[Cover photo credit to Anna Webber]

Grammy-nominated pianist Christian Sands has announced Embracing Dawn, his new album out September 27th, 2024 via Mack Avenue Records. Embracing Dawn follows 2023’s Christmas Stories, and 2020’s Be Water.

Embracing Dawn continues Sands’ Jazz explorations, including bluesy tinges. The album announcement comes with the first single “MMC,” which follows acoustic Jazz-Rock traditions.

Sands says of the new track:

This song is a tribute to the power of comfort food, in this case, ‘Mom’s Mac & Cheese. It is about the way a simple dish can bring a sense of warmth, energy and emotional support, acting as a reminder that there is always something comforting to turn to in times of hardship.

Embracing Dawn is a “narration of the stages of grief” and Sands calls it a “breakup record” while it is also a “group therapy session, a guide to healing, and an understanding.” In that way, Embracing Dawn is for everyone who has experienced a loss in some way.

Sands adds:

I actually tried not to write this record. It was painful. I was going through heartbreak, and I didn’t know what to do — and so I decided to put it all into music. But I knew I wasn’t alone in this feeling. So why not create a safe space for people to go when they’re having this feeling, when they’re having these thoughts or questions?

Collaborators on the album include bassist Yasushi Nakamura, and on drums is Christian’s younger brother, Ryan Sands. There’s also guitarist Marvin Sewell, vibraphone player Warren Wolf, and Grégoire Maret on harmonica.