STARS ABOVE Our creative collective, born in the spring of 2014, includes contributions from numerous multi-disciplinary artists, including songwriters, composers, musical performers, record producers and sound engineers. The main goal of the group is to record a high-quality catalog of songs and instrumental compositions in a wide variety of styles and genres. Included in the collective’s plans are promotional performances, CD compilation releases like this one, and energetic industry outreach. The coming together of many beautiful threads and colors is very much the essence of Stars Above. The talents of our contributors have shone through and made the hard work necessary to produce this initial CD offering a true joy, and we hope that listeners will be able to enjoy the wonderful music and performances it contains. CONTRIBUTORS: Christina Gentile A jazz studies graduate and highly-versatile vocalist, Christina is our 'Voice of the World," and also adds an Indie singer-songwriter flavor to the group.   Jay Lee A Korean-born pianist who has lived for many years in the U.S. and Canada, Jay's style lends a Romantic, Bill Evans-inspired shading to many of the catalog selections. Melissa Pipe 'ECM' spaciousness and the film-like quality of her compositions are perhaps the most prominent among many beautiful features heard in her Stars Above contributions. Willis Pride The consummate multifaceted musician, his strong vocal and piano performances combine blues and rock influences with a musical sophistication that cuts across all styles. Jay Sherwood Funk, soul and R&B are Jay's strongest suits as a vocalist, not to mention the jazz, gospel and other influences that also find their way into his powerful singing. Félix Tellier-Pouliot Mainstream jazz is the strongest compositional orientation of the group's guitarist-contributor, but his piece in the initial catalog offering is a 'bossa with a twist.' Fuat Tuaç As a composer and as a singer, Fuat's charming wit echoes the classics of musical theater, bringing character, lightness and humor to the Stars Above catalog. Eleanor Young Actress, dancer, vocalist and song-writer, Eleanor is the group's Renaissance woman. Her contributions to the catalog hint at the many strands in her artistic tapestry, which include Manouche jazz and musical storytelling in the tradition of Joni Mitchell. Michael Pinsonneault A songwriter, composer, sound designer, writer, educator and musical performer based in Montreal, Quebec, Canada, he performs with professional jazz groups and the Montreal Symphony Orchestra, and teaches music at Concordia University. We've also had the expert technical assistance of sound engineer Marguerite Luu, who has tracked and mixed all of the catalog selections to date.  Finally, outstanding musical support on specific pieces has been provided by Mike de Masi (double bass), Charles Fillion (trombone), Gabriel Forget (bass), Mathew Higden (drums), Christophe Lepp-Forest (drums), Simon Lévesque (double bass), Martin Mateus (guitar), François O'Sullivan (guitar), Sasha Spurmanis (bass), and Samuel Rémillard (double bass).