Julie McKee and Steve Lawson - The New Standard
[PLEASE SEE JULIE AND STEVE'S SOLO PAGES, LINKED BELOW, FOR WHAT THEY ARE BOTH UP TO AT THE MOMENT - THE NEW STANDARD IS ON HIATUS, WHO KNOWS WHAT THE FUTURE HOLDS... KEEP AN EYE OUT FOR FUTURE GIGS AND NEWS VIA JULIE AND STEVE'S WEBSITES AND MYSPACE PAGES - THIS IS CURRENTLY JUST A PAGE FOR INFO AND TO LISTEN TO A FEW OF THE TRACKS... SEE BELOW FOR THE PRESS RELEASE FROM OUR RUN AT THE 2006 EDINBURGH FESTIVAL]
Vocal and electric bass duo redefining the concept of standards to include songs by The Cure, Slipknot and Green Day alongside Stevie Wonder and Curtis Mayfield in a chilled lounge-jazz setting. Julie McKee and Steve Lawson are an unlikely musical pairing. Shes best known for her beautiful interpretations of jazz standards and hes a solo bass guitarist, more readily at home in the world of ambient electronica and free improv than vocal jazz.But when Julie started looking for a project in which to demonstrate the full breadth of her talent, she ran into Steve, an instrumentalist whose main influences are almost all singers.The pair searched right across the worlds of rock, pop and alternative music for songs that suited their combined skills. In his solo career, Lawson has been lauded internationally for his use of looping - recording and layering his bass, all live without any pre-recorded sounds and he brings that to the duo with Julie, looping and layering her voice into four-part harmonies, making the pair sound like a much bigger group.The song search led them to some interesting places from nu-metal pioneers Slipknot through to Stevie Wonder, via The Cure, Green Day, John Martyn and Kate Bush. Our only criteria, says Lawson, was that they were great songs. Were not bothered about style, we just want great songs that we can put our own stamp on. A great melody is a great melody, whether its Slipknot or Beethoven. McKee and Lawson are no strangers to the Edinburgh Fringe, Lawson having played critically acclaimed solo shows for the last two years, and McKee performing last year with her own jazz quartet, when she recorded her live album, Live at The Lot.With The New Standard, McKee and Lawson bring to the festival a music show thats fun, classy and surprising - think Eva Cassidy with a mischievous sense of humour. Its certainly a show for fans of great music that breaks down stylistic boundaries and promises to be the best way to end a magical Edinburgh day!www.thenewstandard.co.ukEdinburgh Fringe InformationVenue: The Lot, venue 54, Edinburgh Festival Fringe
Dates: Sunday 6th to Saturday 12 (not Monday 7th) August 2006
Time: 11.00pm (1hr)
Tickets: £8.50 / concs £6.50
Venue box office: 0131 225 9922 / www.the-lot.co.uk
Fringe box office: 0131 226 0000 / www.edfringe.com