'JazzTimes' calls Jacqui Naylor "an incomparable triple threat, serving up classic covers with the best of them, delivering top drawer originals and inspiring with the musical marriage she calls acoustic smashing." Indeed this San Francisco-based vocalist may be best known for her technique of singing a jazz standard over a rock classic or vice versa, yet she has been equally praised for her original music and sensitive treatment of jazz ballads. She released her fifth recording, The Color Five, in 2007 in the United States, Europe and Japan and tours regularly. This is her debut appearance at Unterfahrt where she promises a groove-infused evening of jazz and rock.
With The Color Five, Naylor has created an eclectic yet seamless recording of five originals, five covers, and five of her trademark "acoustic smashes." Acoustic smashing is a technique invented by Naylor, and is the singing of a rock tune over a jazz standard or vice versa. "There is true genius at work here," claims legendary DJ Ken Dashow from New York's only classic rock station, Q-104. For example, Naylor sings the American Songbook classic "Summertime" over the music from The Allman Brothers' southern rock classic "Whipping Post." Another surprising "acoustic smash" on the new album is U2's "I Still Haven't Found What I'm Looking For" sung over Miles Davis' "All Blues."
"I wanted to blend genre in the interest of storytelling and bring out all of who I am and who we are as a band," said Naylor. Her quintet includes Jacqui on vocals; co-writer and co-producer Art Khu on piano and guitar; Jon Evans on bass, Josh Jones on drums, and Yoon Ki Chai on violin. Working with this group was a thrill for Naylor; she added, "We had a blast making this recording!"
The Color Five follows Naylor's four previous releases. She received critical acclaim for her self-titled debut CD in 1999 and for her follow-up CD in 2001 entitled Live at the Plush Room. Her 2003 release, Shelter prompted Vogue en Espanol to call her "the new voice of jazz and pop" and JazzTimes deemed her "the next-big thing with originals that are Joni Mitchell good."
Her breakthrough fourth release, a double-live CD entitled Live East/West, was released in 2005, and includes original works, jazz standards, and the debut of "acoustic smashes." One of the smashes featured on that album featured "My Funny Valentine" sung over AC/DC's "Back in Black," a crowd favorite at Naylor's live shows.
The Color Five is just the next step on Jacqui's successful path, one that has taken many twists and turns along the way. Raised in Saratoga, CA, Naylor first became interested in music through her parents' collection of antique automated instruments and vintage jazz recordings. While learning songs from mechanical drums, music boxes, and player pianos of the 1930s, she didn't realize her tastes were not exactly contemporary. Jacqui explains, "I didn't think this was old music, just what I liked and listened to."
Although she sang in musicals and talent shows during high school, Jacqui put her desire to perform aside and pursued a traditional college degree in marketing at San Francisco State University. But after listening to a recording of Sarah Vaughan singing Gershwin in a music appreciation class, she recognized that music was indeed her true passion. In 1991 she began studying with renowned San Francisco vocal coach Faith Winthrop, and continued to do so for the next four years.
Simultaneously, Jacqui worked full-time as the director of marketing for clothing designer Lat Naylor. She spent her spare time honing her vocal skills through lessons and by singing as a soloist with the Sacred Heart Gospel Choir. She also trained with Shirley Calloway (Anne Hampton Calloway's mother). In 1997 Jacqui returned to San Francisco with one thing on her mind: to make singing her full-time career.
It didn't take long for jazz community to embrace Jacqui Naylor. Phil Elwood of the San Francisco Examiner described her distinct sound, which reminisces the bygone days of jazz greats, as "Billie Holiday's inflections and a touch of June Christy." But Jacqui's gospel-influence is just as recognizable, especially in jazz interpretations of her own generation's music and her originals. It's this combination of past, present, and future that explains her ability to attract old-time aficionados, new jazz enthusiasts, and fans of modern adult pop music. As Cabaret Magazine puts it, "She can make you sway gently with a blues-flavored melody, heat up a room with a strong R&B sound and then cool it right down with a smoothness that slides gently into your ear."
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Like Someone in Love
Jacqui Naylor Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Hearing guitars like someone in love
Sometimes the things I do well they astound me
Mostly whenever you're around me
Lately I seem to walk as though I had wings
I Bump into things like someone in love
And each time I look at you, I'm limp as a glove
Lately I find myself out gazing at stars
Hearing guitars like someone in love
Sometimes the things I do well they astound me
Mostly whenever you're around me
Lately I seem to walk as though I had wings
I bump into things like someone in love
Each time I look at you, I'm limp as a glove
Oh feeling like someone
Feeling like someone in love
These lyrics from Jacqui Naylor's song "Like Someone in Love" depict the feeling of being completely enamored with someone. The singer is so in love with the person they are with that they feel like they are walking on air, and even when they are not with them, they cannot help but think about them (gazing at stars, hearing guitars). The singer is both surprised and impressed by themselves, as they seem to be making rash decisions and acting impulsively, all because of their love for this person.
The repetition of the verses and the chorus throughout the song, with minimal variation, emphasizes the single-minded and repetitive nature of being in love. The simplicity of the lyrics further highlights the purity and intensity of the singer's emotions. The last line, "feeling like someone in love," is repeated twice, driving home the point that the singer is completely consumed by their love.
Overall, "Like Someone in Love" is a romantic and heartwarming song about being deeply in love with someone and the joy and elation that comes with it.
Line by Line Meaning
Lately I find myself out gazing at stars
Recently, I have been frequently found looking up at the stars with deep thought and contemplation.
Hearing guitars like someone in love
When I hear the sound of guitars, I feel an intense desire for love and romance.
Sometimes the things I do well they astound me
Occasionally, my own actions surprise me with their level of skill and ability.
Mostly whenever you're around me
But mostly, this feeling of amazement and wonder comes when you are near me.
Lately I seem to walk as though I had wings
Recently, I have been walking with lightness and grace as though I am soaring through the air.
I bump into things like someone in love
As a result of being so smitten, I often find myself bumping into objects and getting distracted.
Each time I look at you, I'm limp as a glove
Every time I gaze upon your beauty, I become weak and powerless like a limp glove.
Oh feeling like someone
This emotional state that I am experiencing is that of love and affection.
Feeling like someone in love
I am deeply in love with you and this feeling consumes me entirely.
Lyrics © O/B/O APRA AMCOS
Written by: Jimmy Van Heusen
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind