Chico vocalist and genre blender Lorna Such returns to the stage, ready to deliver fan-favorite covers alongside her latest original work and fresh sounds.
Almost a year since the release of her EP “Bloom,” Such has been prepping for her return to the stage with a new eight-piece ensemble at the Sierra Nevada Big Room on May 1.
“I always get a little nervous, but I think that's a good thing, that means that I care,” Such said.
Influenced by artists such as Amy Winehouse and Ella Fitzgerald, this collaborative effort by Such and some of Chico’s most talented musicians blends jazz, soul and funk.
“We have three horns, a rhythm section, vocals, and keys,” Such said. “I've been playing with this group for a couple of years now.”
She will also be debuting the latest additions to her songwriting catalogue.
“It's definitely still forming and molding itself,” Such said. “I haven't really shown many people the new stuff.”
Such finds the process of writing with musicians incredibly rewarding. She often brings her own compositions to the band to gather their input and explore different ways of performing them.
“I don't think I've ever done a show where it's been everything I've written, which is awesome,” Such said. “This might sound cheesy, but it's kind of like telling the story of the band over time.”
Such says her work is greatly influenced by the relationships she’s built.
“We've been through a lot together musically and as friends and human beings, and they've all helped me to make these songs sound the way they are, and I'm super thankful that they're all still down to play with me,” Such said.
Sacramento’s Lab Rats will open the show. It's a quartet of multi-instrumentalists who blend jazz, fusion, and hip hop.
“It's one of those groups that I call the stank bass face,” Such describes. “Like when you're listening to them, and you just frown, and your mouth goes kind of down, and you're like, oh, like, just so tasty.”
