Jazz vocalist Carmen Lundy is celebrating the highest debut in her 15-album journey with Code Noir. Released in February, the set bowed at No. 9 on the Jazz Albums chart.
Now at No. 20, the 12-song Code Noirencompasses the independent artist’s love of jazz, blues, Brazilian samba, African rhythms, pop and other influences as she delivers timely and thought-provoking messages about perseverance (“Live Out Loud,” “Whatever It Takes”), social issues (“Black and Blues”) and love (“The Island, the Sea and You”). Lundy, who wrote or co-wrote and arranged all the tracks and plays keyboards/guitar, is accompanied by musicians Patrice Rushen, Ben Williams, Jeff Parker and Kendrick Scott.
Also a skilled, self-taught visual artist who works in oil and “found objects” (wood planks, wine crates, etc.), Lundy recently exhibited one of her pieces, “Blue Woman,” at the Whole 9 Gallery in Culver City, California. The same piece will go on exhibit at jazz station WBGO’s art gallery in Newark, New Jersey, from April until June.