JENNY SCHEINMAN

The Littlest Prisoner

2014-05-05

Jenny Scheinman's career began as a jazz violinist and has, over her past seven studio albums, grown into the career of critically-hailed singer, violinist, composer and arranger. Her first album, Live at Yoshi's, was released in 2000 and established Scheinman's skill as a violinist. By 2008, NPR called Scheinman "one of New York's most in-demand violinsts," and she had backed up Aretha Franklin, Norah Jones, Bono and many others, including an estimated 200 studio sessions and club dates in that past year. Scheinman released Crossing the Field, an instrumental album, and Jenny Scheinman, the first album to feature her vocals, in 2008. Her self-titled album was received well by fans and was followed by Mischief & Mayhem in 2012. And now, The Littlest Prisoner is set to be released May 6, 2014. Grammy-nominated producer Tucker Martine (The Decemberists, Neko Case, My Morning Jacket, Sufjan Stevens) mixed the album, which was recorded in three days of studio straking in Martine's Flora Studio in Portland, Oregon. The lyric-filled album is broken up by three, short instrumental songs, on which Scheinman explores folk, Americana sounds. Heavy lyrics about love from varied perspectives and varying depth are often held together by an upbeat band sound. "Run, Run, Run" is a quick paced look at love from a mother's perspective. The title-track, "The Littlest Prisoner," is sung from prison, waiting for a daughter to be born.
- Richard Martin 

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