November 15th will see the official release of Simple Life in Europe through Jammincolors Records and L’Autre Distribution. To celebrate the release I’ll be doing a series of special performances in France and Belgium.

Joining me will be Jim Ridl on Piano, Reggie Washington on bass and Dutch drummer Yoran Vroom. I hope to be able to see you at one of the dates below.

November 26, 2019 – Sunset-Sunside (Paris)
November 30, 2019 – L’osons Jazz Club (Lurs France)
December 1, 2019 – L’archiduc (Brussels)

“Simple Life” was recorded with Jim Ridl on piano, Dean Johnson on bass, Tim Horner on drums and features the famous vibraphonist Joe Locke as special guest on four tracks. The songs included on “Simple Life” not only look back, paying tribute to the tradition, they also look forward reaching outside the traditional boundaries of the genre. On the album, Paul takes his hand to a number of songs written by Lennon and McCartney, Dylan, Sonny Rollins, Ray Nobel, Duke Ellington, Jerome Kern and a couple of his originals, bringing a fresh approach while at the same time respecting their history and place in the American Songbook.

In September I’ll be appearing in Los Angeles and appreciate that Doc Wendell of LA Jazz Scene recently reviewed my new CD, “Simple Life. We’ll be publishing the LA Dates as soon as possible so watch this space….

Here is a snippet of the review. You can read the full review on the LA Jazz Scene Website Here.

By Doc Wendell
Paul Jost has proven to be one of the most enthralling and soulful voices in jazz today. His second album Simple Life gives his fans a deeper glimpse into his genius. This latest recording features a wide range of material from The Beatles to Sonny Rollins. Jost is joined by Jim Ridl on acoustic piano and synth, Dean Johnson, acoustic bass, Tim Horner, Drums and percussion and a gust appearance by the great Joe Locke on vibes.

The album kicks off with a swinging version of the Beatles “Blackbird” which features Jost’s amazing scat singing and Joe Locke on vibes. This is followed by “If I Only Had A Brain” by Harold Arlen and Yip Harburg. Yost’s vocal phrasing is phenomenal as is his harmonica work. Jost’s reading of Duke Ellington’s “Caravan” is burning. Here you’ll hear some of the greatest scat singing put down on record. The band is adventurous and rhythmic. The addition of Joe Locke is a real treat.

Read the full review here on the LA Jazz Scene Website.

I’m so honored to announce that the Quartet (Jim Ridl, Dean Johnson, Tim Horner) and I have been selected by the U.S. State Departments prestigious American Music Abroad program for 2019. What this means is that we will tour internationally representing our country playing concerts and giving masterclasses.

The American Music Abroad program is designed to communicate America’s rich musical contributions to the global music scene as it fosters cross-cultural communication and people-to-people connection to global audiences. These tours focus on younger and under-served audiences in over 40 countries around the world with little or no access to live American musical performances. On their website, they say “American Music Abroad ensembles are currently expected to travel in Africa, Asia, the Middle East, Central and South America and Eastern Europe.” Exactly where we will be going is not yet known but as soon as the details are locked in, we’ll let you know.

Before we head off to parts unknown we will also partake in an American Music Abroad “@Home program” in Washington, D.C., which includes performances and workshops at schools in under-served communities, immigrant community centers and foreign embassies.

My deepest appreciation to Dean Johnson and Tim Horner, and especially Jim and Kathy Ridl for leading us here. It took everyone’s hard work and dedication to make this happen and I couldn’t feel more proud or honored for this privilege.

More Information about the program and the other ensembles that have been selected can be found at their website.

Here’s what Broadway World had to say about it …

“Jazz Philadelphia, the non-profit organization created to promote Philadelphia’s thriving jazz scene and prolific jazz history, is proud to announce that two local artists – Paul Jost and Laurin Talese — have been selected to be among 17 U.S. bands representing the diversity of American music to embark on two-week international tours in 2019-2020 as part of the American Music Abroad (AMA) international cultural exchange. AMA, created in 1957, is an initiative of the U.S. Department of State’s Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs, implemented by the Association of American Voices. AMA fosters cross-cultural connections while showcasing America’s rich and diverse musical traditions to a global audience.

After competitive auditions, Vineland, NJ’s Paul Jost and Philadelphia’s Laurin Talese, will be a part of AMA, representing the genre of Jazz for the United States. During their tours, the bands will collaborate with local musicians, hold workshops and classes, and perform at community events. Final bands were chosen through a rigorous application and audition process. The AMA judging panel selected 45 bands to audition live from an application pool of nearly 250 bands representing 34 states. The finalists were evaluated for musical talent and their commitment to outreach and education, which will be significant elements of their programming overseas.

Read the Full Article Here…..

Last week I had the Honor of doing and Interview and playing 3 tunes with Jim Ridl, Dean Johnson live in the studios of WBGO in New Jersey. It aired last Sunday on Michael’s show. As I was writing to thank them this morning, Gary (unknown to me) was playing “Blackbird” at the same time! What a way to start the day!! Thank you WBGO!!

For those that missed the show on Sunday, WBGO put up the podcast of the segment on their website. There’s a excerpt of the article below and you can listen to the Podcast Here.

I want to thank Gary Walker, Michael Bourne, Cory and everyone at WBGO Jazz 88.3 for making us all feel so welcome.

Paul Jost Celebrates the ‘Simple Life’ with a Session on Singers Unlimited.

By Michael Bourne – First published on the WBGO Website

For a couple of years, before I heard Paul Jost singing, I heard about Paul Jost — from other singers!

Jost sings a residency every last Wednesday at 55 Bar. He came to WBGO to sing with a couple of the players on his new album, Simple Life: pianist Jim Ridl and bassist Dean Johnson.

Jost’s voice is lyrical but with a breezy rasp. He’s always very emotional, always telling the story of a song. And he tells stories all across the musical spectrum on Simple Life — from “Caravan” to “If I Only Had a Brain” from The Wizard of Oz; from Jerome Kern and Ray Noble standards to Bob Dylan and Beatles songs.

One highlight is the rapturous folk anthem “Shenendoah.” Another is the song “Everybody’s Talkin” from the movie Midnight Cowboy. Jost sings the latter as a remembrance of Mark Murphy, with whom he played drums and from whom he learned so much about singing. Murphy’s last years were troubled; he was misdiagnosed with dementia. Jost sings as if hanging on to his sanity and his soul.

Here are Jost and his accompanists performing the standard “Young and Foolish.”

Listen to the Podcast here.

Here are some photos from the session taken by Sharla Feldscher.

On August 1st and 2nd of 2018 I experienced the joy of recording with Jim Ridl, Dean Johnson, Tim Horner and my very special guest artist on four tracks, Joe Locke. These extraordinary musicians and dear friends (along with engineer Chris Sulit) shared their boundless talent and love in realizing one of the greatest dreams of my life, the making of “Simple Life”.

Today I’m thrilled to announce that the Album is now available in all the stores. For all my European friends the album is available on all the digital platforms and the CD will be available in the stores on November 15 2019.

The idea was born by my dad who always said, “This whole thing (life) is about common sense, and sometimes the hardest thing about living- is just to live-without complicating things”. I learn more each day that sometimes you just have to let life come to you.

The album is eclectic in both song and treatment and includes music by Lennon and McCartney, Dylan, Fred Neil, Sonny Rollins, Ray Nobel, Harold Arlen, Duke Ellington, Jerome Kern and couple of my originals. Though eclectic, there’s a beautiful continuity with this sensitive and cohesive ensemble who interpret and lift my arrangements to heights far from the written page. We all share in the framing and telling of the story and when it’s time to burn, we do. The CD closes with “Livin’ in the Wrong Time”. ” A song I wrote 25 years ago and yet, regrettably, remains relevant. I hope it soon serves as a marker of an ancient time too inconceivable to comprehend, when a broken union derailed and found itself turning away from a natural course aimed toward enlightenment.

Earlier this month we played at Mezzrow and I was so moved to see all the people that came out on such a cold night in New York.  Didn’t take long for the guys to heat it up inside.  After the set I spoke with Brian Pace from the Pace Report. What a thoughtful and prepared interviewer. Not long ago I wrote a post about the romance of the underground and where I so often find myself.  Check out the interview.  We’re definitely underground where it’s unadorned and real, just the way I like it.  Just like Brian Pace.

The Pace Report: “Livin’ The Single Life” The Paul Jost Interview from The Pace Report on Vimeo.

You can’t begin to imagine how honored I am to be featured in this issue of Jazz in Europe!  Deepest thanks to Andrew, Nigel J. Farmer and all those at the magazine for their amazing work and support of the music and those who create it. You can view the online version below and if you want to buy a hard copy (which is beautiful!) you can order online here.

Hello Everyone. Well the day is almost here for us to launch our new CD “Simple Life”. I’m so proud of this work that includes my dear friends and great musicians: Jim Ridl, Dean Johnson, Tim Horner and my special guest Joe Locke.

I hope you’ll come celebrate with Jim, Dean, Tim and me at Mezzrow on March 12th and on March 31st from 6-9 at my home away from home The 55 Bar. There are simply too many people to thank in the realization of this dream (but they’re all in my heart and listed on the CD) See you there! You can check out the album here at my website or pre-order on Bandcamp.

I’d like to thank Gwen Kelly and Seton Hawkins at Hot House Magazine for giving some attention to these gigs and of course for your kind words. I’m humbled. You can check out the whole piece on the Hot House Website.

Thanksgiving is but one time to express gratitude. Right now, I can barely contain my appreciation for all that surrounds me, and it becomes more humbling as I seem to grow older and younger at the same time…

As always it starts with my family who blossom in love and grow closer in the most wondrous ways. Then there are my musical families who take me to places I can’t imagine on my own, and friendships that expand with those offering gifts without strings. And, of course, my team who work harder for me than they do for themselves and who keep me at a loss to adequately express my thanks.

TJP with Tony Miceli and Kevin MacConnell continues to roll strong with the release of our latest CD “Peace and Love” featuring Doug Hirlinger and Joel Frahm with performance stops at Eagles Mere (in the Poconos), Temple University, Musikfest in Bethlehem, PA and more to come.

My love affair with 55 Bar on the last Wednesday of each month remains the greatest launching point I could hope for. Some highlights this year were performances at the Rochester International Jazz Festival (both with my quartet featuring Jim Ridl, Dean Johnson, Tim Horner) and also as a guest of Joe Locke’s. Joe’s generosity also extended by inviting me to sing with him at Dizzy’s in Lincoln Center. With the help and kindness of so many I performed at Mezzrow, Maureen’s Jazz Cellar, Pierre Hotel, Poli Club, North Square, Jazz at Kitano, Deer Head Inn and also had the honor to sing with Houston Person at the Michener Museum with Matt Parrish. Heady stuff for me not to mention continuing opportunities to sing and explore with Orrin Evans, Gary Versace and Steve Rudolph. Teaching at West Chester University Jazz Camp was even more satisfying and connective as the camp grows bigger each year. There are wonderful things already on the books for 2019 including an invitation to perform at the Pittsburgh International Jazz Festival in June as well as the launch of my new CD “Simple Life”. But before that there’s December, and in addition to “Jazz Nites” in Princeton, NJ and a host of many favorite spots in NY that month, I’ll be at the Blue Note Sunday Brunch on the 16th for the very first time!

I’m overjoyed by a hope filled life that also shares moments of sadness and disappointment, but all can be gifts and I take none of it for granted because I know how deeply lucky and blessed I am to be here.

Love,
Paul