Nearness Lizz Wright & Kenny Banks

• 1 The Nearness Of You 05:51
• 2 Jazz Ain’t Nothing 03:53
• 3 Soon I Will Be Done 06:00
• 4 Hold On 03:14
• 5 All The Things You Are 04:56
• 6 Amazing Grace 05:29
• 7 Just You, Just Me 04:52
• 8 Hold Me 04:02
• 9 How I Got Over 04:23
• 10 Deep River 02:50
• 11 Circling 03:39
• Total Runtime 49:09

Info for Nearness

An intimate testament to a twenty-year musical kinship, Nearness brings together the singular voice of Lizz Wright and the masterly piano and organ playing of Kenny Banks Sr.

Some musical partnerships take years to develop. Others begin with a single moment that changes everything. For Lizz Wright and Kenny Banks Sr., that moment came more than two decades ago during an Atlanta jam session, when an impromptu blues rendition of "Amazing Grace" sparked the creative relationship that now comes full circle on Nearness.

The album is Wright's first true duo recording with Banks, the pianist, arranger, and musical architect who has quietly helped shape nearly every chapter of her career. Since Wright's acclaimed 2003 debut Salt, Banks has been a constant presence on albums including Dreaming Wide Awake, The Orchard, Fellowship, Freedom & Surrender, Grace, and 2024's Shadow. While their musical chemistry has long been evident, Nearness is the first album to place that relationship at center stage.

Recorded with longtime collaborator Chris Bruce producing, Nearness strips away everything except Wright's unmistakable voice and Banks' expressive piano and organ. Together they revisit jazz standards, gospel hymns, and spirituals with performances that feel less like reinterpretations than conversations between lifelong friends. The title track, "The Nearness of You," radiates quiet intimacy, while classics including "All the Things You Are," "Amazing Grace," "Deep River," and "How I Got Over" draw equally from the worlds of jazz and the Black church that shaped both artists.

Raised in rural Georgia as the daughter of a minister and church music director, Wright has spent more than twenty years building a career that effortlessly bridges jazz, gospel, blues, folk, and soul. Banks has followed a similarly versatile path, earning widespread respect throughout the jazz world while collaborating with artists ranging from Wynton Marsalis to Gladys Knight. On Nearness, those parallel journeys meet in their purest form, proving that sometimes the strongest musical statement comes from simply trusting another musician enough to leave plenty of space between the notes.

Lizz Wright, vocals
Kenny Banks, piano, Hammond organ

Lizz Wright
Through an inimitable voice that The New York Times touts as, “a smooth, dark alto possessed of qualities you might associate with barrel-aged bourbon or butter-soft leather,” acclaimed vocalist and songwriter Lizz Wright sings with a soaring reflection of the cultural fabric of America. Wright is one of the great modern American singers with an illustrious 20-year career transcending social divides with her offer of love and deep sense of humanity.

Wright culls inspiration from her Southern upbringing in Georgia where she was the musical director of a small church of which her father was the pastor. The call and response singing with the church congregation was her first brush with music. Soon she would traverse the Great American Songbook on her path to becoming a beloved international treasure.

At the age of 22, Wright first made a name for herself nationally as a vocalist with a touring concert tribute to Billie Holiday. At 23, she signed with Verve Records for the 2003 release of her debut album, Salt, which topped Billboard’s contemporary jazz charts. She went on to record for Universal Music Group and released the albums Dreaming Wide Awake (2005), The Orchard (2008), and Fellowship (2010). On Concord, Wright released Freedom & Surrender (2016) – featuring the single “Lean In,” which landed on President Obama’s Summer 2016 playlist – and Grace (2017).

In 2020, Lizz Wright took her culinary skills as a graduate of Dr. Annemarie Colbin’s​ Natural Gourmet Institute ​of New York to Carver 47 Food & Wellness Market (C47) on the South Side of Chicago. She summons her Southern upbringing in Georgia and 20 years of European touring to inform the nutrient-forward menu at the beloved Chicago café and market. Housed inside the distinguished Little Black Pearl Art & Design Academy (North Kenwood, Chicago) founded by innovative Chicago business leader and designer Monica Haslip, Carver 47 operates in homage to the market’s fundamental dignitary, the legendary Dr. George Washington Carver.

Wright launched her own independent record company, Blues & Greens Records with the June 2022 release of Holding Space, a brilliant live album (produced by Christian Ulbrich) capturing a Berlin, Germany concert in 2018; as well as a companion short film, Holding Space, produced by Monica Haslip and Lynne Earls. Her innovative label venture is designed with a business model where artists are positioned to build wholesome careers. After 20 years of major label contracts, Wright now owns her master recordings for the first time in her career. Blues & Greens Records creates a healthy ecosystem for Wright with sustainable and sound business practices at the forefront.

In 2024, Wright will release her studio debut album, Shadow, produced by Chris Bruce and executive produced by Lizz Wright on Blues & Greens Records (with licensing/distribution through Lightyear Entertainment/Virgin Music). Wright pens five originals as she celebrates the intimacy of romantic love, loss, community, and healing.

On Shadow, Wright works with renowned engineer Ryan Freeland who recorded Grace and has also worked with music legend Bonnie Raitt. Shadow features acclaimed artists Angelique Kidjo and Meshell Ndegeocello. Anchored by acoustic guitars and layered with string quartets, harp, Carnatic Indian classical strings, gospel vocals, and bare emotion, Shadow presents Lizz in a gentle and triumphant light.

Kenny Banks
...composer, arranger and performer who slips effortlessly among musical styles while retaining his own distinct sound.

This Columbus Ohio native has been studying and playing piano since the age of seven. He first developed his gift through the church, which led him to study music at Central State University. Following graduation, he taught vocal music in the Columbus Public Schools before pursuing his dreams by touring as a clinician, keyboardist, musical director and producer across the United States and other parts of the world.

Kenny has graced renowned stages like the Jools Holland Television Show in England, Tiny Desk, BET, and the Image Awards. His iconic performances at the inauguration and the United Nations Ceremony for President Barack Obama highlight his impact, resonating across significant venues such as Carnegie Hall in New York City and the Philharmonie in Berlin. Noteworthy movie appearances include scenes in Tyler Perry's "The Family That Preys," and a collaborative composition, "Hello Love," with recording artist Kathleen Bertrand, featured in the GMC movie "Raising Izzie."

Kenny has engaged with acclaimed artists like Jimmy Heath, Wess Anderson, Earl Klugh, Kathleen Bertrand, Lizz Wright, Rene Marie, Russell Gunn, Pharez Whitted, Kevin Mahogany, Kurt Whalum, Albertina Walker, Dorothy Norwood, Byron Cage, Jennifer Holiday, Aretha Franklin, and even the prestigious Philadelphia Orchestra, showcasing just a glimpse of his impressive list of notable musical performances.

Kenny received his Master's degree in Jazz Studies at Georgia State University. He currently resides in Atlanta with his wife (Angelia) and three children (Kenny Jr., Sydney and Sasha). He serves as accompanist, chorale director and chief musician for The Cascade United Methodist Church. His recent career milestone involves delving into videography, where he has produced over a hundred virtual choir videos for diverse artists, ensembles and choirs.

Kenny intermittently collaborates with Atlanta's Kathleen Bertrand, gracing distinguished local jazz venues while also complementing the artistry of acclaimed trumpet virtuoso Joe Gransden. Their collective musical brilliance culminates in a harmonious duo album titled "Dichotomy."

Kenny consistently records and captivates audiences worldwide, sharing the stage with international recording artist Lizz Wright. In addition to collaborative efforts, he independently introduces his own projects, such as “Hymns of Comfort" and “Truly Free.”

"Music is designed to heal, for it will soothe the body, relax the mind, and ignite the heart, all while uplifting the spirit."

This album contains no booklet.