[Cover photo credit to Ben Wolf]
Curtis Stigers has announced new album This Life for February 25, 2022. On This Life, Stigers is revisiting some of the landmark songs of his 30 year career and giving them a fresh interpretation. Curtis has also shared the first song from this album, a new version of “Keep Me From The Cold,” initially released on his 1995 sophomore release Time Was.
He explains his approach to the new album:
“I’ve had the idea for this album in my head for several years now: A collection of songs from my 12 previous studio albums that sound completely different and new the way I now play them live in concert. Some of these tunes were hits, some weren’t so lucky, and some were just damn cool songs. This record gives me a chance to look back at my past while I continue to move forward, grow, and evolve as a musician, songwriter and artist.”
For This Life, Stigers has put “a distinct jazz spin” on the new recordings. The repertoire includes a new version of Nick Lowe’s “(What’s So Funny ‘Bout) Peace, Love, And Understanding”, which Stigers had recorded in 1992 for the film The Bodyguard starring Whitney Houston and Kevin Costner. And there is also a fresh rendition of “This Life”, the Emmy-nominated theme song Curtis co-wrote and recorded in 2008 for the TV show Sons Of Anarchy.
Stigers is backed by John “Scrapper” Sneider on trumpet, Matthew Fries on piano and Wurlitzer electric piano, Cliff Schmitt on bass, Paul Wells and Keith Hall on drums, plus special guest Larry Goldings on organ and keyboards. Other tracks on the album include Time Was (1995), Brighter Days (1999), Secret Heart (2002), You Inspire Me (2003), and Real Emotional (2007). Two songs that he has not recorded previously are also on the album, though he performs them occasionally at his shows: the Gershwin classic “Summertime” and Leonard Cohen’s “Tonight Will Be Fine”.
