Music Blog

There's a different kind of new release on the way from Portland's Nick Jaina. The prolific singer-songwriter returns soon on Bladen County with The Beanstalks That Have Brought Us Here Are Gone, but his familiar croon will be nowhere on it. Instead, he enlisted ten distinct female voices to replace his own on the original collection, which began as a leftover or two from his previous release A Bird in the Opera House. Laura Gibson, Corrina Repp (Tu Fawning), Amanda Spring (Point Juncture, WA), and Luz Mendoza (Y La Bamba) are among those included, some amongst Jaina's original arrangements, but others changing that up entirely for their purpose.

We're pleased to bring you this first taste, that finds Jaina collaborating with former Portlander Jolie Holland (who has a new album on the way herself). "You Were So Good to Me" pairs Holland's whiskeyed warble with a mid-tempo shuffle and a chorus of trumpets, the results sounding like a resurrected, revamped classic-- Chet Baker is somewhere wishing he'd done this first.

MP3: Nick Jaina feat. Jolie Holland - "You Were So Good to Me"

 

Haven't seen Nick Jaina around Portland lately? He's been holed up in New York City in recent weeks, working on a collaboration with dancers from the New York City Ballet and singers from the Julliard School of Music (however, he's still finding some time for a few west coast dates this spring and summer).

Look for The Beanstalks That Have Brought Us Here Are Gone to be out soon. In the meantime, here's the full tracklist:

1. When the Blind Man Rings That Bell (featuring Kaylee Cole)
2. You Were So Good To Me (featuring Jolie Holland)
3. Once But Never Again (featuring Luzelena Mendoza from Y La Bamba)
4. Whiskey Riddle (featuring Annalisa Tornfelt from Black Prairie)
5. James (featuring Johanna Kunin)
6. The President of the Chess Club (featuring Amanda Spring from Point Juncture WA)
7. Ortolan (featuring Myshkin)
8. Missing Awhile (featuring Corrina Repp from Tu Fawning)
9. Awake When I'm Sleeping (featuring Audie Darling)
10. No One Gives Their Heart Away (featuring Laura Gibson)

Previously: 
Nick Jaina in-studios, 1/25/08 and 3/12/10
Jolie Holland in-studio, 10/9/08

Audio Files

Tagged: mp3, exclusive