It's been well noted that Washington State-born, Los Angeles-based singer-songwriter Angel Travis has a remarkable capacity for channeling honest emotion through her art -- as actor/musician Jeff Goldblum once put it, "I listened to this music, closed my eyes, and my heart felt like a candied apple dipped in rum." Everyone will have a chance for such a listen with the Tuesday, September 26 release of Travis' striking label debut The Woman In Me. The heartfelt and intelligent album comes out on Angel's management company's imprint Tao & Zen Music through Mesa/Bluemoon Recordings, with distribution handled by Fontana/Universal.
On Thursday, September 28, the artist will celebrate the occasion with a record release party and showcase at hip Los Angeles nightspot Tangier. Located at 2138 Hillhurst Ave. in Los Feliz, Tangier is known all over Southern California for its eclectic calendar of great live music by newcomers and marquee names alike (and its inviting Moroccan decor and contemporary American cuisine). It will be her first performance following the release of The Woman In Me. Known for the connection she forges with audiences through her gutsy live delivery of her powerful material, Angel will no doubt more than live up to that reputation at this exciting career milestone at Tangier. For more information and reservations, call the venue at 323.666.8666.
Travis' debut album is a revealing collection of songs -- fusing elements of pop, soul, rock, blues and jazz -- that the artist says are about, "finally believing in myself." That conviction -- the radiant spirit of a woman learning to own her power, of feeling worthy of love and respect -- shines through each one of The Woman In Me's ten original tracks, all elegantly realized and authentically communicated.
Thematically, the album's song cycle chronicles Angel's life and personal evolution in Los Angeles over the last six years, a concept envisioned for the project by renowned producer Michael Vail Blum (Madonna, Young Dubliners, Suicidal Tendencies, etc.). On stand-out tracks including "Think Of You," which reflects on her rocky relationship with her mother, and the moving "Still Love You," about her father's loss of his wife of 23 years (Angel's stepmother), Travis' individual and artistic journeys converge to create music that is memorable and moving.
The Woman In Me was produced by Blum with co-production and arrangements by celebrated keyboardist Herman Jackson. Jackson's more than four decades long career spans work with artists including Narada Michael Walden, Tone Loc, Nancy Wilson, The Jazz Crusaders, The Temptations and Outkast. Mesa/Bluemoon co-founder George Nauful commented, "It was incredible to work with such a stellar team on the record. We believe that Angel is an extraordinary artist, and we're committed to developing her gifts over the long term."
Born Angela Travis in the exquisite Wenatchee Valley about two hours outside Seattle, the lifelong singer's nickname "Angel" came from a choir mate at Washington State University. It was a perfect fit for her strong voice and open heart, qualities as present in Angel's personality as in her music, and has been a constant ever since.
Another constant is Angel's ongoing artistic evolution, about which veteran producer/musician Barry Goldberg commented, "I have worked with some pretty good lady vocalists throughout my career such as: Janis Joplin, Gladys Knight, Kelly Clarkson and Tracy Nelson, to name a few. So, I know when I hear the magic. It's always something special. Angel Travis is just that ... she is a natural."
