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Carol Welsman goes on ‘telltale’ personal journey on new album 14

By 2022/07/28

Carol Welsman

Vocalist and pianist Carol Welsman goes on a journey through her life and career with her latest album, 14. The fittingly titled 14th studio album from the six-time Juno nominee features a collection of reimagined classic tunes along with one of Welsman’s own original compositions. Ahead of the release, Welsman has shared her rendition of Pick Yourself Up, the album’s opening track and the second of three lead singles for the album. Welsman says she was particularly inspired by Nat King Cole’s timeless version of Pick Yourself Up that popularized the tune. “I was knocked out by his singing and the arrangement when I first heard it on the radio,” she says. “It was a no-brainer to finally record it. The song was originally arranged by George Shearing who I became friends with in my early days. He was a fan. I lifted this note by note from his recording to create that same kind of magic of the original.” Listen to the single here:

Accompanying Welsman on this album are guitarist Pierre Côté, bassist Rémi-Jean LeBlanc and drummer Jim Doxas. Welsman co-produced the recording with Italian composer and producer Romano Musumarra.

Welsman incorporates her fluency in three languages as a large element on 14, singing three songs in French and one in Spanish.

The repertoire has personal significance to Welsman and her lifelong career as a jazz vocalist. It includes, for example, If You Could See Me Now, one of the first songs she recorded for a demo at the age of 17.

“The search for inspiring songs proved to be not only fun, but the final choices turned out to be quite a telltale personal autobiography, including music I have come across and enjoyed over a lifetime journey in jazz music,” Welsman explains in the album’s liner notes. “Each has a special meaning to me, conjuring up memories from different points in my career.”

Here’s the track listing:

Pick Yourself Up
I Concentrate on You
The Night Has 1000 Eyes
Sometimes I’m Happy
Que Reste-t-il De Nos Amours ?
If You Could See Me Now
Somos Novios
Plus je t’embrasse
Be My Valentine
Come Fly With Me
Black Coffee
C’est Le Printemps

Carol Welsman’s 14 will be released Sept. 9, 2022, via Justin Time Records.