Acclaimed singer, songwriter and pianist Jon Regen returns to our stage to celebrate his new album Satisfied Mind. On his tenth release as a leader, Regen weaves a wild sonic web that effortlessly links his instrumental jazz roots with pop panache, electronic experimentation and more.
Like his celebrated 2019 release Higher Ground, this new collection of songs was produced by Jamiroquai keyboardist Matt Johnson, and features guest appearances by luminaries like Ron Carter, Rob Thomas and Pino Palladino, plus Dave McMurray, Larry Goldings, Tim Lefebvre, Jeremy Stacey, Judith Owen and others.
“I called the album ‘Satisfied Mind’ because it’s the first time a collection of songs truly sounds like me,” Regen explains. “I love a good song and a great solo, but there are also moments on this record that are full of surprises. Plus, having my heroes like Ron, Pino and Rob come and leave it all on the mat - well, that’s the icing on the cake.”
Regen has worn a multitude of hats in his career – from a sought-after sideman with artists like Little Jimmy Scott and Kyle Eastwood, to an acclaimed solo artist in his own right with a Number One Billboard album. He was also the longtime Editor of Keyboard Magazine, a writer for outlets like the New York Times and Variety, and the creator and host of the popular worldwide radio show “New York Notes” that ran for nearly 100 episodes and featured guests like Bruce Hornsby, Jackson Browne and Jools Holland. So if anyone could pull together a captivating musical cast, it would be Regen.
Perhaps the most heartfelt song on the new album is the Randy Newman-esque title track, which Jamie Cullum recently premiered on his famed BBC Radio 2 show. Jazz FM also added it to their playlist after naming it “Breakfast Track of the Week.”
“I rarely play and sing covers, but that one hits home,” Regen says. “I first heard Jeff Buckley sing it when I was just getting started in my twenties, but it took a few lifetimes for me to fully inhabit the lyrics. And then to have Larry Goldings, who I’ve known since music camp as a kid, guest on Hammond organ – I’ve truly come full circle.”
