New Orleans, Louisiana. Bold, beautiful, sexy, smart and fun – these words can be used to describe pioneering vocalist Judith Owen and her merry band of New Orleans-based musicians, The Gentlemen Callers. With an amazing blend of song delivery prowesses and personality delighting fans across the globe, Judith’s new album “Comes Alive” follows on the heels of her hugely successful 2022 album “Come On & Get It” (over 2.6 Million album streams and more than a million YouTube views. “Judith Owen Comes Alive” will be released worldwide in early spring, and features 16 tracks recorded live over a weeklong residency in Bern, Switzerland at the legendary Marians Jazzroom.
Revisiting some of the jewels featured on “Come On & Get It” with brand new live interpretations of Lady Be Good, Teach Me Tonight, Skylark, and Fever to name a few new tracks, Judith once again looks to the music of the unsung “badass” ladies of Jazz and Blues.
Originally hailing from Wales in the UK but now calling New Orleans home, Owen conceived of the project as a result of her childhood fascination with the Jazz music of some of the so-called “pioneering but oft forgotten women” of the Jazz and Blues world including Julia Lee, Blossom Dearie and Nellie Lutcher – who she discovered hidden on the shelves of her father’s record collection alongside the likes of Oscar Peterson and Jelly Roll Morton. Captivated and enchanted by these “Unapologetic” chanteuses of the 40’s/50’s, who were singing about sex – and enjoying it at a time when women were meant to sing about romance – Owen made it her mission to dig deep and find out more from both a musical and historical perspective. The result is a joyful, uplifting, and empowering project; a throw-back with a fresh feel complete with a look and style that speaks of all those delectable, hugely entertaining women who broke the glass ceiling with their stiletto heels and were ever so proud of it!
Also accompanying the release for the new album is a weekly podcast, “Unapologetically Judith Owen.” Owen’s passion for these women and their unapologetic attitudes drives the creation of the podcast. “It simply wasn’t enough to just sing these incredible women’s fierce songs,” she explains. “I had to talk about them, too. Talk and tell EVERYONE how these amazing women changed my life – and how they could change yours, too!”
Unapologetically Judith Owen, produced by Pineapple Audio Production, is a 10-part series filled with discussions on topics ranging from sexual empowerment to the power of saying “no” to the importance of being unapologetic in every aspect of life. Owen will be joined by journalist and broadcaster Bibi Lynch, known for her work with BBC, Soho Radio, and The Guardian, among others, as they delve into the complexities of these pioneering musicians and their enduring influence.
The release of “Judith Owen Comes Alive” will be accompanied by tour dates across the US and Europe including stops in New Orleans at the French Quarter Festival (April 11th and Chickie Wa Wa April 29th), New York City (Club Django April 13th and The McKittrick April 14th), The Blue Strawberry in St. Louis April 19th, Rudy’s Nashville April 20th, Vibrato in Los Angeles May 16th, Club Etiole in Paris, France, June 6th and 8th and the Estavayer Festival in Switzerland July 13th, Blue Note Milan in June with more dates to be added.