简介：ConnorDesaiisaSeattlebasedsinger/songwriter/guitaristwhosesophomorealbumUseYourHandswasindependentlyreleasedonJune8,2010.Thisalbumhasyettoreceiveanythingbutthehighestpraise;nationalnewsmediaoutletChannelOnefeaturedthealbumanddebutedthefirstvideoonitswebsite,gushing"she'stheperfectnewadditiontoourplaylists,andyours."TheJazzMusicExaminersaid,"Desaimanagestobreakdownjazzintoitsmorepleasingparts…theexperimentation,theintelligence,thefullbodiedpairings,thecuteashopscotchmelodies…inawinningpresentation ofart,styleandverve."OtherslikeSeattleShowGaltappedintothemusic'stimelessappealbynotingthatUseYourHandsis"reminiscentofthebygoneeraofsmokefilledjazzclubs,Desaiisthatwarmvoicethatcaneasilyleadyouawayfromyourtroublesandsetyouinatrance."Sinceit'srelease,ConnorhasbeenbusytouringtheNorthwest,providinginterviewsforradio,localandnationalpressvenues,andwritingsongsforhernextalbum. Fromherfirstpublicperformanceattheageofthree,ConnorDesaihaspursuedeveryopportunitytoemulateherearlyinfluences;VictoriaWilliams,SteelyDan,andKansas,amongtheusualsuspects,andtodiscoverherownvoicewhilecreatinghonestandsoulfulAmericanfolkmusic. Herfirstrelease,aneponymousEP,metwithinstantcriticalacclaimandbeguiledthetraditionaljazzcircuit.SmotherMagazinesaid“ConnorDesaiportraysasoundthat’ssomewherelostbetweenpop,indiefolk,andvocaljazz.SortoflikeifNorahJoneshadneverbeendiscoveredandwasforcedtorecordinherBrooklynapartment”;andReviewerMagazinecalledit“(A)nimpressivedebut.Seattle'sDesaimakesdreamilysoulfuljazz/pop,reminiscentofNorahJonesorFeist.” Sonytooknoticeofthesong“WillYouLove”andlicenseditforuseontheirmp3playersandphones.Throughthissong,Connorhasgarneredafarreachingfanbase,asthesonglandedinthehandsofmusiclovingcitizensfromThailandtoMexico,ItalytoIndia,andmanyplacesinbetween.Thewidespreadpopularityof"WillYouLove"hasalsosecuredaspotinthetop20downloadchartsforiTunesinMexico,placingherwellabovethelikesofKatyPerryandBeyonce.ThefirsttrackoffthisEP,"TroubleIs"wasplacedbyCanadianflimmakersfromLazySusanProductions(inassociationwiththeAlbertaFoundationfortheArts)intheirfilmentitled"TyingtheNot."Connorwasalsofeaturedin,andprovidedoriginalmusicforthedocumentaryfilm“Daughterhood,”whichwasdirectedbyEvanBriggsandappearedinvariousfilmfestivalsacrosstheUS. Inadditiontoherownventures,ConnorcanbefoundamongthecreditsasavocalcontributoronseveralofSeattle'sfavoriteindiereleases,includingMr.Twit's"InternationalRockandRoll,"LeanneWilkins’"Waterwheel,”andBruceElzinga’s"NewDay." Connor’slatestalbumUseYourHandsisthecompellingresultofhercollaborationwithSpokanebasedproducer,ChrisWhite,andformerband(SecretStairs)members;bassistAlexTrzynaanddrummerMikeO'Doherty.BlendingherirresistiblysultrypurrandunclutteredguitarstylingswithAlexandMike’sinnovativerhythms,Connor'ssoundfloatsbetweenjazz,folk,popandindieslowcorewithoutbreakingstride. “Ruby,”thefirstmusicvideofromUseYourHands,isanupbeat,quirkyjourneyinwhichConnor’sunmistakeablevoicenaturallysmilesthough.Thealbumincludeseightothertracks,includingthejazz/funkinfluenced"SayItAgain,"whichisthefirstofficialsingle,aswellasasultryandhonestcoverofTheGratefulDead’s“FriendoftheDevil.” “Idon’tusuallydocoversbutIalwaysappreciatethem.Ithinkcoversprovideamarkerbywhichtogaugeamusician'suniquevoice,andasalesserknownartistitwasimportantformetodoone,”saysConnor."PlusIhavealingeringsentimentalityfortheDead,andthisversioncameoutsoeasily." Besideswriting,recording,andcoproducingherlatesteffort,ConnorlovestheartofliveperformanceandhasappearedattheinfamousHotelCaféinLosAngeles,andatMusicMilleniumRecordsinPortlandforMusicFestNW.She'salsoaregularatseveralSeattlelandmarksincludingTheTractorTavern,NectarLounge,LucidJazzClub,andtwoconsecutiveyearsatSeattle'sParkTunesFestival. Regardingherlatestrelease,Connordivulges;"There'salotgoingonbehindthesongsofthisalbum,andtomeitfeelsrepresentativeofthemanymoodsthatwerepresentduringthetimeperiodinwhichtheywerewritten.InthethreeyearsbetweenthecompletionofUseYourHandsandtheEP'sdebut,Iwasraisingadaughterandgavebirthtotwins,formedthendismantledaband,andeventuallygothookedintotheSpokanemusicsceneviaChrisWhiteandHouseofSound.Becauseofthatspread,Ithinkpeoplewillfindmorevarietyofsoundonthisalbumthanexpectedit'sadmittedlyschizoinnature." ConnorwillbetouringtheWestCostthroughout201011tosupportUseYourHandsandconnectwithnewfans.Liveperformances,interviews,fanmadevideos,andtheofficialvideofor"Ruby"canbefoundonYouTube.Linkstointerviewsandfullpressarticles,aswellasadditionalphotosmaybeobtainedviaConnor'swebsite,www.connordesai.com.