grace.” Along with six stirring originals, the jazz-educated singer (she earned a Master of Music degree in Jazz Vocal Performance from the prestigious Manhattan School of Music) re-imagines three ‘90s anthems from her Seattle youth by grunge rock luminaries Soundgarden and Nirvana. Interpreted through her deeply-rooted jazz filter, these songs take on a new life while still conveying the feelings of anxiety, anguish and social alienation that underscored the original versions.

She began incorporating her longstanding love of jazz with her memories of ‘90s grunge rock on gigs at New York City venues like Rockwood Music Hall, Cornelia Street Cafe, Silvana and the 55 Bar. Her vision of jazzgrunge that emerged finally comes to fruition on “Grunge to Grace.” Backed by a stellar crew of rising stars on the New York jazz scene — pianist-producer David Cook (Taylor Swift, Mark Guiliana, Lizz Wright), guitarist Nir Felder (Keyon Harrold, Terri Lyne Carrington), bassist Matt Clohesy (Darcy James Argue’s Secret Society, Maria Schneider Orchestra) and drummer Obed Calvaire (Jazz at Lincoln Center Orchestra, Dave Holland, Cécile McLorin Salvant) — Courtney has found her way to some new musical terrain on this triumphant and revealing debut.

“There’s no better title than Grunge to Grace for the way I strive to see life. Beauty can be found in the most unexpected places. Even in the midst of suffering, we can find daring, honest freedom in that which lights us up. Through us, there’s a great force of love connecting all things, even when times seem dark. May we rise up, take up space in our galaxy and show up as our brightest and boldest laser beam self. The world needs each and every one of us to shine.”