Mary Foster Conklin - These Precious Days (2023)

“A winning new collection of songs… by a vocalist equally effective on suspects usual and otherwise… The contrast between Conklin’s smoky voice and Caswell’s bright, sharply defined tone often imbues the arrangements with concentrated drama.” Andrew Gilbert JAZZTIMES

This project is about love, loss and the power of the Now – my response to the deep disruption of the past few years, which began before the pandemic. It opens with a restless Latin arrangement of a Leonard Cohen tune about weathering heartbreak and ends with a tender piano/violin arrangement of September Song, dedicated to my Dad, whose death in 2018 was a catalyst for the project. The arrangements are by pianist John diMartino and the band includes Sara Caswell on violin, Ed Howard on bass, Vince Cherico on drums and Guilherme Monteiro on guitar. Just before the pandemic we worked together on a unique catalogue of Leiber and Stoller art songs. As the world evolves into a new chapter where nothing is as it was, we explore what’s ahead with music by Melba Liston, Melissa Manchester, Buffy Sainte-Marie, Fran Landesman, Andre & Dory Previn and more.