As Is Perspective on O Holy Night
We're sure you've heard a lot of holiday versions of O Holy Night - but this one is NOT classical, religious or overly dramatized for a climactic finish... With an upbeat samba vibe, spirited guitar lines and crisp, melodic vocals, we were looking to bring new energy to this beloved carol and get people moving to the spirit and joy of the season. This is one of those carols that people love to hear but fear to sing along with, and we wanted to make this accessible for every voice. This is a tight, happy track with Brazilian percussion, upright bass, lead guitar and vocal.
As far back as I can remember ... singing into my jump-rope on a tree stump in the backyard!
For vocalist, Stacey Schulman, it was riding in her mother's red Ford Mustang between their apartment and her grandparents' house listening to AM Top 40 radio.
Holiday, Latin Jazz
Described as "nothing short of enchanting" (All About Jazz), the musical union
of jazz guitarist, Alan Schulman and jazz vocal stylist, Stacey Lynn Schulman is
the heart of As Is. The couple - both on and off stage - have made a name for
themselves for their imaginative re-expressions of 20th century song
classics. “They find new ways to approach the songs, ways that preserve the
origins yet make out of them very personal statements” (Jazz Mostly). As Is takes
audiences on an intimate journey through the world and words of songs longforgotten
- but newly created - with both the soulfulness and swing that's
accessible, memorable and highly musical. As Is has toured extensively in the
US, Europe and Asia performing live and in the studio with contemporary jazz
talents including Marcus Baylor, David Binney, Christie Dashiell, Corcoran Holt,
Kokayi, and Gregoire Maret.
Originally from Cincinnati, Ohio, jazz guitarist Alan Schulman studied with the
late great guitarist Cal Collins (formerly of the Benny Goodman
Orchestra). Known for his versatile chops from the warmth of his “soft, round
tone” (All About Jazz) to his ability to “pick out clever melodies and musical
frames” (Jazz Weekly), Schulman became a mainstay of the Chicago jazz scene
with jazz educator, David Bloom, before earning his Masters degree in Jazz
Arranging & Composition from Howard University in Washington, DC. A
Thelonius Monk Competition Top-10 finalist, he has appeared with such noted
jazz artists as Anita Baker, Herbie Hancock, Wynton Marsalis & Michael
Feinstein.
Stacey Schulman is a native of the New York City area, where her dynamic,
stylistic vocal range has been featured on radio commercials, TV series and
movie soundtracks since the age of nine. Schulman regularly “summons delicate
lace on one song and a bouncy jam on another” (All About Jazz), but her calling
cards are ballads where both the strength and expressiveness of her art shine
(Jazz Artistry Now). Together, “the musical chemistry between Stacey and Alan
Schulman is energetic and contagious” (The Jazz Page).
The As Is discography began in Rome, where the couple recorded an intimate
debut album of standards, A Love Like Ours (2015). Their sophomore release,
Here’s to Life (2018) with Grammy-nominated producer, James McKinney,
established the duo as compelling storytellers and arrangers, offering listeners
new soundscapes that could swing hard while leaning into latin, classical,
vocalese and Indian sonic accents. Recorded at Eusonia Studios, NYC, and
mastered by Emily Lazar at The Lodge, NYC (assisted by Chris Allgood), the
album debuted at #1 on Amazon Jazz, #6 on iTunes Jazz and #9 on Billboard's
Traditional Jazz Chart. It was well-reviewed and embraced by jazz radio in 2018.
In December 2021, As Is released a new twist on a holiday classic with a joyful,
samba-inspired, O Holy Night. May 2022 brought a remastered version of their
debut album with a new bonus single, a soulful acoustic rendition of Joni
Mitchell’s Both Sides Now. Their 3rd full-length album, an exploration of “life as
we feel it,” is expected in early 2025.
