In addition to becoming part of the region’s contemporary jazz community via a once a month residency at Spaghettini in Seal Beach (where she held the CD release party), she performed a show called “Standards at the Standard” in L.A., Jax in Newport Beach, and various other venues. In many ways, the concept for the project evolved organically from the many SoCal shows Crystal and her band played after releasing Rhapsody in 2019. These include two time Grammy Award winner Tori Kelly, two time SAG Award winning actress Kate Flannery (of TV’s “The Office”), legendary Cuban-American jazz trumpeter Arturo Sandoval, veteran country singer Ty Herndon, Charles Jones, up and coming SoCal jazz singer Lia Booth, CCM/R&B singer Nikki Leonti, Ally Brooke (formerly of 5th Harmony) and Mike Murray, a Montana based vocalist Crystal met when she and her family lived on a ranch in Flathead Valley a number of years ago. Produced by renowned jazz trumpeter and arranger Tony Guerrero – who also helmed Rhapsody – Together We Can - is a free-flowing expression that captures a wide range of Crystal’s pop, soul and contemporary and traditional jazz (including big band) sensibilities, and finds her working with an exciting array of guest artists who are also dear friends. Three and a half decades since launching her extraordinary career as a Contemporary Christian Artist as a teenager – and three years after at last full-on embracing her passion for jazz on Rhapsody – Crystal ascends one of her most empowering and dynamic musical mountains yet with the release of Together We Can, a collection featuring vocal duets and vocal ensemble originals and re-imaginings that showcase and celebrate the joys of collaboration, friendship and creative camaraderie while perfectly meeting our collective moment as we emerge from a time full of profound and dispiriting isolation. Just when she thinks about turning around, she takes in the beautiful scenery, looks down and expresses awe and gratitude for just how far she’s come. When she gets to the top of the hill, the four time Dove Award winning, three time Grammy nominated singer/songwriter pauses and breathes. Thinking back on her multi-faceted years as a force in popular music, Crystal Lewis likes to use a metaphor based on a special hiking trail near her home in Southern California.
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