Herzen & Moffett Will Perform An Online Residency Tour

As Covid has eliminated touring for new releases Herzen and Moffett will take their road show online via Motema's Facebook channel. Each show will be posted for 24 hours, and will come down before the new show posts. The final show in the run on July 31 will also serve as a release celebration for the new Herzen single Kapaolioka'Ehukai which tells the beautiful, and larger than life story of Hawaiian surfing legend Rell Sunn.

Multiple new national media placements have coincided with the July release of Jana Herzen and Charnett Moffett's acclaimed acoustic duo album 'Round the World. In a WBGO Take Five pick, Nate Chinen described the project as "...a singer-songwriter album informed by jazz protocols," and praised, "the electric bass playing feels both foundational and annotative, while the singing and guitar playing hold down the center." Chinen's full write-up is below.

Although the duo recorded this before the Covid-19 pandemic, the album's themes feel appropriate for these troubled times and help provide a healing antidote to the isolation, disconnection and fear for the future that so many are feeling. Herzen and Moffett will be sharing performances online to support Round The World.
There are original songs and sophisticated cover versions of Joni Mitchell's Both Sides Now, Lennon & McCartney's Blackbird, Roberta Flack's Killing Me Softly and Rainbow Connection - originally recorded by Kermit the frog in The Muppet Movie!

On July 3rd (the album's digital release date,) Herzen and Moffett were invited to celebrate with a live streaming concert on Blue Note At Home, and the appearance has already garnered over 14,000 views. Watch it here:
https://www.facebook.com/BlueNoteNYC/videos/1195176767484462/?v=1195176767484462

On July 17th (the album's physical release date,) the duo will perform an online release concert hosted by Jazz Corner and Herzen's Motéma label. The live event kicks off at 8pm EST, streaming live from facebook.com/motema and facebook.com/jazz.

In a livestreamed performance and interview with Brian Zimmerman on JAZZIZ Last Call, the duo discussed the project and also revealed the joyful news of their marriage just before the pandemic struck. Watch the full livestream, here:
https://www.jazziz.com/jazziz-last-call-jana-herzen-charnett-moffett/ <https://www.jazziz.com/jazziz-last-call-jana-herzen-charnett-moffett/>

For many in jazz's orbit, Jana Herzen is best known as a founder of Motéma Records, while Charnett Moffett will always be the bassist who managed to gel with both Wynton Marsalis and Ornette Coleman. But there's more to the story, of course, and a good place to start is their new album, 'Round the World.

Essentially a singer-songwriter album informed by jazz protocols, 'Round the World includes homespun versions of Joni Mitchell's "Both Sides Now" and the Muppet classic "Rainbow Connection." On a song called "Far Away," composed by Shakara Mutela with lyrics by Herzen, the electric bass playing feels both foundational and annotative, while the singing and guitar playing hold down the center. And if you're noticing a particular simpatico between Herzen and Moffett, that only makes sense: they got married this past spring.

On 'Round the World, Herzen and Moffett marry innovation with nostalgia as they shape shift from folk to jazz to reggae to Afro-beat and beyond. With freshly imagined takes on classic 20th Century hits by Joni Mitchell, Men at Work, The Beatles, Roberta Flack, Maria Muldaur and Kermit the Frog, plus five strong originals by Herzen,

'ROUND THE WORLD is quirky, smart, sophisticated, and sincere. The recording catches lightning in a bottle as these long-term creative partners charmingly finish each other's musical sentences on outstanding duo arrangements.. In these times of stress, isolation, fear and confusion, Herzen and Moffett offer a breath of fresh air, and a journey of understated joy and soulful communion, in a groove-solid yet dreamy aural landscape. Private streaming link to the full album is here: https://bit.ly/2AdOJIk.

Herzen comments "We are pleased we got to celebrate Independence Day with the release of 'Round The World - our musical affirmation that we are not only citizens of America but also citizens of the world. Hopefully, one day soon, we will be free again to travel 'round the world, to share music and spread good cheer and healing vibes." Moffett comments, "In a year when we have all had to socially distance, we really hope our music will help give people some uplifting feelings of love, honesty, spiritual sensitivity, and respect."

Just as the duo began releasing singles for Round the World, Shelter in Place orders were given, so they switched gears and began presenting a 'Living Room Series', of live videos of their singles. The series may be seen on Herzen's YouTube Channel. The most recent addition is their fresh take on Joni Mitchell's gem, 'Both Sides Now', which they set to a swing/reggae/country groove. LINK: https://bit.ly/2ZIv8up

In France, Jazz at Six praised the album as "magnificent" in a new review, describing Moffett as "remarkable" and stating that Herzen evokes Laura Nyro and Joni Mitchell. Full review (in French): https://bit.ly/2ZHMBTK.

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