SKYLARK: FEATURING Mark Soskin-Piano Jay Anderson- Bass Denise Mangiardi Denise Mangiardi-Vocals and Piano (Smile and Iona) Special Guest: Michael Janisch -Bass (Smile) Arranged and Produced by Denise Mangiardi Mixed by John Alcott Mastered by John Weber (Air Studios London) Recorded between Acoustic Studio, Brooklyn (Michael Brorby-engineer) and Alice's Loft Music in London (Chris Parker-engineer, Anna Mangiardi- assistant engineer). Special thanks to Antonio Parejo for assisting with the sessions. This album is dedicated to Laura Nyro. String arrangements by Denise Mangiardi Skylark arrangement by Mark Soskin Its ever since I was looking down from my loft bed, when I lived on 440 tenth Avenue on the players jamming in my living room, that I fell in love with jazz the New York way. There, in that tiny apartment with a small grand piano that we bought off a guy on a truck in NYC. Four to Five times a week, players would come from all walks of the New York CIty jazz scene at the time, to have their say. They functioned on devotion only and a dedication that will stay with me always. It was there that I used to listen to pianist Mark Soskin and bassist, Jay Anderson among the many musicians that came and went. We became friends and over the years, I revealed my hidden dreams of wanting to emulate them in my own way. I was a singer and a songwriter. Mark and I and his wonderful partner Judy shared a great love for singer songwriter Laura Nyro. She was iconic for me as a musician growing up in New York. She depicted the feeling of the streets of New York and it was impossible for her not to touch your soul once you saw her perform. Mark and I had discussed recording some of my favourite tracks of Laura’s. About 10 years ago, we recorded some tracks when I was visiting New York. I wasn’t happy with my performance so 7 years later, I asked Mark if we could do it again with Jay Anderson and I would re-do the vocals in my own time in my studio in London. Jay was another one of the great musicians that I would hear at 440, so I knew I would feel safe with them. The recording went well. When I got home to London, I decided that I would add strings arrangements for Laura’s songs as well as for Smile and The Thrill is Gone. Mark did the arrangement for Skylark . Well 3 years later, I finally got it together to get the 12 string players together. This album for me is a sort of landmark of my life because it encapsulates so much of where I came from and what I have become. I carried the inspiration of Laura Nyro with me all of my life. So much so that singing was never enough, so I kept expanding by writing and arranging and playing piano. The whole time I learned, I was always trying to find within myself the same soul that I felt when I heard Laura. Forever trying to express whom it was, that I would become. This album features my string arrangements that in my way, expresses my soul . I am so grateful to Mark, Jay and Jeff for their wonderful playing. I would also like to thank Michael Janisch for coming in to play on 'Smile'. I decided to bring on my dear friend and drummer Jeff Boudreaux in the end. He and I both lived and worked in New Orleans and we knew many of the same musicians which is always comforting when your hoping the globe. New Orleans was another great period of my musical and personal life. So to have Jeff on really brought things together because he was such a great player and support while I lived in Paris. Jeff is featured on my previous album ‘Crusade”. So this album entitled “Skylark” represents the oldest and the newest part of myself and I believe that it represents a deep part of my love for music. Denise Mangiardi