SeattleActor.com - SEATTLE NATIVE AND BROADWAY ACTRESS JENNIFER PAZ RETURNS TO PROMOTE NEW CD

Singer/Actress Jennifer Paz, best known for originating the role of "Kim" in the U.S. First National Tour of the acclaimed musical "Miss Saigon", is set to release her upcoming CD "Awakening" on September 27, 2005. The release coincides with the launch of her new website www.jenniferpaz.org. The singer will also perform a concert in late October at Thumpers Cabaret on the Hill to promote the album.

The actress, who has had leading roles in such diverse musical theater productions as "Les Miserables", "Flower Drum Song", "Songs for a New World" and "And the World Goes 'Round", says the goal of the CD project was about learning to embrace change and not resisting the process of healing; of finding the truth in the gray areas of life and living with the aftermath after the dust settles. "My collaborator R.J. Tancioco, a regional musical director, and I gave a lot of thought to the songs," explains Paz, "but then career and personal factors pulled us away from the project and we had to put it on hold. It was putting the cart before the horse; we chose these songs first but after we each went through personal struggles, these songs took on entirely different and deeper meanings."

Paz has set two dates (October 24 and 25) at Thumpers Cabaret on the Hill to promote the new album with a concert. She will be performing alongside friend and "Awakening" music director R.J. Tancioco, a well-known Seattle music director. Reservations can be made by calling Thumpers at 206-328-3800.

"From the first time I talked about working on the CD to the time of completion," says Paz, "took about three years. The issues were mainly about timing and availability but I wanted to take the time to select the songs carefully. I did not want to pick random songs. Each song was chosen carefully after I thought about what I wanted to say. I wanted to do something with a "healing" theme and I specifically wanted to records songs by some of my favorite musical theatre composers."

The introspective acoustic CD includes songs written by musical theatre lyricists/composers Stephen Schwartz ("Wicked", "Pippin") and Jason Robert Brown ("Songs for a New World", "The Last 5 Years") as well as by Carole King and Bob Dylan. "I fell in love with Jason Robert Brown's music during the production of 'Songs for a New World' in Los Angeles," says Paz. "I had heard 'Letting You Go' was in an early incarnation of his [Brown's] show 'The Last Five Years' and I wondered if he would let me record it; so I asked."

"Awakening" also features duets with notable musical theater performers Lea Salonga ("Miss Saigon" - Broadway) and Jose Llana ("The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee" - Broadway). Jennifer worked with both artists in the Los Angeles Mark Taper Production of David Henry Hwang's adaptation of "Flower Drum Song" by Rodgers and Hammerstein. "I worked with Jose and Lea during ["Flower Drum Song"] pre-Broadway production and the experience was really special for me," explains the singer. "Jose and I became 'buds' during that show and working with Lea was a joy. . . . given that we'd been up for so many of the same roles, it was refreshing to finally meet her in person and become friends. Singing these duets with them just seemed to fit."

The CD marks Jennifer's evolution from musical theater actress and performer to recording artist. The three year project is the culmination of inspired work from a team of gifted musicians and artists across the country, including Charlie Lustman, owner of Los Angeles' Silent Movie Theater. "The bonus track 'When Will We Know' was one of those lost tunes I found on a warped cassette tape hidden in a shoe box in my closet," remarks Paz. "Charlie [Lustman] is a songwriter and friend and we wrote that song years ago for a demo we had planned. So I called Charlie and asked him if he wanted to re-do it. And he said 'yes'".

Songs to be included on the CD are the afroementioned "Letting You Go" by Jason Robert Brown, and "When Will We Know" by Charlie Lustman, as well as "For Good" (with Lea Salonga) from Stephen Schwartz's "Wicked," "Infinite Joy"' by William Finn, "Christmas Lullaby" by Jason Robert Brown, and the title track, "Awakening" by Seattle-based actor/writer Harry Turpin, among others.

In conjunction with the release of "Awakening", Jennifer will be performing on a promotional tour that will kickoff her hometown of Seattle, Washington in October. The tour is scheduled to premiere in Los Angeles in November and will travel to San Diego in December. "Awakening" will be available on www.jenniferpaz.org on September 27, 2005 as well as tour route and appearance information.