First Listen: Liz Vice jazzes up the holidays

(December 2, 2021) Combining elements of gospel, jazz and R&B, Liz Vice has been making a name for herself in all the right places. The Brooklyn-transplanted Portland native grew up singing spiritual praises, and continued to grow in faith following her kidney transplant more than a decade and a half ago.

In the years since, she also found her voice as a singer and storyteller, and her praises have been sung by music critics and fans around the world as a rising artist to watch.

Now, in time for the holidays, Vice has released A Soulful Holiday, a pretty standard selection of oft-covered holiday classic that she gives a very non-standard treatment. Working with co-producer and keyboardist Niji Adeleye, Vice provides fresh, accessible updates on what could have otherwise been tired standards. And it all begins for us with her jazzy take on “Jingle Bells,” turning it into an organ-drenched, groove-filled adult soul gem. We’re smiling just hearing it.

Check out this new holiday classic and welcome Liz Vice to SoulTracks.

By Chris Rizik

Liz Vice – “Jingle Bells”