Eric Hutchinson delves into jazz-pop on new album set for April

Eric Hutchinson returns with a new album, Before & After Life, on April 16. 

The jazz-tinged effort was written and recorded in the days leading up to the birth of Eric’s daughter, Zelda in 2018. 

“I wrote these songs in a reflective and transformational time while I was existing in the valley between death and life,” Hutchinson explains. “The first half of the album are all songs about birth, life and parenthood. The second half of the record are questions and musings about death and where any of us goes in the afterlife.”

The first single off the Before & After Life is "The Best Part." Hutchinson describes it as "The sound of me wrapping my head around becoming a parent. I was listening to a lot of Van Morrison and Joni Mitchell at the time and the music came out as jazz-pop.”

To help shape his latest project, Eric recruited an entirely new band, comprising some New York City jazz musicians. “I felt like I was in 'Ocean’s 11' putting together a team for a secret mission,” he jokes. The players include trumpeter Wayne Tucker, tenor saxophonist Patrick Bartley, drummer Charles Goold, bassist Barry Stephenson, and pianist Hila Kulik.

“These are world-class musicians,” Eric says. “They’ve played with modern jazz greats like Wynton Marsalis and Jon Batiste, so to hear them fill out my tunes was an honor.”

Before & After Life follows last year's studio effort Class of 98. 

Track Listing:

1. The Best Part

2. I Hope She’s Just Like You.

3. Why I Love Your Mom 

4. Right Where I’m Supposed to Be

5. Born in the Dark

6. Life After Life 

7. Hell Or Something Like It 

8. Postcards From The Other Side