In June of 2022 Kate Pearl, alias Just Pearls, released her first solo album “Into The Evening Mood.” The album had been over ten years in the making, incorporating sounds and nuances from her childhood roots in Americana and bluegrass, as well as elements of blues, rock and pop. The name Just Pearls is an homage to Kate’s great-grandmother Pearl (Kate’s birth name is Katherine Pearl Melnick) and evokes connotations of justice, modesty and minimalism. With Tom Gisler on keys, Dave Jutzi on drums, Philipp Bühlmann on bass, and Serge Christen on guitar, the band adds depth and flavor to Kate’s rich storytelling palate.
Kate grew up in the small town of Yellow Springs, Ohio, a town full of art, music, and alternative culture. Graduating from high school early at 16, Kate’s dreams and ambitions led her to explore a variety of paths before she landed in the fabulous Mazzive Sound Studios in Biel/Bienne in October 2021 to put down the tracks for this album. Music, song and storytelling were an early passion which she had put on hold for almost twenty years as she explored other realms. She has worked as an equestrian athlete, tutor for refugees, translator and teacher, earned advanced degrees in literature, linguistics and teaching, and lived and studied in France, Ireland, Burkina Faso, and Peru. At home in Emmental, Switzerland for the last 20 years, Kate, mother of three, teaches English and French at the Rudolf Steiner School. On the journey that has led to the production of this album, she has rediscovered her passion for storytelling, music and live performance, exploring new and unknown territory, conquering shame and fear on her quest for harmonies and self-expression.
Just Pearls sings of the tiny pearls in our daily lives which we find if we can just look closely enough. Full of energy and humor, reflective and sensitive, she brings us simple, pleasant, catchy melodies with a hint of jazz and a touch of blues, making us laugh and cry while never taking life or herself too seriously.
Photos by Jamin Ruch