Stacey Kent
Thursday, March 10, 2022 at 8pm
presented by Irvine Barclay Theatre

               Media Sponsor

This performance is presented without an intermission.

Stacey Kent: Vocals

Jim Tomlinson: Saxophone and Flute

Art Hirahara: Piano

Tom Hubbard: Bass

Anthony Pinciotti: Drums

Stacey Kent is a jazz singer in the mold of the greats, with a legion of fans worldwide, a host of honors and awards including a GRAMMY® nomination, album sales in excess of 2 million, and Platinum, Double-Gold and Gold-selling albums that have reached a series of No. 1 chart positions during the span of her career.
 
Like many of us, Stacey spent the last year online, looking for ways to stay connected with the world outside. She landed on the idea of a collection of songs that gives musical expression to our collective desire to roam the world once again. This evolved into her new album on Candid Records, Songs from Other Places.
 
The idea for this album germinated at the start of lockdown when “I Wish I Could Go Travelling Again”, written for her by the songwriting team of Nobel Prize- winning author, Kazuo Ishiguro, together with her long-time collaborator and husband, Jim Tomlinson, was the most talked about and requested song by her fans on social media. It was clear, even early on during the Covid crisis, that in the absence of actual travel, people were relying on music and imagination to transport them and to find a sense of connection with the world beyond their own four walls.  

Simultaneously intimate and expansive, Songs from Other Places is a varied and eclectic collection of voice and piano duets. Traveling with Stacey on this musical journey is her dear friend, pianist, Art Hirahara. “Art and I have played together for longer than I’ve played with any other musician (with the obvious exception of my husband, Jim). We have literally grown up together in music. And now, despite being trapped in our respective “other places” of Colorado and New York and separated by the Continental Divide, we are able to journey together through these musical meetings.”
 
Songs from Other Places includes interpretations of songs by Paul Simon ("American Tune"), Lennon & McCartney ("Blackbird") and Stevie Nicks ("Landslide"), as well as Gershwin, Weil, and Jobim. It also features “Les Voyages,” the poignant chanson from Quebecois songwriter, Raymond Lévesques. Completing the collection are two new songs written for her by Ishiguro and Tomlinson,  the haunting “Craigie Burn” and “Tango In Macao.” “It was Ishiguro who saw beyond my “American girl in Europe sings jazz story,” explains Stacey, who spent much of her adult life living abroad. “When we began working together as singer and lyricist, his lyrics gave voice to my wandering, restless spirit.”
 
This collection of songs not only finds Stacey taking her fans on a musical journey, it is also a musical expression of the sense of wanderlust that she inherited from her grandfather whose heart always pined for the France he left behind. “I inherited his sense that place and belonging were more than mere matters of physical location. They were matters of the imagination and of the heart.”

Stacey’s passion for music began in her childhood with piano lessons. A keen ear and true voice lead her to search out opportunities to express her love of music. However, nothing suggested the shift from the academic path to the path that propelled her to international recognition as one of the foremost jazz singers of her generation. With a catalogue of 11 studio albums, including the Platinum-selling, GRAMMY-nominated Breakfast On The Morning Tram (2007) and an impressive list of collaborations, Stacey has graced the stages of more than 55 countries over the course of her career.
 
Kent paid her dues in the jazz clubs of London, before releasing the first of a series of albums for the Candid label, beginning with Close Your Eyes in 1997. Her second album, The Tender Trap (1999) brought her to the attention of U.S. audiences with appearances on CBS Sunday Morning and NPR’s All Things Considered. Albums and awards followed, with Stacey winning the "Jazz Vocalist of the Year" at the BBC Jazz Awards. The Boy Next Door (2003) on Candid was her first album to achieve Gold status.
 
During this period, Stacey cemented her reputation as a singer capable of putting a distinctive stamp on an impressive repertoire of standards. Her ability to communicate emotion through a nuanced and minimalist approach was showcased on Jim Tomlinson’s album, The Lyric (2005), which was awarded “Album of The Year" at the 2006 BBC Jazz Awards.
 
With each successive album, Stacey’s style was becoming more honed as her artistic outlook broadened, leading her beyond the Great American Songbook to French chanson and Brazilian music, which formed an ever-larger part of her repertoire. However, it was in 2007, thanks to her collaborations with Ishiguro and Tomlinson, that she transformed almost overnight from being a singer of the Great American Songbook, to one with a highly distinctive and personal repertoire. The first collaboration between lyricist, Ishiguro, and composer, Tomlinson, “The Ice Hotel,”  won first prize in the jazz category of the International Songwriting Competition, and it was her first album for Blue Note, Breakfast On The Morning Tram that saw Jazz Times hailing it a “marvelously inventive launching pad for this bold, brave new Kent.” Since then, all of Stacey’s albums have been punctuated by original songs in English, French and Portuguese, composed by Tomlinson working alongside various lyricists, including the most recent, I Know I Dream (Sony 2017) which was awarded “Jazz Vocal Album of the Year” at the 2017 Jazz Japan Awards.
 
Though recorded from her studio in Colorado, Songs from Other Places is no solipsistic exercise but rather an expression of the common desire to launch ourselves once again into the world. “During these long months of lockdown, many of us have found a means of escape though music. And so, I invite you to join us in these Songs from Other Places, imagining other people, places and times.”- Stacey Kent

Unlimited Myles
Myles Weinstein, President

Season Sponsor

Venue Sponsor

Public Partners
City of Irvine and UC Irvine

Official Health Care Partner
UCI Health

Corporate Sponsor
Haskell & White LLP

$100,000+

Paul and Bonnie Lubock

$50, 000+

Tom and Mayumi Adams

Thomas Rogers and Sally Anderson

Worah Family Foundation

$25, 000-$49, 999

Clifford and Jennifer Cheng

Gerrit and Amy Cole Foundation

The Hiland Foundation

Bill and Carolyn Klein

The Richard and Elizabeth Steele Fund

Judy and Wes Whitmore

$10, 000 -$24,999

Gregory Bates and Joann Leatherby

Eugene and Carol Choi

Paul and Anne Devore

Farhang Foundation

David and Trudi Gartley

Mike Gordon

Haskell & White LLP

Harason Horowitz

Mark Chapin Johnson Foundation

Terry and Judy Jones

Mike Kerr and Jenny Backhaus

Jerry and Whitney Mandel

Goran Matijasevic

William and Janice Parker Family Fund

William and Pat Podlich

Robert E. Romney

Richard and Cheryll Ruszat – Montessori Schools of Irvine

Mary Watson-Bruce

Greg Zaret

$5, 000 - $9, 999

Stephen and Mary Auerbach

Robert and Lillyan Cendejas

Rohit Deshpande and Anita Watumull

Gary Fabian and Deb Solon

Chuck and Janet Henze

Jack and Joy Kayajanian

Robert Kazer and Jill Richter

Ken and Chantelle Labowe - Labowe Family Foundation

Josh Martin, Emerald Real Estate Partners, and Tom Politowski

Natalie Miles

Tom Newmeyer

Andrei Olenicoff Memorial Foundation

James and Lynn Payne

Jill M. Prentice

Christopher and Lynne Ramsey

Salwa Rizkalla

Adreana Souleles

Craig and Kirsten Springer

Alexander and Sachiyo Stimpson

Andrew Vollero

Ms. Renee Walter

Brian and Beth West

$2,500 - $4, 999

Terri Beber and Terry McDonald

Ellen Breitman and Brien Amspoker

Terry Causey

Alice and Dennis Creighton

Albert and Anne Encinias

Arlene and Steven Fienberg

Douglas and Kathleen Forde

Greg and Sumie Haase

Michael and Charisse Lyseight

Patricia M. McIntyre Foundation Fund at the Chicago Community Foundation

Mark J. Nielsen

Marcia Novegrod

Arthur Ong and Ginger Sun

Bill and Joyce Perrone

Ron and Jan Redmond

Bob and Jo Anne Simon

Eric and Donna Stovner

Robert Zasa and Judy Amiano

$1,000 -$2,499

Beth and Michael Adler

Charlotte W. and Richard D. Alexander Charitable Foundation

Scott and Katherine Arbuckle

Diane and Dennis Baker

Brad Crosley

Gail Doe

Jeanne Egasse and Boyd Philpot

Francis and Ruby Foo

David and Judy Fukuda

Stanford Gertler

Gary Good and Jackie Charnley

Roger and Patt Grable

Mary Graham

Geeta and Sanjiv Grover

Loren Hansen and Lorraine Caukin

Karen Kewell Jacoby

Dr. Elliott Kornhauser and Mr. Joe Baker

Rachel Levin

Lutz Moeckel

Janis and Dave Murray

James Pick and Rosalyn Laudati

Diana Putz

Josh and Carolyn Roberts

Phil and Joy Ruggiero

Arkady and Ella Serebryannik

Sally Anne and Don Sheridan

Walter and Masami Stahr

Robert and Veronica Start

CarolAnn Tassios

Michele and Irwin Walot

Kurt and Ellen Youngs

$500 -$999

Mark Achong

Dana and Angelika Aswad

John W. Ballantyne

Michelle Bentcliff and Ann Litke

Peter and Kari Bretschger

Wayne and Nancy Broadhag

Robert Cassidy

Esther Cervantes and Steve Rivero

Denise B. Chilcote

Michael and Melanie Cooper

Han Dinh and Martin Le

Joan Donahue

Ann Donat

Nancy Eisenberg

Christine Fluor and Walter Scacchi

Ian and Kari Gibson

S. Glass Family

Gleicher / Chen Family Foundation

Dr. and Mrs. Ben Goelman

The Gromfin Family

Marcus Hickerson

Kathleen Koch

John LaRue

John Long and Tamara Taylor

Patti Martinez

Mrs. Karen Martinez

Susan M. Mason

Duane and Kathleen Mauzey

Dr. & Mrs. John Middlebrooks

Philip and Pamela Milner

Kenneth Niedziela

Rey O'Day

Mike Peak

Bebe and Otto Reyer

Karen Rook

Jeff and Linda Schulein

Kent and Saudia Sentinella

Joe Simrell

Mr. & Mrs. Raymond Sutton

Dr. Anthony Vasek

Fred and Patricia Viele

Emily Crean Vogler

Gary and Cathy Wyatt

$250 - $499

The Aber Group Inc

Fredric and Lisa Albert

Mike Baginski and Kim Ling

Mrs. Kaui Balderston

George and Linda Bauer

Bruce Beckman

Pat Berry

William and Annette Blaney

Judy Bloomingdale

Ms. Nancy Braden

Scott Brinkerhoff

Mr. Jelle Brons

Sylvia Burnett

David and Lisa Butler

Luisa Cano

Robert and Valerie Carter

Michael Casey

Eileen and Henry Cohen

Anahid Crecelius

Mike Davis

Charles Davison

Myrtle Deakins

Mary Susan Denley

Mr. David Dijkstra

Don and Debra Drysdale

Kent and Irene Dunlap

Doug Elliott

Kelly YuehChun Feng

Joanne Fernbach

Kevin and Candice Gomez

Dan and Nicole Honigman

Harason Horowitz and Mark Chapin Johnson

Melvin and Hazel Hoshiko

Korey Jorgensen

Jessica Kaltman

Arlene Kato and Mike Kurihara

Judy Kaufman

Kerry Krisher

Bruce Larson

Michael Lawler

Vicki and Richard Lee

Robert and Kathy Lopez

Edward Luedke

Capt. Kevin M. Mac Donnell

Dr. Frank and Mrs. Linda Meyskens

William D. Miller and Florence E. Miller

Daniel Morrison

Ms. Maryellen Musgrave

Susan O'Brien

Cyrus Parker-Jeannette

Jorge Perez Valdes

Brad Rawlins

Kenneth Reinhard and Julia Reinhard Lupton

Mr. and Mrs. Rivadeneyra

Dr. Stephen Rochford

Paul Schmidhauser and Cindy Hughes

Kris and Geraldine Shah

Richard and Ann Sim

Gary and Melanie Singer Charitable Fund

Dorothy J. Solinger

Tina Sommers-Bernhardt

Daniel and Jeanne Stokols

Sullivan Family

Kim Tang

Cindy Tyan

Alvin Umeda

Jeanne Villacorte

Beth Waterman

Carl and Deborah Weinert

Mark and Lou-Ann Weltman

Hemantha and Sophie Wickramasinghe

Jim and Sandra Williams

Dexter and Gisele Winzey

Kelley Yasbek

Andy and Wendy Yurcho

$100-$249

Brian and Gloria Abrams

Susan Adleman

Hoku and Kalani Aichele

Lillian Aranda

Theresa Battel

Rosanne and William Beam

Melissa Beck and Daniel Pugh

Sally Bender

Stephen and Susan Billard

Chris Blank and Josie Badeaux

Mr. Paul Blank

Carol Boot-Storie

Kerry and Paul Boulian

Mr. and Mrs. J. Boyer

William and Lindsay Brennan

Mr. Steven Brenneis

Dawn Burdick

Mr. & Mr. Christopher Cabrera

Peggy Campbell

Dr. Michael Cater, MD

Ms. Sarah Chamberlain

Patrick J. Chambers

Grace Chen

Jeff Corp

David Coscia and Mark Armstrong

Vivian Daniel

RJ, Rita, and Timmy De Rama

In Memory of Irene DeNoia

Ernest Duarte

Ron and May Duff

Peggie Fariss

Mr. Kevin Finley

Aviva and Fred Forster

Ms. Ellen Fujikawa

Eileen Garbutt

Charles Gates

Mr. John Gibbs

Manuel Godoy

Michael and Kristina Golden

Anna Gonosova

Ms. Judith Guffey

Patricia Hansen

Gayle and Phil Harp

Sheila and Hal Harrison

Jennifer Hart

Fred and Cheryl Heinecke

Edwin Henderson

Julie Hill

Ms. Jan Hirsch

Peter Holden and Angela Howley-Holden

Holmes Family

Rita B Hopper

Dr. Dena Hulbert

Mr. Simon Huttegger

W. Itoga & Sons

Gary Jackson and Linda Globerman Jackson

Laurie Jacobs

Jasbir Nami Kaur

Kyle and Cherrill Kawakami

John Keating

Mrs. Patricia Keenan

Kenneth Keller

Audrey Kapelinski

Lynne Koffler

Colin and Joan Koransky

Karen Kotake

Angela Kraus

Mr. Richard Krey

Jennifer and Robert Langer

Robert and Karen Lechich

Cheryl and James Lewis

Amy Li

Dave and Jennifer Link

Anne Llewellyn

Willard and Bettina Loomis

Ramon Lugo

Ms. Helene Luley

Lorena Mague

Dr. Sari Mahon

Ms. Amira Mansour

Milena Marsico

Christine A. Marx

Thomas and Glynett Mcteer

Erica Morikawa

Elaine and Cameron Mummery

Mr. Ramon Munoz

Ms. Barbara Musil

Ms. Elizabeth Olson

Virginia Olson

Tilden and Lisa Osako

Judy Oswald

Lauren and Richard Packard

Tom and Diane Pardue

Gerald Parham

Thomas and Davida Parham

Karin S. Paul

Ms. Julie Patterson

Dr. Dolly Platt

Paul Ramey

Elaine Ramsay

Anita and Bruce Reisman

Dennis and Marie Richman

Paul and Kristen Schmidt

Jack and Katharine Schoellerman

Jill Sekiguchi, DDS

George Sidorakis

Tom Slickelman

John L. Smith and Mary Anne Anthony-Smith

Jack and Molly Spiegel

Michael and Marilyn Staffieri

Ingrid Strayer

D. Stroebel

John and Margaret Sun

James and Nadine Turner

Margaret Vaneck

Joanne Vargas

Linda Venezia

Kathy Vickers

Elliot Vogelfanger

David and Renee Warren

Philip and Judith Westin

Bruce and Susie White

Steven and Elizabeth White

Henry and Yen Yang Wu

Susan Yee

Hoku and Mark Aichele

Kaui Balderston

Gregory Bates and Joann

Leatherby

Melissa Beck and Daniel Pugh

Rachel Berman and David Finch

Paul Blank

Mr. and Mrs. J. Boyer

Nancy and Wayne Broadhag

David Coscia and Mark

Armstrong

Vivian Daniel

Charles and Maureen Davison

RJ, Rita, and Timmy De Rama

Eduardo and Elsie Espinosa

Judith Guffey

Roger and Patt Grable

Kevin and Candice Gomez

Paul and Marilynn Gushard

Patricia Hansen

Gayle and Phil Harp

Lisa Hudson

Kyle and Cherrill Kawakami

Karen Kotake

Lorena Mague

Janis and Dave Murray

Hon. Julie A. C. Owen

Julie Patterson

Christopher and Lynne Ramsey

Brad and Susie Rawlins

Jill Sekiguchi

Traci Shirachi and Cory Chhiap

Michael and Marilyn Staffieri

Tom Slickelman

Fred and Patricia Viele

David and Renee Warren

Bruce and Susie White

Roxanne Wong

Andrew and Wendy Yurcho