Diane Marino - Soul Serenade: The Gloria Lynne Project

"Soul Serenade" "is the title of my newest CD project. Although not exactly a "tribute" album, it is more of a celebration of the music made popular by the great vocalist, Gloria Lynne. While performing on a recent gig with drummer Vince Ector (Gloria's drummer for 15 years), I sang "I'm Glad There Is You", and he reminded me it was one of Gloria's signature songs. So, I began to research more of Gloria's work and was instantly mesmerized by her voice, style and emotion. Additionally, her choice of material was instantly appealing to me. I tend to look for songs that are "beyond the norm" of the Great American Songbook repertoire. The songs Gloria Lynne recorded during her career stand alone in their originality and uniqueness. Her performances of these particular tunes move me every time I hear them.