An Unauthorized Guide to the Human Anatomy by Kristy Kruger

WINNER of the 2004 Just Plain Folks International Independent Music Awards for Best Female Singer/Songwriter Album of the Year

This album will most likely appeal to fans of Aimee Mann, Juliana Hatfield, and Ani DiFranco. Kristy's third disc, An Unauthorized Guide to the Human Anatomy, is an elaborate concept album, featuring Dave Pirner, frontman of Soul Asylum on guitars. The intricate packaging includes a 24-page mock medical "textbook," complete with anatomical sketches, a bibliography, sarcastic footnotes, etc. Each of her thirteen original tracks represents a different part of the human anatomy. Krüger's jazz and classical backgrounds give way to experimental keyboard riffs and fluid vocal choruses that move like string arrangements, creating clever pop. The album was produced by Krüger, and Andrew "Goat" Gilchrist, longtime live and studio engineer for Ani DiFranco, and is currently spinning on XM Satellite Radio and select NPR stations.

Special Notes and Thanks:

Kristy moved to New Orleans to record this album and would like to thank Ms. Ani DiFranco herself for being so kind as to take her in until she could find a place of her own. A huge thanks to Andrew "Goat" Gilchrist, Dave Pirner, Brad Houser, Tony Nozero, Angela Faz, Drew Vonderhaar, Mark Bingham, Damon Bakun, Jerod Bowers and her family for being so generous with their time and energy in creating this album.

Don't judge a book by its cover! "An Unauthorized Guide to the Human Anatomy" was a finalist in the Independent Music Awards for Artwork out of thousands. Our basic maroon cover just represents the cloth covering of a medical textbook. The real goods are inside. Please visit www.kristykruger.com and check out some samples of the beautiful full color 24-page booklet you'll have when you order your copy of "An Unauthorized Guide to the Human Anatomy."

What People are saying:

"Kristy Kruger has confidence and an artistic sensibility that reflects a caring, sensitive soul."

-Edie Brickell

"I think I have a crush on Kristy. Infectious smile. The energy of a Mexican jumping bean. I've only met her twice and each time she stays with me like a great movie that you find yourself thinking about for days and days afterwards... Not to mention her CD that I keep listening to on repeat."

-Derek Sivers, CD Baby Owner/President

"Psychedelic Folk Pop." -The Dallas Morning News

"The real heart of 'Anatomy' lies in Kruger's knack for memorable lyrics and melodies, her careful, evocative vocals and smart, contemporary arrangements ranging from the alt-pop guitars of the opening 'Monsoon' and 'The Pursuit of Happiness' to the acoustic chill of the final 'Alabaster.'"

-The Times Picayune (New Orleans, LA)

"On 'An Unauthorized Guide to the Human Anatomy,'Kristy Kruger is cool. The Texan sings 'I Got My Back' with the quiet confidence of someone who actually does."

-The Gambit (New Orleans, LA)

"Krüger's songs meld funk, rock, jazz and a fresh lyrical approach to the singer/songwriter dynamic into a powerful mix that turns more than a few heads - and ears...I couldn't help but notice the reactions of those around me, and as we learned that the next showcase had canceled out of the NEMO lineup, people cheered and asked her to play song after song."

-Groove, Berklee's Student Voice, Boston, MA

"Kristy's the Rickie Lee Jones of the twenty-somethings, if that's not a scorching, hot concoction, I'm stumped as to what is...Music like this doesn't go unnoticed."

-Pot Pourri & Roses, Los Angeles, CA

"Kristy is one of Dallas' best!"

-Dallas Acoustic Musician's Network, Dallas, TX

Songwriter and artist Kristy Krüger has an extensive history in music that spans classical, jazz, folk, and rock genres. Throughout the course of her career as a pianist and composer, Krüger won a multitude of local, state, national, and international awards culminating with the highly coveted "Dee Bee Award" from Down Beat Magazine. As she shifted gears into the world of the singer/songwriter, she brought a broad spectrum of influences with her, ranging from Hank Williams to Miles Davis and Chopin to Ani DiFranco. Her untraditional jazz-influenced approach to folk music has carried her from gigs at top Los Angeles clubs with her band, to solo tours throughout the United States and Canada, both headlining and opening for a variety of national acts. In addition to these efforts, Krüger has found time to record three full-length albums, her latest release was produced by Andrew Gilchrist, long time studio engineer for Ani DiFranco.

Krüger started playing piano at age five. By eighth grade, she was performing, composing and competing in the classical piano world. She studied jazz in Dallas at Booker T. Washington High School for the Performing and Visual Arts whose alumni includes Norah Jones, Edie Brickell, Erykah Badu, and jazz trumpeter Roy Hargrove. There her strength became composition. On four separate occasions she took first place in state from the Texas Music Teachers' Association and was honored with over a dozen other awards during her high school career. By the time she was 17, she had two original compositions published, and before graduation, the Teachers'Association presented her with the Whitlock Memorial Scholarship Award for winning more musical awards than any other high school senior in the state of Texas. The prestige of the subsequent Down Beat Magazine "Dee Bee Award" for Best Extended Composition in the North American Continent led to scholarships at the country's best music schools.

Krüger chose the University of Southern California in Los Angeles where she majored in Music Industry. During this period, she began writing songs on both piano and guitar in the singer/songwriter tradition, incorporating conversational and often humorous lyrics about her life experiences that transcend autobiographical origins. She then assembled a dynamic back-up band, incorporating everything from funk to bossa novas in their live shows throughout Los Angeles.

The result of this collaboration was Krüger's self-produced debut, Bachelor of Apathy which was released on her own label, Do It Yerself Records. Upon completing her degree at USC, Krüger relocated to her native Texas and began performing solo at universities, nightclubs, conferences, and festivals throughout the US and Canada. During this time she released a second album reflecting her tours entitled, The Noise I Make which received a Just Plain Folks nomination for Best New Folk Album of 2001.

While promoting The Noise I Make, on a tour in California, Krüger met engineer Andrew Gilchrist, sonic master behind Ani DiFranco. The two established a working relationship and Krüger relocated to New Orleans where she recorded her third album with Gilchrist entitled An Unauthorized Guide to the Human Anatomy. An anatomical concept record, Anatomy, comes with a 24-page mock medical textbook and each song is paired with a body part. Krüger co-produced the record with Gilchrist and was able to put her classical counterpoint skills to work, composing background vocals that move like string arrangements throughout the album. Unlike The Noise I Make, this record features Krüger with a full band, including Dave Pirner, frontman of Soul Asylum, bassist Brad Houser of Edie Brickell and the New Bohemians, and drummer Tony Nozero of Drums and Tuba (on DiFranco's label). Upon its release she was featured in the Dallas Morning News four times within two weeks. She also received a 2003 and 2005 nomination for "Best Acoustic Act" in her hometown of Dallas by the Dallas Observer, the leading entertainment weekly.

Select College Performance History

Arizona

Arizona State University -- Tempe, AZ

Northern Arizona University -- Flagstaff, AZ

Phoenix College -- Phoenix, AZ

University of Arizona -- Tucson, AZ

California

Humboldt State University -- Arcata, CA

Stanford University -- Palo Alto, CA

UC Berkeley -- Berkeley, CA

UCLA -- Los Angeles, CA

UC Santa Cruz -- Santa Cruz, CA

University of Southern California -- Los Angeles, CA

Michigan

University of Michigan Ann Arbor -- Ann Arbor, MI

Univeristy of Michigan Dearborn -- Dearborn, MI

Minnesota

Hamline University -- St. Paul, MN

St. Cloud State -- St. Cloud, MN

New Hampshire

Plymouth State -- Plymouth, NM

New Mexico

College of Santa Fe -- Santa Fe, NM

New Mexico State University -- Las Cruces, NM

St. John's College -- Santa Fe, NM

University of New Mexico -- Albuquerque, NM

Oregon

Oregon State University -- Corvallis, OR

Portland State University -- Portland, OR

Southern Oregon University -- Ashland, OR

University of Oregon -- Eugene, OR

Texas

Southwest Texas State University -- San Marcos, TX

Texas A & M University -- College Station, TX

University of North Texas -- Denton, TX

Washington

University of Washington -- Seattle, WA

Western Washington University -- Bellingham, WA

Select Venue Performance History

House of Blues (main stage)--New Orleans, LA

DBA -- New Orleans, LA

The Troubadour -- Los Angeles, CA

Genghis Cohen -- Los Angeles, CA

Club DaDa -- Dallas, TX

Poor David's Pub -- Dallas, TX

The C-Note -- New York, NY

Uncommon Ground -- Chicago, IL

Awards

2004 Winner at the Just Plain Folks International Independent Music Awards for "Best Female Singer/Songwriter Album of the Year" for "An Unauthorized Guide to the Human Anatomy"

2005 Semi-Finalist in the Independent World Music Series sponsored by Discmakers

2004 2nd place winner at the Just Plain Folks International Independent Music Awards, "Best Song of the Year" for "Coming 'Round the Mountain"

2004 Finalist in the Independent Music Awards sponsored by Borders Books and Music in the category of artwork

2004 Winner of the 15th Annual BW Stevenson Memorial Songwriting Contest -- Poor David's Pub, Dallas, TX

2003 Winner of the Wildflower Festival Songwriting Competition -- The Wildflower Festival, Richardson, TX

2003 Telluride Troubadour Honorable Mention -- The Telluride Bluegrass Festival -- Telluride, CO

2003 Nominee by the Dallas Observer, Dallas' leading entertainment weekly "Best Acoustic Act of Dallas"

2001 Just Plain Folks Nomination for "Best New Folk Album" by the Just Plain Folks organization

1994 Winner Downbeat Magazine (America's Leading Jazz Magazine) for the North American Continent for Best Extended Composition

Discography

An Unauthorized Guide to the Human Anatomy (2004)

The Noise I Make (2000)

Bachelor of Apathy (1998)

"An Unauthorized Guide to the Human Anatomy" is spinning on XM Satellite Radio and is currently the Editor's Pick for Folk-Rock at www.cdbaby.com (the world's leading sole-independent music retailer)

Average Customer Review: 5