There’s nothing like country music in the summer right? A nice southern drawl, some Americana nostalgia and a little heartbreak in the lyrics certainly gets me feeling some type of way. But have you ever thought about combining country and jazz music together? Jazz Journal’s Valentina Addis writes that such a combination is arguably a risk, but Night is Alive pulled it off with their 2021 album, Cryin’ In My Whiskey.

“Cryin’ In My Whiskey effortlessly amalgamates both genres in a setlist of familiar country favourites,” writes Addis. “Led by Siegel’s powerful vocals, the clear narrative often associated with country music weaves itself throughout the album, creating a great combination of emotions for the listener.”

Cryin’ In My Whiskey, a collection of nine reimagined country favorites, is performed by world-class jazz artists: Janis Siegel (vocals), John di Martino (piano), and Lonnie Plaxico (bass), along with saxophonist Harry Allen, Jesse Lewis (guitar), Ross Pederson (drums), Aaron Heick (flute and saxophone), and Amy Cervini (backup vocals). But who are these artists and what exactly went into the making of this innovating, yet easy listening, album?

Over the past four and a half decades, the voice of Janis Siegel, a nine-time Grammy winner and a seventeen-time Grammy nominee, has been an undeniable force in The Manhattan Transfer’s diverse musical catalog. Alongside her career as a founding member of this musical institution, Siegel has also sustained a solo career that has spawned almost a dozen finely-crafted solo albums and numerous collaborative projects, amassed a large international fan base and garnered consistently high critical praise.

John di Martino is a composer, arranger, jazz pianist, producer and educator, based in New York City. He is described as a “shape-shifter,” for his creativity across musical genres. John composed the music for the documentary series “A Glimpse Of Paradise” (Prospera Medienproduktion), aired on Europe’s Arte Channel, and music for the video games “Batman: The Telltale Series.” John has recorded numerous CDs on the High Note and Venus Records (Japan) labels as a leader, and with Freddy Cole, Gloria Lynn, Houston Person, and Nicki Parrott.

Chicago-born Lonnie Plaxico inherited a gift for music that was discovered and nurtured early. At the age of just fourteen, having already performed alongside several prominent Chicago jazz figures, Plaxico turned professional, playing the electric and acoustic bass with equal facility. He has appeared with such luminaries as Sonny Sitt, Junior Cook, David Murray, Alice Coltrane, Stanley Turrentine, Joe Sample, Abbey Lincoln, and Dizzy Gillespie. He has also recorded five critically acclaimed albums as leader. Lonnie Plaxico’s musicianship is probably best expressed in his masterful integration of different forms — combining the rigorous technique of classical, the improvisation of jazz, and the rawness of funk into one exhilarating musical experience.

To get a taste of Cryin’ In My Whiskey, here’s a few tracks:

Whenever You Come Around – Janis Siegel, John di Martino, Lonnie Plaxico & others

In the Jazz Journal, Valentina Addis writes that this opening number, a cover of Vince Gill’s 90s country classic, creates a “chilled, laid-back effect.” She also writes that “Siegel’s interpretations throughout the album are no karaoke performance, but rather an accomplishment of stylistic freshness, almost as if the tracks were intended to be interpreted this way.”

Always On My Mind – Janis Siegel, John di Martino, Lonnie Plaxico & others

Valentina Addis of Jazz Journal writes that she was surprised by the decision to include Always On My Mind, since it has an infamous history of interpretations from Willie Nelson to The Pet Shop Boys. But Addis writes, “Once again Siegel’s approach breathes new life into the melody, accompanied by a reduced, subtle accompaniment over characteristically jazzy harmonies and rhythms.”

To see the full setlist and learn more about Cryin’ In My Whiskey, see the album page here. And to learn more about Janis Siegel, see this Q&A we did with her back in 2021, and also this Q&A too!

Check out this music and more on Night is Alive’s albums page.

written by Jacqueline Knirnschild