Special to the Express With a sweetly mellifluous soprano echoing Blossom Dearie’s lighter-than-air approach and a gift for evocative songwriting, Kat Edmonson embodies the spirit of the past while remaining resolutely au courant. Her blend of old and new has garnered attention on NPR Tiny Desk Concerts, Austin City Limits and A Prairie Home Companion. She has toured worldwide with high-profile acts including Lyle Lovett, Chris Isaak, Gary Clark Jr., Shawn Colvin, Willie Nelson, Smokey Robinson, Nick Lowe and more. Edmonson will appear with her band at The Palms Playhouse, 13 Main St. in Winters, on Thursday, March 5 at 7:30 p.m. Tickets are $25 in advance, $29 at the door and $12 with student ID. According to the Associated Press, “Edmonson’s compositions are top notch, filtering the Great American Songbook through a very feminine perspective influenced by more recent singer-songwriters like Carole King or Joni Mitchell.” The show is part of a national tour supporting Edmonson’s new album, “Dreamers Do,” which came out in early February. The album blends original compositions and re-imagined mid-20th century classic Disney songs, and tells a story that takes place over the course of one sleepless night. Listeners can expect songs from movies such as “Mary Poppins,” “Alice in Wonderland,” “Cinderella,” “Peter Pan” and “Pinocchio,” familiar classics like “What a Wonderful World” and “All I Do is Dream of You” from “Singin’ in the Rain,” and Edmonson’s originals. The Texas native began crafting her signature combination of vintage pop and jazz while performing in Austin’s club circuit before releasing her 2009 debut, “Take To The Sky.” Edmonson’s critically acclaimed 2014 release, “The Big Picture,” debuted No. 1 on the Billboard Heatseekers, No. 1 on Contemporary Jazz Chart and #2 on the Total Jazz Chart. According the NPR First Listen, “She’s a savvy student of ‘60s film soundtracks, jazz-pop stylists and Brill Building songcraft.” Billboard described 2018’s “Old Fashioned Gal” as “an intimate journey from doubt to resolve and implied triumph.” NPR Music said the album is “a handsome showcase for her songwriting, which has grown ever more confident over the last decade,” while the Associated Press said the record “sounds like an alternate soundtrack to an Audrey Hepburn film.” Edmonson appeared in Woody Allen’s “Cafe Society” as a 1930s jazz singer and is highlighted on the official soundtrack performing her version of “Mountain Greenery.” Her 2015 performance on “CBS This Morning: Saturday” garnered the program’s highest rated viewership since 2006. Tickets are available at Pacific Ace Hardware in Winters, Armadillo Music in Davis, Davids’ Broken Note in Woodland, online via The Palms’ website and Eventbrite, and at the door if not sold out. For more information, visit palmsplayhouse.com and katedmonson.com.]]>
