PREFACE Over the past year while planning out the music for this album, I was trying to tie together all of the pieces into one overall concept. I thought I would keep to this initial idea of developing a concept album that focused on the story of Baudelaire’s “The Generous Gambler.” While stepping through the process of writing/recording the music, I realized that the initial idea didn’t really fit all of the pieces conceptually. Therefore, I took a step back and reflectively discovered the pieces tied together because the compositions carried strong extra-musical associations to memories I have had throughout my development as a composer, and through my life. Even as a performer during my development (pre-college), the strong connections I had to a piece were tied to specific events, images, words, friendships, relationships, and artistic interactions. Truly each piece I chose for my album reflects some of these meaningful extra-musical associations; those that will stay with me as I continue to evolve as a composer. Album features musicians affiliated with the Eastman School of Music and University of Nevada, Las Vegas, along with one track that features Las Vegas-based rapper, Rasar Amani. For more information on her album, please visit the Discography page on her website www.jenniferbellor.com CREDITS Recorded at the UNLV Recording Studio (tracks Recorded at the Eastman School of Music Recording Studio ( Recorded and Mixed by: Ron George, University of Nevada Las Vegas Recorded and Mixed by: Greg Thompson, Eastman School of Music CD Design and Photography: Arthur Chivis Vocal Coach: Stephanie Weiss Mastered by: Gil Kaupp BIO Las Vegas-based composer Jennifer Bellor blends contemporary jazz, classical, and rock styles, and enjoys collaborating will jazz and classical musicians, dancers, poets, and visual artists. Her works have been performed by national and international organizations such as Washington National Opera, Lviv Philharmonic, Seattle Women’s Jazz Orchestra, ACO Jazz Composers Orchestra Institute readings in New York City, North American Saxophone Alliance Conference, Aspen Music Festival, June in Buffalo, Eastman New Jazz Ensemble, Eastman Wind Ensemble, Eastman Saxophone Project, UNLV Wind Symphony, Nazareth College Wind Symphony, California State University East Bay Wind Orchestra, UNLV Jazz Ensemble, Florida State University Festival of New Music, Hildegard Festival, Ritsos Project in Greece, A/Tonal Ensemble, and many others in the United States and abroad. Highlighted recent performances include a premiere of Bordello Nights by the UNLV Wind Orchestra featuring jazz saxophonists Eric Marienthal and Colin Gordon, pianist Mitch Forman, bassist Kevin Axt, and drummer Bernie Dresel. The wind orchestra premiered the shortened version of the piece in France June 26, 2016 on their tour at the Festival des Anches d’Azur in La Croix Valmer. Additionally, a revised version of her composition 898 Hildegard for orchestra and chorus that was commissioned and premiered by the Genesee Valley Orchestra June 3-4 in Rochester, NY will be presented by the Las Vegas Philharmonic April 1, 2017. Her composition Skylark Lullaby (2014) was the winner of the 2015 International Alliance for Women in Music (IAWM) Judith Lang Zaimont Prize. Additionally, she was recognized as a 2015 American Prize Finalist for her composition Uprising for wind ensemble, and a semi-finalist for both Skylark Lullaby, and her opera Christabel. She earned a 2013 DownBeat Award for her composition Midnight Swim for big band in the original composition/orchestrated work category at the graduate college level. Her composition Noir for big band won the 2nd Annual Seattle Women’s Jazz Orchestra composition contest, and was performed in Seattle in November 2014, featuring Grace Kelly on alto saxophone. Judges considered her piece “really beautiful and haunting,” and “reminiscent of Ornette’s collaboration with Howard Shore for the film Naked Lunch.” Additionally, she was commissioned by Washington National Opera’s American Opera Initiative to write a twenty-minute opera, Duffy’s Cut, which was premiered at the Kennedy Center in November 2013. Her writing was praised as showing a “flair for full-bodied, operatic sound” (Washington Post), and for “using contrasting rhythms and clever harmonies to an intriguing effect” (Huffington Post).   Jennifer earned a PhD in music composition at Eastman School of Music, a Master of Music degree in composition at Syracuse University, and a Bachelor of Arts degree in music at Cornell University. Her primary composition teachers included David Liptak, Bob Morris, Andrew Waggoner, Sally Lamb-McCune, and Steven Stucky.   She is currently Visiting Lecturer at University of Nevada, Las Vegas, where she teaches courses in music composition and theory. For more information, please visit her musician Facebook page https://www.facebook.com/JenniferBellor, YouTube, and SoundCloud http://soundcloud.com/jenniferbellor. On August 21st at the Bop Shop in Rochester, NY, her album “Stay,” was officially released, presenting live-show versions of the original ones from the album arranged specifically for jazz performing artists Colin Gordon (soprano saxophone), Julian Garvue (piano/keyboard); Andrew Links (piano/keyboard); Tyrone Allen (electric bass); and Aaron Staebell (drums). Additionally, she premiered new songs that will be recorded/released as an EP Fall 2016 that sets the dark and evocative poetry of Emily Bronte (1818-1848) and John Donne (1572-1631). DETAILED TRACK INFO 1. Chase the Stars Lyrics from poem "Ah! Why, Because the Dazzling Sun" by Emily Bronte (1818-1848) and original lyrics by Rasar Amani Jennifer Bellor, vocals Rasar Amani, rapper Lynn Tsai, flute Ivan Ivanov, bass clarinet Samantha Ciarlo and Tammy Hung, violin David Chavez, viola Lindsay Johnson, cello Tim Jones and Kyle Bissantz, percussion Sean Carbone, electric guitar Bennett Mason, piano Summer Kodama, electric bass Jeremy Klewicki, drums Bronson Foster, conductor 2. Stay Cory Tiffin, clarinet Luigi Ng, vibraphone Jae Ahn-Benton, piano 3. Burning Light Lyrics from poem "Ah! Why, Because the Dazzling Sun" by Emily Bronte (1818-1848) Jennifer Bellor, vocals Tim Jones, vibraphone Jae Ahn-Benton, piano Sean Carbone, electric guitar Summer Kodama, electric bass Colin Woodford, drums Bronson Foster, conductor 4. Moments Shared, Moments Lost Ivan Ivanov, clarinet Jae Ahn-Benton, electric organ 5. Interlude: AfterHours Aaron Staebell, drums 6. Noir Colin Gordon, soprano saxophone Wendy Eisenberg, electric guitar Tyrone Allen, electric bass Aaron Staebell, drums 7. Fallen Veneer Lyrics adapted/inspired by the poem "Christabel" by Samuel Taylor Coleridge (1772-1834) with help of Alex Burtzos Jennifer Bellor, vocals Hunter Rose Turner, vocals Lynn Tsai, flute Ivan Ivanov, clarinet Samantha Ciarlo and Tammy Hung, violin David Chavez, viola Lindsay Johnson, cello Tim Jones and Kyle Bissantz, percussion Sean Carbone, electric guitar Jae Ahn-Benton, piano Summer Kodama, electric bass Colin Woodford, drums Bronson Foster, conductor 8. Interlude: Time’s Arrest Tim Jones, vibraphone 9. Familiar Stranger (remix) Colin Gordon, soprano saxophone Andrew Links, piano Tyrone Allen, electric bass Aaron Staebell, drums 10. Out of the Shadows Mike Kaupa, trumpet Samantha Ciarlo and Tammy Hung, violin David Chavez, viola Lindsay Johnson, cello Tim Jones, vibraphone Andrew Links, piano Wendy Eisenberg, electric guitar Tyrone Allen, electric bass Aaron Staebell, drums Jennifer Bellor, conductor 11. Nightingale Lyrics from the poem "Nightingale" by E. Louise Beach Jennifer Bellor, soprano Christina Wright-Ivanova, piano 12. Familiar Stranger Lyrics adapted/inspired by "The Generous Gambler" by Charles Baudelaire (1821-1867) with help from Elizabeth Reeves Jennifer Bellor, vocals Lynn Tsai, flute Ivan Ivanov, clarinet Samantha Ciarlo, violin Lindsay Johnson, cello Tim Jones and Kyle Bissantz, percussion Jae Ahn-Benton, piano Summer Kodama, electric bass Bronson Foster, conductor 13. Chase the Stars (remix) Mike Kaupa, trumpet Andrew Links, piano Wendy Eisenberg, electric guitar Tyrone Allen, electric bass Aaron Staebell, drums Jennifer Bellor, conductor ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS Contributions to Jennifer Bellor’s debut album “Stay” via Indiegogo Crowdfunding Campaign donations & Artistic Assistance in production of album For a detailed list on Acknowledgements and supporters, please visit the Discography page at www.jenniferbellor.com. Benefactors Katherine Bellor Lori Laitman Frank Carbone and the Nevada Jazz Education Alliance Principal Benefactor Susan and Ken Bellor