Acclaimed jazz vocalist and songwriter Stevie Holland unveils her latest album, Talk to Your Tomatoes, a sophisticated collection that blends beloved jazz and pop standards with original compositions.
Available on CD and across digital and streaming platforms, the 10-track album showcases Holland’s signature vocal style alongside elegant arrangements created by her longtime collaborator and husband, award-winning composer Gary William Friedman. Friedman not only arranged the album but also revisited and reimagined his original Broadway arrangement of How I Feel, originally written for the musical The Me Nobody Knows.
Talk to Your Tomatoes features a rich palette of instrumentation, ranging from string orchestra and horn sections to guitar-driven arrangements and intimate trio performances. Holland’s core trio includes pianist Matthew Sheens, bassist Matt Aronoff, and drummer Jeff Davis. The album also welcomes acclaimed guitarist Ben Monder, who appears on three tracks including a stripped-back vocal and guitar rendition of the classic ‘Round Midnight. Meanwhile, the horn arrangements are led by Chet Doxas, recognized in 2022 and 2023 in DownBeat Magazine’s “Rising Star” Critics Poll.
The album opens with a fresh interpretation of On a Clear Day (You Can See Forever), setting a lively tone with swinging rhythms and orchestral textures. Other highlights include reinterpretations of songs by iconic writers such as Joni Mitchell and James Taylor, alongside originals like Talk to Your Tomatoes and You Pull Through. The set also features classics such as Pure Imagination and East of the Sun (and West of the Moon).
Recorded in April 2025, the album marks Holland’s sixth release on the 150 Music label and continues the artistic path established by earlier projects such as Life Goes On and Before Love Has Gone, the latter recognized by USA Today as a critics’ “Album Pick of the Year.”
Beyond recording, Holland has also made a significant mark in musical theater. She created and starred in the one-woman musical Love, Linda: The Life of Mrs. Cole Porter, which premiered Off-Broadway at the York Theatre Company and later reached global audiences through its filmed release on platforms such as Amazon Prime Video and BroadwayHD. The film adaptation earned Holland a Best Actress award at the Culver City Film Festival.
With Talk to Your Tomatoes, Stevie Holland once again demonstrates her refined artistry and storytelling ability. The album blends swing, warmth, and musical sophistication while reflecting the philosophy that music—like life—can flourish with a little care, creativity, and perhaps even a conversation with your tomatoes.
