Electronic Press Kit

One Sheet

Name of Release: I'm Just Happy to Be Here
Genre: Electronica/future jazz/broken beat/house

After a decade-long hiatus from recording, award-winning composer and multi-instrumentalist Michelle Pollace is back. Her new EP, I'm Just Happy to Be Here, blends jazz sensibility, Latin and Brazilian rhythms, and electronic elements. The four-song work not only marks her return to releasing original music after needing to focus on her son’s educational needs, it also marks a shift in her evolving sound.

Michelle began exploring electronic music production during the pandemic shutdown, a period of intense experimentation that culminated in I'm Just Happy to Be Here. Michelle cites Bonobo and Jazzanova as primary production influences.

The EP’s first single, “New Brighton,” is a whimsical bossa-tinged groove that recalls a rare feeling of freedom on a family beach trip during the restriction of shutdown. “Tal Vez Para Voar” (Perhaps to Fly) melds jazz piano, deep-house groove, and featured vocal by talented Brazilian singer Lola Leona into a danceable track that’s right at home in playlists consisting of Bonobo’s “No Reason” and similar songs. “Be Right Back-Remixed” re-imagines a song from Michelle’s previous release, critically acclaimed acoustic Latin Jazz album New Beginning (2013); the resulting reggaeton-inspired bop features Kristen Strom’s original sax lines, but chopped and flipped into a new, playful melody, a process that symbolizes Michelle picking up where she left off artistically while adding a new twist. “Alone Together” veers into leftfield and shifts between duple and 6/8 time, an electronic version of the composition Michelle created as a result of being awarded a composer’s grant from San Jose Jazz in 2023.

A complete surprise, the grant award made Michelle realize that, despite her previous original-music release being ten years ago, her community still valued her artistic contributions. This grant plus her son’s newfound educational independence gave Michelle the resolve to release some of her electronic pieces; the result is I’m Just Happy to Be Here. Given her backstory, Michelle’s choice of EP title is clear.

Michelle’s diverse musical journey spans decades and includes recording/performing with Lou Harrison’s renown Gamelan Si Betty (Indonesian orchestral ensemble) and forming the world-fusion Latin jazz group Zarate Pollace Project with Abel Zarate (Malo guitarist and cowriter of their hit “Suavecito.”) to release Soul Redemption (2005). Michelle is best known as a Latin Jazz pianist, composer and band leader. Her solo debut, New Beginning (2013), garnered significant jazz-radio airplay and press, including landing on a couple “Best of 2013” lists. Some accolades for New Beginning:

“Pollace is a daring player whose music is dramatic and alive."—Marc Myers, JazzWax.com

“It's clear Pollace is a real player but has no qualms about being an entertainer."—Chris Spector, Midwest Record

Pollace’s music overflows with a strong artistic command, an authentic connection to the source material, and an infectious sense of cool.”—Chip Boaz, Latin Jazz Corner.