Carolyn Graye
poems by Denise Levertov

Jazz textures set with prose and lyrics
full of imagery and nature

“Carolyn Graye brings a happy sophistication to her interpretation of Denise Levertov's enduring poems. She hears them with great clarity and makes her own defining response.”
- Robert Creeley (1926–2005)
award winning poet laureate

1. A Dark Summer Day/Adam’s Complaint mp3
2. The Well
3. Window-Blind
4. A Wren mp3
5. The Footprints
6. 3 a.m., September 1, 1969/The Absentee mp3
7. Exchange
8. Mass of the Moon Eclipse mp3
9. Secret Festival; September Moon mp3
10. The Rain

click 'mp3' for a 1-minute sample

Recorded 2004 at David Lange Studios
(“Secret Festival; September Moon”
recorded at Jack Straw)
Final mix and mastering by Greg Williamson, Pony Boy Studios
Design by Karen Hansen
All songs published by Joe Dog Music/BMI
© 2005

Media Kit: PDF One-Sheet/Bios/Earshot Concert (904kb)

Carolyn Graye, voice and piano
Phil Sparks, bass
John Stowell, guitar
Hans Teuber, soprano and tenor sax, clarinet
Gary Hobbs, drums and percussion
Jim Knapp, trumpet
“Secret Festival; September Moon”
Thomasa Eckert, voice
Greg Williamson, audio composition

Poet Denise Levertov became associated with the Black Mountain group of poets, particularly Robert Creeley, Charles Olson, and Robert Duncan, who had formed a short-lived but groundbreaking school in 1933 in North Carolina. Some of her work was published in the 1950s in the Black Mountain Review. Levertov acknowledged these influences, but disclaimed membership in any poetic school... more at poets.org

Singer/pianist/composer Carolyn Graye has performed in West Coast clubs, concerts and theatres since 1976. Locally, she has appeared at Dimitriou's Jazz Alley, Bumbershoot, the Bellevue Jazz Festival, the West Seattle Jazz Festival, Earshot's New City Series and A Contemporary Theatre (ACT.) She lived in Prague (1997-1998) and performed at festivals and clubs throughout the Czech Republic in addition to touring the Balkans (Serbia, Bosnia and Macedonia) on a USIA performance and teaching grant. She also performed in La Paz, Bolivia at the invitation of the U. S. Embassy...

more bio, discography and calendar info at www.carolyngraye.com

Carolyn Graye

Compositions that are thoughtful and direct.
Singing that is understated and horn-like.
Piano playing that is lyrical and unique.

Her first CD has Carolyn
orchestrating all this into a memorable
jazz journey, featuring stellar musicians
for the trip. From duets to
horn-powered ensemble jazz.