Lo-Flo Records presents “Alone in the Stars,” the first of four singles to be released between July and September 2024 featuring the talents of legendary jazz musician and producer Harold Battiste. Jr. Written by prolific composer Jane McNealy, “Alone in the Stars” will be released on July 19, followed by “Florence Nightingale,” “All of You,” and an extended version of “Why Can’t I Have It Too.” These jazz gems, unearthed from McNealy’s extensive archive, hearken back to the 1970s.
Originally written in 1977 with lyrics, this instrumental version of “Alone in the Stars” was recorded and produced by Battiste and McNealy around the same time. The song opens with McNealy’s poignant keyboard melodies intertwined with Battiste’s signature saxophone, a laidback bossa nova-like drum beat, and cosmic synth strings. McNealy explains further about the recording process, “I played all the keyboards and he (Battiste) played the saxophone and turned on the drum machine… It was always very laid-back and not a big deal.”
The song’s dreamlike ambiance is a testament to its title. McNealy poetically elaborates on the song’s meaning, “‘Alone in the Stars’ is an ephemeral dream of disassociation and not belonging. This song is very personal because it’s so introspective and indirect. The song is like going through
infinity, lost in space and the stars, or a winding river by itself, disappearing into a memory. Or a
naked tree in the middle of an arid landscape, reaching into the sky, like Icarus drawn to the burning light of the sun.” Listening to “Alone in the Stars” today, the emotional depth McNealy and Battiste infused into the song decades ago remains palpable.
