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Indie.jazz siren Amy Jo Lomas will celebrate the release of her debut EP, Sunday Matinee On Fire, on Wednesday, June 20th at Los Angeles' Aura Nightclub. The self-taught pianist began composing instrumental pieces at 15 and has been shaping her unique musical style since. Combining Brazilian influences like Bebel Gilberto with vocal styling reminiscent of Sia
Furler (Zero 7, Sia), Amy Jo brings a convincing indie.jazz swagger to Sunday Matinee On Fire.
Amy Jo made the decisive move to Los Angeles from Boston in 2005 to attend the Musician's Institute in Hollywood. After cutting her teeth at MI and performing at numerous clubs in LA,
Amy Jo will be taking Sunday Matinee On Fire back home with several tour dates along the east coast including Boston and New York City.
"(Her) music is classic and timeless," says Bernie Becker, of Bernie Becker Mastering at the renowned Firehouse Recording Studios in Pasadena. "I can picture myself still listening to this in ten years."
Divasonic and Mette Skou will join Amy Jo for the release party, with
DJAmyx closing the evening's events.
1. Do you believe what you do as an artists advance women as a whole?
As a female artist, I try to support and promote other female artists who I admire. I love sharing new music, especially from my female peers. Recently, for my EPrelease party I hosted an evening of performances by female artists including a female
DJ friend of mine. I'd like to host more of these interactive female art nights in L.A.with performances and exhibits from local female artists, film makers, musicians, etc...to bring the local female artist community together.
2. What are some of your future goals as an artist?
Wow, that's a tough question...Making a living by being creative and making a difference in people's lives has always been,
and always will be my ultimate goal. As an artist I'd like to encourage people to live their dreams and follow their hearts,
regardless of what they think they're "supposed" to do. Someday, I hope to use music to educate people about different
cultures, encouraging a more peaceful and tolerant world.
3. What advice do you have for other women entering into the music industry?
Don't obsess with your looks so much that it takes away from your music. Remember why you started playing in the first
place; because it's what you love to do, it's what your hearts says you need to do. When we lose focus of this, it stops being
fun and the music suffers.
From the July 2007 issue
www.winewomeninentertainment.com - Women In Entertainment Newspaper
Amy Jo Lomas has it all; vision, talent, great songs and an angelic voice.
Her unique blend of electronica and jazz is both refreshing and infectious.
Every track I heard I kept thinking was going to be my favorite, until I got
to the next one and then I thought no it's this one! She's the real deal,
with what I believe will be a very promising career in music.
- Anika Paris, Abbey Lane Records
"Amy Jo Lomas sings and writes from her heart. She is a dedicated musician whose music and lyrics share a part of herself, while making a statement. Her voice is warm and easy and her piano playing supports her well." - Katie Campbell, Singer/Musician, Actress & Teacher
Amy Jo Lomas composed her first piano pieces when she was 15, shortly after the death of her mother. Inspired by, as she puts it, “the gift of life and the inevitable reality of death,” Lomas continued making music, balancing moody vocals against electronic-inflected jazz. The talented songstress and self-taught pianist makes her debut with a sultry self-produced EP, Sunday Matinee on Fire.
The EP flirts with occasional electronic accents, but what comes across most clearly is the classic jazz in Lomas’ vocalization, which is alternately seductive and serene. Lomas croons about themes she details as “lover’s lament to nostalgic childhood reflections to pro-peace messages.” Her way with smoky harmonies and cool melodies recalls both the drawn notes of Sade and the yearning of Tracey Thorn’s vocals in Everything But the Girl.
In the title track, Lomas’ vocals drip like honey through each musical phrase. She breaks from her even keel only to sing, “If you need someone to love, love me,” subtly insinuating a shade of blue. The subtle brush of percussion and understated piano accompanying her echo a lounge style of jazz. “The Daze” is nostalgic and wistful, slowly sauntering through a memory — in this case the ocean breezes, empty bottles, snowstorms and sleepless nights of Lomas’ past. Playing between sharps and flats within the otherwise simple structure of the song, Lomas practices the utmost control of her voice in “We’re Alive.” The atmospheric “Sancho,” with ambient electronic nuances and meandering xylophone, sounds like Bossa Nova from outer space; meanwhile Lomas’ vocals pick up an exotic feel, becoming playfully coy like those of Erykah Badu or Nelly Furtado. Finally, the album takes a political turn with “Sunset in Baghdad,” which despite the light-hearted melody and up-tempo percussion, carries a serious call for peace. (Self-released)
From the May 2008 Issue
http://www.performermag.com/wcp.recordedreviews.0805.php - Lulu McAllister, West Coast Performer Magazine
Discography
EP Sunday Matinee on Fire, June 2007
Photos
Bio
The title track on Amy Jo's recently released EP is hauntingly romantic and the thrill of the chase has never sounded so beautiful. Themes among the tracks range from lover’s lament, to nostalgic childhood reflections to pro-peace messages, all of which are masterfully rendered with the same airy ethereal voice and smoky harmonies that is Amy Jo Lomas.
As a self-taught pianist, Amy Jo Lomas began composing instrumental piano pieces at the age of 15, shortly after the death of her Mother. Inspired by the gift of life and inevitable reality of death, she has never stopped creating music. "I cherish every breath..." says the songwriter, "you never know when it will be your last day."
By listening to Amy Jo, one can hear her love for Jazz as well as her influences from electronic music. Her voice, akin to Sade, paired with the ambient beats reminiscent of Everything But The Girl, showcase this new artist's superb songwriting ability.
Bouncing back and forth between America's two coasts, Amy Jo has worked in a variety of musical settings over the years. From performing her original music to working in the studio, she has been on a continuous quest to put forth her unique sound the way she envisions it.
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