On her latest album, Ren Geisick offers her natural skills as a jazz artist to the world of strummy Americana tunes. Ren, Love Songs was inspired by equal parts jazz, country, and blues.
The San Francisco singer-songwriter’s inherent knack for timing and phrasing — likely gathered from her experience in jazz music — melds brilliantly with the heartfelt stylings of Americana on the record. Solidifying her adoration of old-school country artists Love Songs, a soul-bearing cover of Kris Kristofferson’s “Enough For You” acts as one of the album’s central points.
Although an album of mostly covers, Geisick also delves into original songwriting on the LP. Her lead single, for instance, “Love Song #1” is more Justin Hurwitz than Shane McAnally. Yet, it’s in the way that her delicate, intricate jazz stylings meld with lilting piano and slide guitar twang that seals the deal on this serene track.
Ren Geisick’s Ren, Love Songs releases 6 October.
On the album, Geisick says, “We recorded this album in three days at Vox Recording studio in LA. The planning was a much longer process than the recording. When I started this process, my piano player, Jon Dryden, and I had just rediscovered our love for old country and Americana tunes and we were sneaking them into our jazz sets.
“Shortly after, Jon introduced me to his old New York buddy, Jesse Harris, and he and I discussed the possibility of making an album with him as producer. We figured out what it would take to make my dream record and my community of friends and family came through in a big way to make it possible. Jesse and I spent a ton of time picking tunes for this album. I knew I wanted to do some of my original tunes and they all centered around themes of love so we chose to cover songs that fit into the love and melancholy theme and that matched my style… a bit country, a little jazz, and a touch of blues.
“By the time we went into the studio, it all went by so fast. The musicians on the record, Anthony Wilson, Rich Hinman, David Piltch, Joey Waronker and Jon Dryden, all had a clear understanding of the direction and we were able to do each song with just a few takes. I really like what we created in those days. It feels like my true voice and encapsulates the range of emotions that can be present in songs of love.”