Kathy Sanborn

“Even before putting this on the player one can’t help but be impressed by the lushness of the presentation. This digipak contains a lot of information about Kathy and her producer Keerthy Narayanan (who also is her arranger), commentary by multi-Grammy & Latin Grammy award winner Kabir Sehgal, photos and information on all the musicians involved, and a booklet containing all the lyrics. One gets the impression that this is a release of quality, and that is only reinforced as the music comes out of the speakers. This is Kathy’s eighth album, and unlike many other artists she isn’t revisiting songs from times gone by, but instead is presenting an album of originals, all her own work.

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“Even before putting this on the player one can’t help but be impressed by the lushness of the presentation. This digipak contains a lot of information about Kathy and her producer Keerthy Narayanan (who also is her arranger), commentary by multi-Grammy & Latin Grammy award winner Kabir Sehgal, photos and information on all the musicians involved, and a booklet containing all the lyrics. One gets the impression that this is a release of quality, and that is only reinforced as the music comes out of the speakers. This is Kathy’s eighth album, and unlike many other artists she isn’t revisiting songs from times gone by, but instead is presenting an album of originals, all her own work.

This is cool jazz, where the mood is reflective and cozy, where each note and nuance has an important part to play and where the vocals are never forced and at times are almost languorous. There is a decadent feeling to the album, a richness and quality, and one can just drift away on her wonderful voice, with a production that provides space yet also brings everything together. Delicate yet powerful, Kathy’s love songs bring together different threads and strands to create a wonderful whole.” ~Kev Rowland

"Kathy Sanborn’s eighth CD, Recollecting You, is quite remarkable in a number of ways. First, how the hell a woman so fully evocative of the post-West Coast School Of Cool could have escaped my attention, and that of the major labels and cinematographers, for so long is baffling, as evidences of complete maturity mark every inch of this breath-taking disc. I guess it’s possible, but…I missed eight releases? Amazing. Nonetheless, Recollecting You is a singularly unique immersion in musical romance, hedonism, and achingly wistful reminiscence.

Sanborn takes up where the cherished Misty Miss Christy left off in the late 50’s, then slides gently over to slip into the throne Sade vacated, enveloped in warm fog and balmy breezes. Along the way, she’s embraced the sensual depths of Ricki Lee Jones and Kimiko Itoh, not to mention Kenny Rankin at his most sensitive. Every cut on the 10 track collection, completely written by Sanborn, drips with consummate sensuality from the most profound intensities of the feminine soul, passions turned around to quietly smolder in smoky renditions.

Then there are the masterful embelllishments of her backing quartet led by producer Keerthy Narayanan on keyboards and bass, exquisite in both cases. The gent may be India-based but he’s overpowered this splinter of the Western jazz genre and made it his own. He arranges all the songs, an exceedingly artfully stripped-down Nelson Riddle or Henry Mancini but with every ounce of the lush passions of the two compressed into every moment. Brilliant readings from the ensemble weave luxury into delicacy, guest guitarist Ciro Hurtado appearing in “Kissed (Shoobop, Shoobop)” while band member Wayne Ricci is a reborn Chet Baker on trumpet.

Most of this disc is the equivalent of a down-tempo enthrallment in soma, Aldous Huxley’s fictive pleasure drug, though “The Boys are Back Again” suddenly glides uptempo, as does its follower, “Always You”, illustrating Sanborn’s heady zest for life, band bouncing along beside her, somewhat like some of Sergio Mendes’ older work a la Fool on the Hill. Nonetheless, if Recollecting You doesn’t establish Ms. Sanborn as a major presence, then I give up and you’ll find me wandering the world in sackcloth and ashes...but with a portable CD player and this disc, of course." ~Mark S. Tucker

"Most highly recommended . . . Shimmering vocals . . . Kathy's music will remain in your mind/heart/head for days (if not months) to come." ~Improvijazzation Nation

"Music just doesn't get more relaxing and sublime sounding than Lights of Laniakea." ~www.mwe3.com

"An enchanting, cross-cultural audio experience, Lights of Laniakea is rapturously radiant." ~Midwest Book Review

"Kathy Sanborn describes her musical style as versatile; in her latest release, Lights of Laniakea, she has delivered once again with her wonderful range of vocal styles being presented at their best.

Moving effortlessly from pure vocalisation as an instrumental component of her band to the Latin jazz rhythms, cool jazz beats, a little dash of the blues and sultry velvety sounds reminiscent of Sade, the work is fresh, enjoyable and delicate in a strangely robust manner.

The inspiration for this album comes from the mapping of a new supercluster in space by the University of Hawaii in 2014, which contains the Milky Way. The supercluster was named 'Laniakea,' which means Immeasurable Heaven, and also pays tribute to the Polynesian navigators who used the stars and star maps to navigate their way across the oceans.

Immeasurable variations created and blended together to take the vocalisation of sound into the light of spiritual awareness, has been captured by Sanborn and Ricky Kej, working together to create a symbolic transference relating to movement towards the light of the cosmos to help light our way, as we search for positivity, light, love and goodness as an integral component of our lives.

As you listen to the words gently melded into the music you will hear a recurrent theme of light, abundant love, a belief that someday people will stop the wars and work towards making the world a better place, coupled with a genuine desire to encourage people to move away from the darkness, into the healing light. The pallet is as diverse as it is beautiful and with the undoubted skills of Kej adding to the mix, the alchemy reaches out to touch and soothe on many, many levels making incredibly pleasurable listening." ~Bluewolf Reviews, Australia

Lights of Laniakea almost feels as revolutionary as bebop did to jazz. Gentle but certainly a wild ride. ~Chris Spector, Midwestrecord.com

"Kathy's music creates a dreamy ambience that is as relaxing as it is uplifting; contemporary, yet timeless. Lights of Laniakea provides an enchanting listening experience to tune into the cosmos and drift away on." ~Michael Diamond, Awareness Magazine

"Ten delicious selections . . . You will find yourself playing it continuously . . ." ~EUNICE MOSELEY, The Pulse of Entertainment

"Steamy . . . Classic jazz with a torchlight finish . . . a jacuzzi for the ears." ~SUSAN FRANCES, JazzTimes

"Kathy Sanborn brilliantly alternates ballads with upbeat music as demonstrated by songs like 'Secret Paradise,' 'Waterfall,' 'Blame It On A Kiss,' 'Tell Me Goodbye, ''Painted Blue,' or the impeccable 'Blues For Breakfast.' Sensuality, freshness and well-constructed melodies are the common denominator of Blues For Breakfast." ~NOSOLOSMOOTHJAZZ.COM

"Ten tantalizing selections . . .Small Galaxy is full of 'feel-good' songs." ~EUNICE MOSELEY, The Pulse of Entertainment

"Divine . . .an album tempered to caress the body and comfort the human soul." ~SUSAN FRANCES, Helium.com

"Kathy Sanborn is able to convey emotional truths with a sound no one else can produce�a quavering joy that works equally well over an ocean or acoustic chords of ballads. No one else sings like that." ~JOHN SHELTON IVANY, National News Bureau

"Magnificent... One of the most original CDs I have heard all year. Kathy's voice truly is a gift from the heavens." ~ERIC COHEN from radio station WAER 88.3 in New York

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