Arts & Entertainment
Kathleen Bertrand Performs Tonight at Wines Styles
5th CD by internationally-acclaimed vocalist and southwest Atlanta resident released earlier this month. The album, "Katharsis," will be available tonight.
It's been nearly five years since Kathleen Bertrand's last CD and the wait has been well worth it.
One of Atlanta's favorite singers, Bertrand recently performed selections from her new CD “Katharsis” with her band before a packed house in the lobby bar of the Loew's Hotel in Midtown.
Cascade Patch caught up with Bertrand, a longtime southwest Atlanta resident, following her taping on the new entertainment TV show “The Chatroom” (Sundays, 11:30 a.m. WXIA-TV Ch. 11).
Find out what's happening in Cascadefor free with the latest updates from Patch.
The Chatroom co-host and executive producer Shaunya Chavis-Rucker and Bertrand used to be choir mates at Cascade United Methodist Church on Cascade Road in southwest Atlanta.
“I stood right next to her in the choir and she is so good that being next to her made me a better singer,” Chavis-Rucker said.
Find out what's happening in Cascadefor free with the latest updates from Patch.
Bertrand is still active and singing at Cascade UMC.
Just as the recession was blossoming, Bertrand was prepared to begin working on “Katharsis” with her regular collaborator and musical director Phil Davis.
“I was waiting to have a meeting at the W Hotel and I was watching all of the bad economic news that was being reported,” she said. “I was supposed to meet with Phil that night, but my spirit led me to call him and to suggest that we postpone it.”
“But I've been told that delay is not denial, so I just kept on praying and praying, knowing the right time was around the corner,” said the Spelman College alum.
“Katharsis” is Bertrand's fifth CD and in the minds of many who have heard it, it is her best. She wrote seven of the 12 songs on the CD.
The CD is a mixed of soul and jazz with a litle latin and pop. It includes two soulful covers of Bill Withers' “Grandma's Hands” and Sade's “(Love Is) Stronger Than Pride.”
The CD is very radio-friendly, but if there is a breakout single it could be “Date Night” which was inspired by President Obama and the First Lady who make sure they have a regular date night as a couple.
Bertrand will be having a few showcases around metro Atlanta in the coming weeks. One will be Wednesday at the Cascade Wine Styles, 3752 Cascade Rd. She will also performed during the National Black Arts Festival in July.
For more information on how to obtain "Katharsis" and her other music go to: www.kathleenbertrand.com. She can also be found on Facebook.