Accompanied by some of the most creative figures on the Boston scene, Isabel Stover draws the emotive thread between timeless Jazz standards, Brazilian, folk and pop with fresh, new arrangements.
“Elegant.” "An amazing range." "Continually evolving." These are just a few of the ways audiences describe Stover. She uses her richly textured vocals and mastery of phrasing thoughtfully and purposely as a way of delivering an authentic, heartfelt experience, fearlessly deconstructing musical compositions to their emotional core.
At its heart, singing is storytelling with structure. It makes sense, then, that Isabel Stover, a vocalist with both a master's degree in architecture and credits on a national radio storytelling show, would be skilled at choosing stories to tell and at setting them in the right arrangements....
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Accompanied by some of the most creative figures on the Boston scene, Isabel Stover draws the emotive thread between timeless Jazz standards, Brazilian, folk and pop with fresh, new arrangements.
“Elegant.” "An amazing range." "Continually evolving." These are just a few of the ways audiences describe Stover. She uses her richly textured vocals and mastery of phrasing thoughtfully and purposely as a way of delivering an authentic, heartfelt experience, fearlessly deconstructing musical compositions to their emotional core.
At its heart, singing is storytelling with structure. It makes sense, then, that Isabel Stover, a vocalist with both a master's degree in architecture and credits on a national radio storytelling show, would be skilled at choosing stories to tell and at setting them in the right arrangements.
A consummate professional, Stover is a skilled entertainer and arranger with an ear for unlocking the full potential of jazz and Brazilian standards and beyond. Her debut album, Her Own Sweet World, went to #1 on the charts in the first week of its release. Stover's forthcoming album, includes standards like "On A Clear Day" and "Look For The Silver Lining" in fresh new arrangements, alongside original compositions, and newer classics like Paul Simon's "American Tune" and Stevie Wonder's "Sweetest Somebody I Know." Her arranging skills are on display throughout her recordings and in her live performances, too. On her albums, Stover draws larger ensembles to widen the scope of her musical adaptations, while in small group live shows she's able to use her fellow musicians to their fullest, building a larger sound from a small ensemble.
Stover’s passion for jazz was ignited after landing a spot in the Oakland Jazz Choir, a 30-voice vocal big band in the San Francisco Bay Area, with whom she regularly performed at the venerable Yoshi’s in San Francisco and many West Coast jazz festivals. She began taking classes at the California Jazz Conservatory in Berkeley, and from there had the opportunity to study with many acclaimed vocalists and educators such as Madeline Eastman, Kitty Margolis, Sheila Jordan, and Ledisi. From here, technique became Stover’s focus and she moved East to Boston where she studied at New England Conservatory and Berklee School of Music. Accompanied by some of the most creative figures on the Boston scene, Stover continues to perform in and around New England.
"We don't always have the tools to express the fullness of our inner selves," Stover says. "Music can bring forth something which is without sound or shape but is a shared experience; an emotional language which we perceive in melodies, lyrics, rhythms. I hope that my music can transform the human experience through this resonant energy and bring redeeming beauty to people."
Stover delights in building new structures for songs. As a lover of architecture and history, she recalls one of her favorite performances — in the courtyard at Boston Public Library — where the incredible sonic experience created from the music enveloped in the surrounding buildings elevated their breathtaking beauty.
This is what Isabel Stover brings to the world of jazz performance and recording, using skills honed through a lifelong passion for learning and evolving. A wise person once said writing about music is like dancing about architecture. So, stop reading this and find Isabel Stover, either live or recorded. Because we all need reflection, reconnection … and beauty.
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