You're the Voice: Eva Cassidy: Piano/Vocal/Guitar Book & CD

These ten arrangements honor Cassidy's gift for making standards feel intimate and present. The included accompaniments capture the warm, organic sound of her recordings, giving singers a genuine musical partner rather than a thin backing track. A vocalist working through this collection will discover how much drama lives inside seemingly simple melodies.

These songs breathe with the quiet confidence of an artist who trusts her instincts. Whether rendering a spiritual like "Wayfaring Stranger" or reimagining John Lennon's "Imagine," Cassidy's approach prioritizes emotional honesty over virtuosity. The arrangements sit comfortably in the voice, allowing the singer to focus entirely on communicating the lyric's meaning.

Solo singers working to expand their interpretive toolkit will find decade-spanning repertoire here, from blues and jazz to folk and pop standards. Vocal ensembles can extract individual pieces for featured solos or close harmony arrangements. Pianists and guitarists benefit from the professionally voiced accompaniments as well as the opportunity to accompany vocalists in intimate settings.

• Study Cassidy's original recordings carefully before rehearsing. Her phrasing often sits slightly behind the beat in ways that create emotional weight; mimicking the rhythm section's feel is more important than strict time.
• Use the recorded accompaniments during early rehearsals to absorb the harmonic language and instrumentation, then step away to develop your own interpretation once the melody is secure.
• Balance the piano and guitar parts in your arrangement depending on your venue and ensemble size. Both instruments sit comfortably in a small ensemble setting without needing full band orchestration.
• Pay close attention to Cassidy's vocal control in the softer moments. Her restraint in dynamics often makes the rare loud moment feel earned and powerful.

Feature one of these songs as a solo spot in a jazz or pop ensemble concert to showcase an advanced vocalist in a context that feels both sophisticated and accessible. A cappella groups might extract "People Get Ready" or another spiritually grounded piece to balance a season of lighter repertoire. Accompaniment classes and vocal coaching studios benefit from having these expertly crafted piano/guitar arrangements on hand.

• Phrasing against the beat while maintaining rhythmic integrity
• Vocal control across a wide dynamic range
• Interpretation of standards across genre boundaries (blues, jazz, folk, pop)
• Reading and accompanying from piano/vocal and guitar/vocal scores
• Balancing emotional expression with technical accuracy in arranging