About
"Gives the listener an idea of what they are in for - an absolutely gorgeous heart-imbued experience. The world of music was devastated by the loss of Vic Juris, but here he leaves us a most beautiful calling card - something to ease our own pain and cause us to smile with wonder at his incredible guitar work. Kate Baker is sublime on this recording. Her voice is pure and compelling and she always employs it to serve the song, never to merely show off her technique. The real payoff here, though, is in the conversation between these two artists. It is a conversation which is at times playful, and at other times heartbreaking. But what this recording is most of all is a testament - a testament to the fact that even after all else falls away, love remains.” - Joe Locke
Kate Baker
Vic Juris
“One of the most impressive performers to come along in years,” (Los Angeles Times), much in-demand vocalist, Kate Baker is a heartfelt interpreter of lyrics with “an unmistakably original voice that is smooth and hypnotic” (Boston Globe), resonating with her love of diverse musical inspirations.
A musician’s singer with a high level of musicianship, she regularly performs in a variety of settings from duo to small ensemble to big band. For the past two decades she has been exciting audiences worldwide with a voice that bassist Harvie S. calls “beautiful and authentic,” and pianist Rachel Z. Hakim calls “irresistibly engaging and intimate … reflecting a lifetime of experiences of love, loss, and hope, and deftly showing her courageous spirit.” As a vocalist, she has performed at venues and festivals all over the world. ​​
Widely acknowledged as a master in vocal pedagogy (she also has a special program to train voice teachers), Ms. Baker’s teaching style is an accumulation of over 25 years training and performance. Presently, Ms. Baker teaches privately and is on the faculty of the New School University of Jazz and Contemporary Music. She has conducted master classes at major institutions throughout the United States and Europe, including co-leading many master classes with singing legends Sheila Jordan and Mark Murphy, and presenting workshops on “The Art of the Duo” with Vic Juris. In addition, she is also known as a vocal producer in New York and Los Angeles.
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Victor Edward Jurusz Jr., known professionally as Vic Juris, was an American jazz guitarist. At 11, he studied guitar at the home of his teacher, Ed Berg, and got interested in jazz listening to Berg's records of guitarists Django Reinhardt, Jim Hall, Barney Kessel, Jimmy Raney, and Johnny Smith. In his teens he played the rock music of the 1960s. When he was 19, he met blind saxophonist Eric Kloss and they became friends. He made his first recording on Kloss's album Bodies' Warmth (Muse, 1975). Around the same time, he met guitarist Pat Martino, who became a friend and mentor.
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Juris recorded with Richie Cole during 1976–78 and released his debut album as a leader, Road Song, in 1979. In the early 1980s, he turned to acoustic guitar in duos with Larry Coryell and Biréli Lagrène, and in the late 1980s he worked with Gary Peacock's band. Since 1991 he spent much of his career with saxophonist Dave Liebman.
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During the 1990s, Juris worked as sideman with Lee Konitz and Peggy Stern (1992), Benny Waters (1993), Jeanie Bryson (1993–94), Gary Peacock (since 1994), Steve LaSpina (since 1995), Judi Silvano (1996), Ken Serio (1996, 2007,2019) and Joe Locke (1998).
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Juris taught at The New School for Jazz and Contemporary Music, Lehigh University, and Rutgers University and wrote instructional books for guitar.
“A unique interaction between guitar and voice. This duo creates an exciting and organic approach to not only standards but contemporary and pop music.”
-LA Times
