Jeanne Kuhns’ Releases New CD

Photo by Mary Durlin.

Over the last year Jeanne Kuhns has spent countless hours at Allemande Music in Sister Bay recording her new CD project, Ghost Ranch, which is named after Georgia O’Keefe’s New Mexico home. In celebration of the CD release, Kuhns will play a concert at Woodwalk Gallery on June 28.

Being a painter as well as a musician Kuhns connects her visual perceptions of the world, through her own original paintings adorning the CD’s cover, with her musical expressions in brand new songs full of energy, passion for life, and a deep concern for our planet.

In “Ghost Ranch,” Kuhns’ title track, her voice takes to new heights as she sings, “I want to go to Ghost Ranch, and paint the pastel sky – feel the spirit of Georgia and other painters who have died…”

“Nanuk,” the Inuit name for the polar bear, is the title of a song entreating us to pay attention to the plight of this great bear. The song features Lynn Gudmundsen’s haunting violin wrapped around Kuhns’ crystal clear vocals.

Other tracks include “Greyhound,” a powerful song about letting go of our children as they step out into the world, filled with passionate vocals, Maury Smith’s guitar and an achingly beautiful saxophone part played by Woody Mankowski; “Racing,” a sultry jazz/blues song; “Half Way to Heaven,” which rocks out with an electric guitar solo by Tommy Burroughs; and an amazing and innovative cover of “The Rose” in which she is accompanied by George Sawyn’s classical guitar and Hans Christian’s cello.

Kuhns’ is proud to acknowledge her son, Eli Mattson, who’s piano adds rich levels to several tracks, and her daughter, Mary Durlin, who sings briefly on “Wise Women.” Once again Hans Christian co-produced with Kuhns, and recorded, mixed and mastered the whole project at his studio in Sister Bay. In addition, he plays bass, cello and more on many of the songs.

“It has been an imaginative and visionary project,” Kuhns says, “I owe so much to Maury Smith, my primary guitar player. Maury helped arrange most of the songs and gave me confidence in my new work.”

This winter Kuhns has also enjoyed performing at the Café Launch open mics on Thursday nights, where she met Adam Mackintosh. Mackintosh helped arrange “Vertical Hold,” giving the music a Santana feel and a surprise Reggae break.

Joining Kuhns for the CD Release concert will be Maury Smith, Hans Christian, Lynn Gudmundsen, Adam Mackintosh, Dan Mayhew, Mary Durlin, Ben Larsen and many more.

The celebration concert will be held at Woodwalk Gallery, on County G south of Egg Harbor, Saturday June 28 at 7 pm. Tickets are $10 at the door.

For more information visit http://www.jeannekuhns.com.