Austin Giorgio

If you believe the concept that things just aren’t as great as they used to be, what follows is likely not for you. If you’ve ever thought things can never be as great as they once were, I hear there are plenty of daytime reruns on that can entertain you for hours.

The sparks of influence come in many forms. For many a formidable youth, the classics play a big part in their development. For Rochester, New York’s Austin Giorgio, Ella and Sinatra not only noticeably influenced his style, but his songwriting as well.

The aptly titled Crooner marks the beginning of Giorgio’s (hopefully) profoundly successful career.

Austin Giorgio’s eleven-track debut album bridges generations to create a solace reflection for both the full of love and the broken hearted. Drives late at night, in the rain, through city streets, emanates a songwriting style that is definitively modern and youthful. Infused with jazz undertones, combined with heavy bass, hot grooves, and electronic subtleties, Giorgio’s voices creates a captivating dichotomy that blends a sweet delivery that really is that damn good.

Crooner is stirred close enough to too-clean lines without becoming a nauseating club mix you’d hear from a desperate DJ on an all-ages Saturday night. It isn’t perfect, but then again, this sound should never be. Giorgio separates himself from modern landscape of R&B/jazz lyricist monotony with a smoky modern jazz tinge, yet carries enough beat to get you moving. He departs the Bublé association with his authentic metropolitan ambiance. Giorgio lands more in a young Harry Connick Jr. framework, but where Connick thrives in the bayou heritage, Giorgio has lungs full of city life and young love.

This is, without a doubt, the modern face of the crooner. It delivers on the kind of presence that can redefine a Vegas residency and bring a modern crooning romanticism back to the City of Sin, and the rest of the world. Keep in mind, Sinatra didn’t release most of his memorable tunes until he was in his forties. To be clear, I’m not implying Sinatra is going to be replaced nor that Giorgio, or anyone in modern times, can reach such a stratosphere. What I’m saying is, at twenty two years of age, the potential is unrestrained and only time will tell. Follow ups would do well to go a little more rough around the edges. That’s about the only criticism I can deliver to this record. Crooner is a definite success. A success that, dare I say, shows us things can be as good as they used to be. - nanobot

Q) How would you describe your sound?



A) I’d say my singing pays homage to the crooners of the 40’s-50’s yet my instrumentals are produced and composed to fit modern musical tastes.



Q) Who are some of your musical influences?



A) Frank Sinatra, Chet Baker, Drake and Frank Ocean are inspirations through both their music and their public perception.



Q) Talk about the story behind your new song “Stardust.”



A) At two in the morning I had this piano sound in my head that really painted a vivid picture. I envisioned behind the glass of a cafes window sat a beautiful girl, hair up in a bun, looking semi focused on whatever it was that she had in her notebook. This girl would hope to be approached by that special person, yet that special person never comes. She is the embodiment of a hopeless romantic. As the song progresses, day turns to night and she walks through central park where one day she’d hope to walk with her lover. To her lonely surprise, all of the couples in the park surface her sadness. She feels like an actor on a movie set, yet in the back of her mind wonders if the movie ever will come to be. Rather than changing the ending of the song to happy chorus ending, I left it to repeat, emphasizing neither her or the listener really know if she ever finds the one.



Q) What do you think it is about the song that fans connect to?



A) I, for one, believe I’m a hopeless romantic with the constant day to day grind, finding a good life balance is an immense challenge. Most people can relate to that. Also, my fans are like my close friends I never had. They enjoy oldies, vinyls, nostalgia and old mannerisms as much as I do. When I wrote this song, I wanted to give it that nostalgic feel. The beginning opens with the warm crackle of a vinyl record and a love scene from a famous public-domain romantic comedy movie. This opens the song with an old soul embodiment and one other focus of the song was word selection. It was a priority to me to use lyrics that sound like a blast from the past hence, “Stardust” – “will this fairytale come true,” “a grin that could make you sigh,” etc.



Q) How does the video for the track play into the message behind it?



A) The video is in production as we speak, but we are trying to keep the cinematography to a minimum so that the viewer and listener can use it as a guide yet paint their own picture of this story.



Q) What is your song writing process? Do you need music before you can create lyrics?



A) I’m very much a music first, lyric second type artist. I like to produce tracks seventy percent of the way and then begin laying lyrics on top. With that being said, both this song, “Table Top” and “Photograph Underwater” began with the first verse before even having music. The song writing magic begins around 12:30 in the morning for me. I usually lay down some foundation and see where the personality of the song wants to go.



Q) How much of hand do you have in the production of your music?



A) I produce almost all of my music, with the exception of a few (“Photograph Underwater,” “Table Top,” “Broken Ballerina” and “Text Last Night” – these were co-produced). My lyrics are all written on my own and to be completely transparent, most songs start off to personal and I back step making them more approachable to most. Names are removed, places are generalized, etc.



Q) You’re out on the “America’s Voices” tour. What can fans expect from a live Austin Giorgio performance?



A) How this side tour is setup is that I play both the MC and Performer roll. I truly have the most fun entertaining people, so expect humor, dancing and singing. In regards to songs, I’ll pull a few songs from the American Song Book with my own jazzy spin as well as my own original music.



Q) What songs off your album Crooner are you looking forward to performing live?



A) “Table Top,” “Do You Feel It” and “Roaring Nights” would have to be the one’s I’m most excited about. One song tells a story, another gives off a summer vibe and the last is all out dance.



Q) What do you hope listeners take away from listening to your new album as a whole?



A) I really have no expectations for the album, as this is more of my sampler pack than a full-blown album. I put in several different types of songs and really excited to see what everyone enjoys the most.



Q) We loved seeing you on “The Voice.” What advice did mentor Blake Shelton offer that you took to heart?



A) Be in it all the way, nothing is worse than regrets. I think one major take away is that if you are sincerely a genuine person, have significant drive and a strategy – you’ll make it. How you define “making it” is up to you.



Q) Have you stayed in touch with him since your time on the show?

A) Yes, the whole “Voice” crew is like one big family. I think what makes the show so impactful is that it surrounds you with great people.



Q) Who would you most like to collaborate with on a song in the future?



A) I think it’s tough to say, I’d categorize it this way:



My Idols: John Mayer + Michael Buble + Harry Connick Jr + Jamie Cullum. I recently had a friend show me an artist named Alaina Castillo. I really enjoyed her voice, production and vibe.



Q) What album/band are you currently listening to and why do you dig them?



A) One album I’ve been playing on the late-night car rides is “Her” by J’san



Q) You are a part of social media. Why is that such an important way for you to connect with your fans?



A) Social media was something I once resisted…a lot. Once I began pursuing music two years ago, I dove head first in learning the platforms and it has been the greatest gift. It is like a virtual dinner table where all my friends and I can now interact.



Q) What would you like to say to everyone who is a fan and supporter of you and your work?



A) You have no idea what kind of an impact you have on me and I couldn’t thank you enough. This is a journey not of just me but us and to know we are side by side is the greatest feeling. Thank you and I hope your day is stellar as always. - Starry Mag

I know, I know, a comparison to Michael Bublé’s velvety vocals may seem incredibly outlandish, but with Austin Giorgio’s stunning vocal talent, it would seem that no praise is too high for the Rochester-based Jazz singer.

When you usually think of Jazz, generally, you’ll think about slightly archaic soundscapes, but that may just be the most impressive aspect to Austin Giorgio’s style. He’s brought Jazz right into the 21st century and will no doubt make the genre accessible to a brand new generation. With his upcoming single “Do You Feel it” the beat behind the track which serves as the perfect platform for his ethereal vocals wouldn’t sound out of place in a contemporary R&B track.

You’ll have to wait a little longer (30th Jan 2019) until your eardrums will be gratified by the vocal talent so potent that you’ll probably want to make sure you’re sat down before you listen. But in the meantime, check out Austin Giorgio’s 2018 releases via Spotify.

Head over to Facebook where you can keep up to date with all of Austin’s latest releases and tour info.

Review by Amelia Vandergast - anrfactory

Not too long ago, there was a time people pulled vinyl off the self; or out of a milk crate; slipped the scratch ridden disc out of its sleeve and dropped the needle. Time’s moved on. The teak hi-fi cabinet has been replaced with the slim metallic iPhone. Pioneer, over the ear/volume control, headphones have morphed into white buds springing from the listener’s ears. People once lounged and cruised to music; the culture now multitasks and walks to tunes. Yesterday people listened to music. Today, most only hear it. Austin Giorgio’s freshman release of all original music, 'Crooner', redefines yesterday’s romantic tropes by embracing a contemporary attitude and sound. Drop the needle, 'Crooner' is music you listen to.

Some listeners have placed Giorgio into the same category as Michael Buble and Harry Connick Jr. Though a few comparisons can be made, the similarities stop once one notices how Giorgio’s recordings of popular songs purposely upend the traditional standard. His past takes on “My Funny Valentine” is not only bookended with banging cords but the piano cuts Giorgio’s caramel smooth voice throughout while the usually restrained “Put Your Head on My Shoulders” becomes a slow jazzy lament. His interpretation is to mindfully deconstruct the music’s sound to illuminate its lyrics anew. Giorgio’s overall vision is closer in the record store bin to Jamie Cullen and Amy Winehouse. Though his work tics all the boxes when celebrating mid-century cool, there is an underlying modern rendition. Crooner places Austin Giorgio’s music as modern mid-century modern.

Content dictating form is the craftsperson’s adage found throughout the ten songs on 'Crooner'. Giorgio’s lyrical content is peppered with such references as Sinatra’s “summer wind” and Marvin Gaye colliding with retro diners and the ominous lonely light of a lover’s cellphone. A woman denying her past love staggers through “Photograph Underwater” as the world drifts by in an alcohol induced haze. Giorgio’s use of the word “ripple” adds to the song’s wavy feel but it also suggests the cheap, sweet wine once preferred by heavy drinkers. “Such Class” is one of the standouts on the album with its modern sexually charged take on “Me and Mrs Jones.” The last sensual lyric is abruptly cut off thereby suspending both the narrator and listener in perpetual longing. The breaking of bond and spirit dance though the unstrung music box of “Broken Ballerina.” Another personal favorite, “Stardust” centers on a woman trapped in a romantic fantasy of her own making. The piece begins with low-fi pops, hisses and a sample of Cary Grant and Audrey Hepburn engaged in brief flirty banter. This snippet, from the classic romantic suspense film Charade, places the imagery which follows into tragic context. The lovelorn woman in the song, never to be an Audrey Hepburn, is looking for a nonexistent Cary Grant ideal. With these works, Giorgio takes the clichéd term of the hopeless romantic and harshly redefines it into individuals without hope, clinging to a romantic shadow.

But all is not lost. Being the true crooner, Giorgio effortlessly moves from melancholy to pure joy. And these songs also favor and reward the passionate dreamer. The nostalgic “Table Top” celebrates the dizzying feeling of first love and its power to transfer joy from one individual to another. Giorgio’s lyric cleverly spins from “I” to “you” to “we.” The unapproachable Italian cosa bella ignites “Shooting Stella” into jubilant dance chords brighter than la luna. An infectious giddy reflection informs a hope filled cruise along the beach in “Do You Feel It?”

Almost all of Giorgio’s lyrical narratives on Crooner involve the tension of either anticipation of love or the lingering memory of things past. The narrator is never directly united in a relationship with his muse until the album’s close with the intoxicating conga beats and rumba sounds of “Roaring Nights.” Here Giorgio places the listener into the heady stream of consciousness of being in love. The narrator, “fumblin’ and mumblin’” in the face of beauty, can only dance. Giorgio constructs a lyrical soundscape which captures the buoyant, at times overwhelming, rhapsody of love. The song is the perfect nightcap to the beautifully conceived songs which proceed it.

Everything old is new again. The iconic album cover of 'Songs for Swingin’ Lovers' shows a dapper Sinatra overseeing two lovers embracing. The cover of 'Crooner' is a photo of a dapper Giorgio overseeing the listener. 'Crooner' invites its listener to reflect on the many facets of romantic love and longing. Its sweet and bittersweet tones are constructed by a thoughtful artisan. And as with all talented artisans, Austin Giorgio is way ahead of us. But catching up to him and this thought-filled art is a joyful experience with many rewards. Crooner asks us to dust off our vintage Pioneer Headphones and listen. - SubbaCultcha