Alma Micic - Introducing Alma (2004)

"Alma is now making music that nods to the past and looks to the future..." Bob Young, Boston Herald
"Extremely talented vocalist and lyricist...Alma Micic personifies what jazz singing is all about." Ron De La Chiesa, WGBH Radio

"Introducing Alma" is the first solo effort by extraordinary jazz vocalist Alma Micic, whose talent has already made her recipient of prestigious prizes like the BMG Jazz Club Award and the Cleo Laine Award for Outstanding Musicianship.

Micic's career has been marked by an early start. Born in Belgrade, Serbia, at 16 she was already performing as the lead vocalist of the Belgrade Radio Big Band and by the time she turned 20 she had performed at jazz festivals all over Europe. But it is in the U.S. that Micic, a Cum Laude graduate from Berklee College of Music in Boston, has truly found fertile grounds to develop her style.

In 2000 Alma Micic relocated to New York City and while making her mark on the jazz scene, she met current members of her quartet. She now leads a cohesive, intuitive group that includes bassist Sean Conly, drummer Israel Bannerman, and pianist Brandon McCune. While arranging, Alma also started writing lyrics and composing - her songwriting ability is beautifully displayed in "That April Day", track 6 on her debut album. Alma pays tribute to her roots in track 7, "Sejdefu Majka Budjase" (Sejdefa's Sunrise), a Montenegrin traditional which laments on love lost. "Something To Live For", track 4, displays her great appreciation of Duke Ellington and Billy Strayhorn, as does the airy arrangement of the opening track, "Day Dream".

Introducing Alma", start to finish, is a work of a multi-talented individual whose voice and songwriting skills penetrate deeply into the soul and demand your attention... Alma Micic is a name you are not likely to forget.