Stella Bass

Release: February 3, 2024

The unlikely combination of Downton Abbey, a Christmas dose of the flu and a conversation in a tennis club served as the driving forces behind Irish vocalist Stella Bass’ upcoming sophomore album. A collection of handpicked standards and original compositions that reflect the challenging times the world collectively faced in 2020, ‘Look For The Silver Lining’ is set to release on the 3rd of February.

Faced with a pandemic-induced empty diary, Bass devoted herself to songwriting, remote-recording, and music production. Diving into ‘Downton Abbey’ during a nasty bout of the flu, her ears pricked up at the sound of a rather obscure Jerome Kern song titled ‘Look For the Silver Lining’, which she knew immediately in her heart would be the name of her next body of work. 

Two of the songs she remotely co-wrote stood out to her as fitting perfectly into the album she had in mind, and, having spent time in the world of musical theatre where the art of storytelling is everything, she carefully further selected eight standards, each telling its own tale and with a special nod to the strange times we were navigating through.

Bass’ powerful and emotive vocals lead the experienced ensemble through fresh, confident, effortless interpretations of American Songbook classics and original works within the traditional jazz idiom. Sultry latin grooves, delicate ballads and vivacious swing numbers ornamented by playful arrangements and lyrical improvisations musically embody Bass’ sentiments of defiance and positivity in the face of widespread hardship.

Accompanying Stella on the record is the Johnny Taylor Trio. Taylor is London-born, but a long-time Dublin resident, and he and his trio are in high demand on the Irish scene. Joining the quartet are leading Irish sax player Michael Buckley (Mingus Dynasty Band/Kenny Wheeler/Lee Konitz) and on flugelhorn Ronan Dooney (Glen Hansard/The Corrs). 

Since the release of her debut in 2014, Bass has performed at leading venues and festivals across Ireland, the UK, Germany, France, Australia and more. She headlined Cork Jazz Festival in 2017 and has sold-out Dublin’s National Concert Hall on several occasions. Outside her solo project, Bass sings monthly with the Hot House Big Band in Dublin, has recorded with the Dublin City Jazz Orchestra, and presented and produced her own music show on Dublin City FM for over three years.

Stella Bass launches her second album on Saturday 3rd February 2024, at 8pm in The Sugar Club in Dublin. Tickets €22.50, available from www.thesugarclub.com