Every once in a while a new artist comes along that seems to defy categorization. Alexandra Stewart is precisely this kind of artist. This photogenic young chanteuse hailing from Canada has really impressed me with her warm and soulful vocals backed up by a maturity in her songwriting that seems beyond her years.

Her new EP entitled Short Stories just came to my attention and it’s mesmerizing. Although she’s a jazz singer, she’s managed to transcend the limited appeal of that respectable genre with some very accessible, yet down to earth melodies. She’s taken all of the good things about contemporary jazz and infused them with a rare honesty and originality that results in an exquisitely listenable musical experience.

In an exhausted age of plastic music performed by contrived pop stars, Alexandra Stewart comes across as a breath of fresh air.

From the catchy Stop For a Minute, to the stark honesty of Darling and closing with the optimistic Say It Somehow you are taken on a journey which is why the title of the EP Short Stories is apt. Throughout it all, I was taken aback by the sheer honesty and vulnerability of her songs. This kind of openness is a welcome change from the bravado and posturing that seems to characterize the repertoire of much of today’s modern popular music.

My only complaint with Short Stories is this: it’s just too darn short — no pun intended. This EP definitely had me banging my head against the wall wanting to hear more. Hopefully, we’ll see a full CD release coming from Alexandra in the future.

As a pianist, I really fell in love with her spacious yet restrained piano voicings — they are the perfect accompaniment for her lush and wistful vocals. The fluid arrangements and confident performances are top-notch yet never fail to highlight and support Ms. Stewart’s striking voice.

You can check Alexandra Stewart out on her MySpace page and more importantly you can purchase her new EP on iTunes. She’s also released a video for Stop for a Minute on Vimeo which I’ve featured below.

-Chris Braun

Stop for a Minute – Alexandra Stewart – Music Video from Oresti Tsonopoulos on Vimeo.