Halie Loren


Halie Loren is an American jazz singer and songwriter from Sitka, Alaska. Her albums have reached number one on the Billboard Japan Top 20 Jazz Albums chart.

Career

Albums

Halie Loren's recordings are distributed by JVC Kenwood Victor Entertainment, Justin Time Records, and .

''They Oughta Write a Song''

In 2008, They Oughta Write a Song debuted at number three in Billboard Japan jazz album sales and appeared on the chart for 33 weeks.Halie Loren#cite note-12| Critical reception was positive.Halie Loren#cite note-13| Halie Loren#cite note-14| "With her bell-clear voice, careful but natural diction and a subtle sexiness in her delivery, she offers a new — and perhaps less drug-hazed — take on Procol Harum's "A Whiter Shade of Pale," reviewer Serena Markstrom wrote in The Register-Guard.Halie Loren#cite note-15|
A YouTube video for the album single Perhaps, Perhaps, Perhaps was viewed 5.6 million times as of October 2017.

''Many Times, Many Ways''

Many Times, Many Ways: A Holiday Collection was released in 2008. The duo album featured two original compositions by pianist/co-producer Matt Treder.

''Stages''

Stages, Loren's first live CD, was recorded at two concerts on the Oregon Coast and released in March 2010. CD Baby selected it as an Editor's Pick in October 2010, writing that "Her respect for the past is undeniable, while her finger on the pulse of modern music gives her songs a wide appeal that reaches far beyond jazz clubs."Halie Loren#cite note-17| Wildy's World named it the best live album of the year.Halie Loren#cite note-18|

''After Dark''

In 2010, Loren released After Dark. Wildy's World called it one of 2010’s top three indie albums and named her Artist of the Year. Halie Loren#cite note-24| Halie Loren#cite note-25| Halie Loren#cite note-26|
Loren’s original song "Thirsty" was nominated for best jazz song for the 2011 Independent Music AwardsHalie Loren#cite note-31| and won for best jazz song in the IMA Vox Pop poll.Halie Loren#cite note-32| Loren's original song "In Time" was released as a single to benefit the Japanese Red Cross in the wake of the earthquake and tsunami of 2011.Halie Loren#cite note-44|

''Heart First''

Loren's fifth jazz album, Heart First, was released in Japan December 14, 2011, and in North America on March 6, 2012.Halie Loren#cite note-34|
Jazz Critique magazine chose Heart First as the best vocal jazz album of 2011.☂ In Canada it peaked at number one in jazz album sales on iTunesHalie Loren#cite note-5| and number two on Amazon.
On December 11, 2011, the album's prerelease single, Fly Me to the Moon, was the number-one jazz track on iTunes Japan.Halie Loren#cite note-37|
On December 14, twelve Loren tracks concurrently appeared on iTunes Japan's top 100 chart.Halie Loren#cite note-38| The album's eponymous song Heart First was number one in jazz singles on iTunes Canada on March 24, 2012.
JazzTimes reviewer Christopher Loudon praised her "chameleonic vocal skills" and reported that the album "generated plenty of buzz about her emergence as the next big thing among jazz vocalists."Halie Loren#cite note-40|
Dan Bilawsky on All About Jazz wrote, "Loren’s ability to find something new in the old makes this a fun ride. … Depending on the song, Loren can be sweet, sly, or sultry, but she always finds the right read."Halie Loren#cite note-41| Brian Arsenault in The International Review of Music wrote, "Alternately sexy and smooth, sultry and wry, Ms. Loren uses her not inconsiderable gifts well."Halie Loren#cite note-42|

''Simply Love''

Her sixth jazz album, Simply Love, was released in 2013. It entered Billboard Japan's Top Jazz Albums chart at number two in its first week of release.Halie Loren#cite note-6|
Positive response came from USA TODAY, with reviewer Elysa Garnder writing, "The twenty-something chanteuse brings a playful precocity and an easy sexiness to the standards on Simply Love."
The Seattle Weekly found that "To hear Halie Loren sing is to glimpse the divine, and it is easy to see why this jazz vocalist is getting noticed here and abroad."
"For sheer vocal beauty and old-school warmth, few among her contemporaries can match Halie Loren," Christopher Loudon wrote in Jazz Times.

''Butterfly Blue''

Butterfly Blue, released in 2015, was Loren's seventh jazz release and second number-one Billboard Japan jazz album. In a 4 1/2 star review, All About Jazz reviewer C. Michael Bailey noted that "Loren brings that voice, her compositional and arranging skills, and a damn good band," and praised her daring choice of standards.
NPR reviewer cited it as one of the best albums of 2015. From his review: "If you are looking for an appealing jazz-influenced female singer-songwriter, there are a lot of outstanding chanteuses from which to choose on the music scene these days. Halie Loren’s new album underscores her place in the ranks among the best of them, and the variety on her new album provides extra appeal."

''The Best Collection''

The Best Collection, a selection of hits from her catalog and a new song recorded for the album, was released in Asia in 2014.

''Live at Cotton Club''

Live at Cotton Club was released in Japan in 2016.

Selected performances

In 2017, Loren toured internationally at the in Korea, in Italy, the Port-au-Prince International Jazz Festival, and an eight-show engagement at Cotton Club Tokyo. She also performed at .
In 2016, she performed with Oliver Jones at . She headlined the summer pops concert helmed by music director and conductor Teddy Abrams at the Oregon Britt Festival.
In 2013 she performed a holiday concert in Louisiana with the Monroe Symphony Orchestra.
In 2012, she performed with the and Orchestra Siciliana.
Loren is a member of musical group ' and records and performs with her band ', which has released two EPs. Loren independently released Full Circle in 2006, a collection of her original songs performed by her on vocals and keyboards and featuring co-producer James M. House on guitar and bass.

Biography

Loren grew up in Sitka, Alaska, making her performing debut at age ten at the Sitka Fine Arts Camp. She received a degree in visual arts from the University of Oregon. She lives in Eugene, Oregon.

Awards and honors

YearAlbumRelease dateLabel
2004The SGC Project2004White Moon Productions
2006Full CircleJuly 1, 2006White Moon
2008They Oughta Write a SongDecember 10, 2008White Moon / JVC Kenwood Victor
2008Many Times, Many Ways December 7, 2008JVC Kenwood Victor
2009StagesMarch 15, 2009Justin Time
2010After DarkNovember 16, 2010JVC Kenwood Victor
2012Heart FirstMarch 6, 2012Justin Time / JVC Kenwood Victor
2013Simply LoveSeptember 10, 2013Justin Time / JVC Kenwood Victor
2015Butterfly BlueJune 9, 2015Justin Time / JVC Kenwood Victor
2016Live at Cotton ClubFebruary 17, 2016JVC Kenwood Victor
2018From the Wild Sky2018