Jimmy Kraft

Jimmy Kraft
Lilacs EP

Release date: 11/05/2021

Slow & Steady Records announces the release of singer-songwriter and multi-instrumentalist Jimmy Kraft’s new Lilacs EP. The three-song release draws from Kraft’s own experiences of love and life, channelled through his reverence of plants and their symbolism – the outward, gilded beauty of “Stonefruit”, the familial and endearing “Sweet Pea”, and the dichotomy of new love and a broken heart in the title track, “Lilacs.” “I’m fascinated by the way language absorbs our culture’s surroundings,” shares Kraft. “And since all civilizations have been surrounded by plants, it makes sense that we’d develop strong conceptual associations between them and our uniquely human experiences.”

An accomplished jazz artist at his core, Kraft sets aside both his saxophone and piano on Lilacs EP, and instead shapes the music through organic and soulful songwriting, meticulous arranging and composing, and his own warm voice coupled with crafty lyricism. In this way, Lilacs EP is the most ambitious statement from Kraft to date, as he fearlessly melds his studied background in vocal jazz and contemporary soul with modern jazz, pop song forms, classical impressionism, and wind orchestration. “We don’t just hit a vibe and maintain it,” Kraft notes. “Every section plays a distinct role, and the music flows dynamically from start to finish.”

Kraft achieves this dynamism by linking up with the Bay Area’s best young musical minds. The telepathic rhythm section of Javier Santiago (keyboards), Giulio Xavier Cetto (bass), and Michael Mitchell (drums) hit all the breaks and nuances effortlessly, and the quartet of horns – Daniel Herrera (trumpet), Rob Ewing (trombone), John Palowitch (alto sax), and Andrew Dixon (tenor sax) – weave from intricate and dense ensemble sections, to inspired solos that elevate, while still playing a role in the music’s arc. But what really stands out about Lilacs EP is Kraft’s own sultry, personable voice, drawing the listener in with heartfelt stories about lived, authentic experiences that feel universal.

All vocals: Jimmy Kraft
Piano: Javier Santiago
Bass: Giulio Xavier Cetto
Drums: Michael Mitchell

Alto sax: John Palowitch
Tenor sax: Andrew Dixon
Trumpet: Dan Herrera
Trombone: Rob Ewing

Recorded, mixed, and mastered by Jeff Kolhede at 25th St. Studios