Outside in Music is proud to announce the March 17, 2023 release of Beautiful Tomorrow,
the sophomore recording from vocalist and trombonist Hailey Brinnel. When asked to define
her style, the Philadelphia-based artist, whose sound is steeped in swing and bebop, describes
her effort to move the genre into new spaces: “I like pushing the limits of the idiom, while staying
true to jazz.”
Alongside her entrusted quartet with Joe Plowman on bass, Dan Monaghan on drums and
Silas Irvine on piano, Brinnel presents her extraordinary comprehension of vintage material
throughout this new enterprise, offering two original compositions and eight arranged standards.
Special guest trumpeters Terell Stafford and Andrew Carson join the date as well as
saxophonist Chris Oatts .
The release of Beautiful Tomorrow follows a milestone year for the multi-talent in 2021. That
March, Brinnel released her critically-acclaimed leader debut I’m Forever Blowing Bubbles,
which reached #13 on Amazon’s New Release Chart and #44 on Jazz Best-Sellers. Fashioned
by her warm and playful arranging expertise, the impressive collection features 8-tracks of early
jazz standards. Later that June, Brinnel was named a finalist in the 2021 Sarah Vaughan
International Jazz Vocal Competition. Critics have regaled the budding talent for her versatile
arranging sensibilities, which remain reverent to jazz tradition yet flushed with contemporary
nuance.
Gleaned from the eternal optimist Walt Disney, Brinnel launches Beautiful Tomorrow fittingly with
a reimagination of the Sherman Brothers classic “There’s A Great Big Beautiful Tomorrow”, a
show tune popularly known as Disney’s theme song after being commissioned by the
entrepreneur in 1964. Brinnel’s treatment embraces a reduced big band sound with a full horn
shout section, where polished and succinct solos from Oatts and Irvine sit at the heart of the
glorious arrangement.
Two original offerings make up the early tracks of Beautiful Tomorrow, both stellar showcases of
Brinnel’s clever and dynamic storytelling abilities. The mischievous “I Might Be Evil” walks
listeners through a whimsical tale of confidence. Playful contributions from Irvine help
communicate Brinnel’s message beyond the lyrical. Hard-driving swing on “The Sound” follows,
a fast-tempo episode of breathless scatting which unites effortlessly with Irvine’s keys.
More divergent in its origins from the rest, “Walk Between Raindrops” reimagines the 1982
tune off Steely Dan member Donald Fagen’s first solo album, The Nightfly. Here, Brinnel
substitutes Fagen’s original organ solo arrangement for her horn shout section, staying true to
her mission to walk along the edges of the jazz frontier. Brinnel jokes that she tends to create
“approachable” jazz. “I love making music that people can easily connect to, while still pus hing
the genre into new spaces “
Brinnel gracefully interprets two well-known standards “Tea for Two,” with prolific input from
special guest trumpeter Terell Stafford, and “I Want To Be Happy”, both written for the 1925
musical No, No, Nanette. On “Wayfaring Stranger”, a traditional tune that harkens back to the
sounds of 1940s New Orleans, Brinnel offers a stunning vocal foray, tapping into her deeper
register both vocally and on the trombone.
Though most of Brinnel’s musings on Beautiful Tomorrow are decidedly cheerful, the
warm-toned vocalist takes a departure with the languorous ballad “A Cottage for Sale.”
Irvine, fluid and diligent, follows Brinnel as she leads the venture, a parade of the quartet’s
synergy.
Brinnel’s veneration of the piano trio format is most evidently brought forth on the playful and
didactic “There Will Never Be.” Monaghan, Plowman and Irvine quickly establish a rhythmic
phrase that, matched
with Brinnel’s heartfelt phrasing, creates an unbridled sense of elevation
and intimacy.
The album closes by the command of Plowman’s bass on “Candy.” The brief vocal/bass duet is
sweet in every essence, acting as a lullaby to close the record while reminding listeners that
tomorrow’s forecast is full of swing, tradition and most importantly, beauty.
