Singer Kat Edmonson talks third album, “The Big Picture”

Traveling through the cold, Kat Edmonson is bringing her warm music to many stops on her The Big Picture 2015 Tour. This past Saturday, Feb. 21, she stopped by the Touch Supper Club here in Cleveland. Though I was unable to attend the show, I was able to speak with Edmonson about her childhood inspirations, genre labels and excitement about the tour.

“The Big Picture” is her third album, which was released Sept. 30 of last year, and it has caught a lot of attention. It entered several Billboard charts, including taking the number one spot in the Heatseekers Album Chart and number two in the Total Jazz Chart. Edmonson’s album and voice have also been well received by many music critics and magazines.

She toured the album last fall, and now she is taking it on tour again this February and March and is excited for it.

“I enjoy connecting with my band,” Edmonson said. “It’s a unique relationship between band members, something you only get when you’re playing in a band, and I am looking forward to it. It’s an opportunity for me.”

And in response to her fans and her music appreciation, she said, “I’m delighted. When you feel something and want to express it, it is always a wonderful feeling to receive affirmation from others.”

Edmonson grew up in Texas, and she said she has been writing songs ever since she was a little girl. Once she finished a song, she would write another.

“This was an exercise that I was motivated to partake in,” she said. “I think I would do this anyway like I did before, when I was a child, because it is a way that helps me understand myself better.”

“I hear a melody or a lyric that matches what I am feeling, and I just allow it to unfold into a song and try to get out of its way,” said Edmonson.

This has led her reflective music to have its own unique sound with songs like “Rainy Day Woman.” Many reviews have tried to describe her sound, and from the charts, it seems to fit into jazz well.

However, Edmonson replied, “Genre-wise I identify it as vintage pop. I just came up with my own genre, [and] vintage pop just means music that is reminiscent of popular music from past decades.”