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Jennifer Hartswick

Acclaimed vocalist, trumpeter and composer Jennifer Hartswick issues Something in the Water, her fourth record as a leader and first for Christian McBride’s Mack Avenue Music Group imprint Brother Mister Productions. Reprising her studio collaboration with renowned bassist and dear friend McBride, the highly sought-after singer and trumpeter interprets nine new tracks comprised of original repertoire and fresh arrangements of familiar songs alongside her core ensemble and featured guests. Co-written with guitarist and album producer Nick Cassarino, Something in the Water presents a tender portrait of the human condition, brimming with humor and vulnerability. “We wanted to celebrate the human experience,” says the Nashville-based artist. “We wanted to write about all facets of love and life and loss and gain. There’s definitely an arc of someone’s life in this album.” 

Hartswick is a true working artist. For the past two decades, the small-town girl turned powerhouse professional has appeared at clubs and arenas throughout the world, in diverse ensembles and as a founding member of the Trey Anastasio Band (TAB); her buoyant expression and harmonic reflexes have become integral to the project’s signature sound. To her original music, Hartswick brings effervescing spontaneity and degrees of self-disclosure. Her songs intensify. She layers sound on sound, stacking horns, threading vocals and seeking opportunities for instrumental role-shifting and conversational trades. In addition to those from McBride and Cassarino, Something in the Water features contributions from longtime collaborators drummer Conor Elmes, vocalist Celisse Henderson and keyboardist Rob Marscher, as well as trombonists Natalie Cressman and Roy Agee, among other special guests. 

Recorded at Sound Emporium alongside engineer Joe Costa, and mixed and mastered by Greg Magers and Dan Shike, respectively, Something in the Water came to life in Nashville following an impromptu writing retreat in New England. Hartswick and Cassarino spent a week and a half at a closed bed and breakfast in Vermont during the winter of 2021; there, they focused on composing the entire record in a controlled environment, with lyric input from songwriter Erin Boyd. “We’d write and cook and write and cook and laugh and cry and write and cook,” says Hartswick. “That was the purpose of the trip, to see if we could write an album.” 

Part memoir, part fiction, Something in the Water intercuts vignettes of the human condition with elements of Hartswick’s lived experiences: “Who’s to say which ones are real? I hope the storytelling is good enough that people don’t know.” The album opens on “Only Time Will Tell” with virtuosic tone-casting from McBride out front. A thick, buoyant groove becomes a vessel for Hartswick’s gilded wall of trumpets and lyrical interplay between her voice and her horn. Penned by Boyd and Cassarino, “Fairytale” explores the course of love. Hartswick’s mastery of phrasing and artful dynamics share the story of loss and understanding. Her trumpet responds to her vocal, briefly and only once; in that moment, she captures memory, illusion and acceptance. “Two Way Mirror” pops with syncopation and nuance. She greases her trumpet solo with short melodic phrases and rhythmic intention. 

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Performance / Tour

Jennifer Hartswick Band at Chico's House Jazz - Sept. 14th

Jennifer Hartswick Band at Chico's House Jazz - Sept. 14th

Source: Rouse Public Relations

Chico's House of Jazz presents a night with Jennifer Hartswick Band on September 14th (ASBURY PARK, NJ)—Chico's House of Jazz is pleased to host Jennifer Hartswick Band. There will be one show on September 14th at 8:00 pm. Tickets are available now by logging on to ChicosHouseofJazz.com or at our box office at the club. Jennifer Hartswick is one of the most exciting, best-kept secrets in jazz today. A skilled trumpeter and versatile vocalist, Jennifer's soulful, dynamic performances are known ...

"Jennifer is a triple threat as a songwriter, singer and trumpeter. As a member of Trey Anastasio's band for the past two decades, she has a legion of loyal fans. I’m one of those loyal fans. It’s an honor to have her as a part of the Brother Mister family." – Christian McBride

"A gem from start to finish that should wow both jazz and soul music audiences. It feels like Chaka went into the studio with Patrice Rushen and decided to let loose. We simply love it..." – SoulTracks

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