(Vocal Jazz) Kathy Kosins - The Space Between - 2013, MP3, 320

ASCAP award-winning vocalist Kathy Kosins has won the hearts of critics and fans around the globe with her eclectic musical palette that expands the rich history of jazz. Born and bred during the Motown era of Detroit, she began singing and arranging background vocals for producer Don Was in the early eighties, which led to her becoming one of the most sought after session singers. As a lead vocalist she recorded for both Carrere (Sony) and Quality Records and later toured with Was/Not Was.
In the early "90s, Kosins, a ferocious writer and arranger, fell in love with the freedom of the jazz art form and her writing naturally evolved into a more traditional approach. Stints with the JC Heard and Nelson Riddle Orchestras followed and led to a 1996 release of "All In A Dreams Work" (SchoolKids Records), an impressive debut featuring a first rate collection of nine originals and a cover of the Miles Davis composition" Four." Reported by over 250 Jazz stations, she reached the top 20 in the Gavin.
Her 2002 release of "Mood Swings" (Chiaroscuro Records) continued to bring her recognition and success at the national level. On her 2006 release of "Vintage," (Mahogany Jazz), she rediscovered little known songbook gems which she placed alongside a few widely known, yet unexpected tunes from outside the jazz tradition, which brought her glowing reviews from journalists.
Always a pioneer, Kosins decided to take a different approach in 2010 by releasing singles quarterly under the new Mahogany Digital label, rather than an entire CD every few years. The tradition of releasing singles runs deep in jazz music. Singles enable artists the freedom to create and record on a natural timeline that corresponds with fan demand and tour schedules. "If a live audience falls in love with a new song, I can record and release it to radio while the music is fresh and hot. This is something you can‟t do if you‟re committed in advance to a full album release," said Kosins.
A past recipient of the Michigan Council for the Arts (Jazz Composer of the Year), Kosins has received grants from Michigan‟s ArtServe advocacy group. Her clinics and workshops teach performance skills alongside business strategies for the independent artist and have been a success at colleges and universities across the USA.
When not touring the USA or Europe, Kathy excels as a painter. Her abstract acrylics on canvas are influenced by the cubist paintings of the "50s. Commissioned paintings are held in private collections and Kosins continues to sell her work at both gallery shows and concert performances. She also is known to paint as a multi media artist from the stage during various performances.
Kosins has recorded with many well known jazz and R&B artists to include Aaron Goldberg, Reuben Rogers, Eric Harland, Peter Bernstein, Larry Koonse, Tamir Hendelman, Robert Hurst, Jeremy Pelt, Jon Ellis, Howard Levy, Don Was, Martin Wind, Ben Wolfe, Michael Henderson and more.
She has shared the stage and performed with numerous names in the jazz and R&B world. A few notables are: Cyrus Chestnut, Terell Stafford, Randy Brecker, Javon Jackson, Larry Goldings, James Moody, Kevin Mahogany, Bernard Purdie, Greg Hutchinson, Eric Harland, Red Holloway, Grant Green Jr., Reuben Rogers, Reuben Wilson, Aaron Goldberg, Tamir Hendelman, Jesse Davis, Eric Marienthal, Matt Wilson, Mitch Ryder, Was/Not Was and Michael Henderson

So I am heading out to my mailbox in anticipation of what sonic treasures the good people at the U.S. Postal Service left in my box. With The Space Between from Kathy Kosins, Christmas came early. The female jazz vocal pack is a tightly clustered group of individuals that more often than not come across as pre-packaged entities straight from the corporate boardroom of whatever media conglomerate they may be signed to that particular week. Kathy Kosins transcends the world of singer to that of vocal artist by not only having a keen ear for giving life to some rarities that may otherwise go unnoticed but her vocals demand your immediate attention. Tone, timing, pitch, phrasing is all there and all spot on. The musical cast of co-conspirators here are A list and each a legitimate leader in their own right. Perhaps the hottest pianist going in Tamir Hendelman, Bob Hurst on bass, Eric Harland on drums and Larry Koonse on guitar all bring forth a musical synergy with Kosins as the lyrical focal point of this dynamic recording. Two bonus tracks are included with the first, "Go Slow" recorded live at the Jazz Standard and an homage to her critically acclaimed release aptly titled To The Ladies Of Cool.
The second track is a perfect vehicle to highlight her deceptively subtle R & B influences with an ambient nu jazz riff on the 1961 Al Cohn tune "Night Bird." The Space Between is cutting edge when held up to some of her contemporaries for critical review. Never taking the easy road of banging out a dozen standards simply because she can, Kosins weaves her magic as a vocal artist and moves straight to the top of the vocal jazz food chain. To be clear, Kathy Kosins is not one of the better female vocalists you may hear but vocalists period. Sometimes working as a critic one feels more like an artistic prospector sifting through hundreds of releases to find that one precious stone that has made his own labor of love well worth the effort. There are far too many vocal releases from artists that would be better served saving their money when in fact their future would clearly have them never leaving the club circuit or happy hour at the local Marriott, Kathy Kosins is not one these artists.

Tamir Hendelman/p, Bob Hurst/b, Eric Harland/dr, Larry Koonse/g