She’s known as Little Boogaloo. And in her home area, the Mississippi Delta, just say her first name and people will know. Eden Brent releases Jigsaw Heart (Yellow Dog Records, 2014).

Personnel on this date are Colin Linden, guitars and mandolin on “Panther Burn”; John Dymond, basses (except “Locomotive” and “Panther Burn”); Gary Craig, drums (except “Locomotive” and “Panther Burn”); Dan Dugmore, pedal steel guitar; Kenzie Wetz, fiddle; Chris Carmichael, violin, viola and cello; Ann McCrary, background vocals; Regina McCrary, background vocals and tambourine; Stephen Mackey, electric bass on “Locomotive” and “Panther Burn”; and Bryan Owings, drums on “Locomotive” and “Panther Burn.”

Brent’s boogie-woogie side comes out with the upbeat “Everybody Already Knows.” She sings, “The rumor mill is grinding / whether we like it or not.” It’s about an adulterous relationship that’s become the talk of the town. Why bother trying to keep a secret that’s already out? The musicians behind Brent are firmly in the groove, and her piano sizzles.

The title song is the story of a woman who mistakenly believed she could fall in love and not get burned. Now, she’s asking her partner if he can put the pieces back together. Dugmore’s pedal steel adding to the environment.

A native of Greenville, Mississippi, Brent comes from a musical family. Her deceased mother, Carole, was a songwriter. Sisters Jessica and Bronwynne are recording artists, and their father, Howard, though he doesn’t sing professionally, has been known to get on stage with his voice and harmonica. Brent had a long association with fellow pianist, Abie “Boogaloo” Ames, a much older man who became her mentor. Their partnership ended with Ames’ death, but Brent retains the nickname, “Little Boogaloo.”

Brent is a three-time Blues Music Award winner, earning the 2009 Acoustic Album of the Year for Mississippi Number One (Yellow Dog) and Acoustic Artist of the Year, and 2010 Pinetop Perkins Piano Player of the Year. Other releases include Something Cool, Ain’t Got No Troubles and Party Dress, a collaboration with her sisters.

Brent was considered a jazz musician early in her career. But as she developed her own style, her repertoire grew to include blues, pop, rock, folk, country – basically, whatever she feels in the moment. Jigsaw Heart shows hints of all but the jazz and is her most country-fueled album to date. She wrote five of the six original songs, with Linden composing the finale, “Valentine.”



 

www.edenbrent.com