Scales, Flanagan, Grasso | "Play Me"

Jazz Trio Scales, Flanagan & Grasso Release Their Second Single, “Play Me,” On Bandcamp

First Release from Forthcoming Album Many Rivers, Available August 8, 2025 via Truth Revolution Records Collective

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Album Release Show at 54 Below, NYC

Thursday, September 11

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254 West 54th Street, NYC

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Vocalist Lauren Scales on the inspiration behind “Play Me” : “It felt like a song I could sink my teeth into, because it was so sincere,” she says. “I could feel how I could play around in it — it gave me space to breathe.” — Lauren Scales

Vocalist Lauren Scales, saxophonist Mike Flanagan, and pianist Chris Grasso—a bold new jazz trio blending tradition with modern soul—announce the release of their second single, “Play Me.” Now available exclusively on Bandcamp, the track marks the second single from their upcoming album Many Rivers, slated for release on August 8, 2025 via Truth Revolution Records Collective. The track also features drummer Charles Haynes and bassist Luques Curtis.

Originally featured on D’Angelo’s Voodoo—a hallmark of the neo-soul movement—the trio’s take reimagines the groove-driven track through a straight-ahead jazz aesthetic. With tight interplay, soulful improvisation, and Scales’ charismatic vocal delivery, this version straddles homage and invention.

“Roy Hargrove’s presence on the original made it feel like a bridge into our world,” says saxophonist Mike Flanagan. “There’s a groove and lyricism that spoke to all of us. Our version lets us honor that while interpreting it through our shared jazz lens.”

A Band Born in Provincetown

The group came together in Provincetown, MA, where Mike Flanagan, then serving as Entertainment Director for two local venues, brought Scales and Grasso together for a series of shows. The performances quickly gained traction, leading to a summer-long residency and a 6-city U.S. tour in 2023. Along the way, they played celebrated venues such as Scullers Jazz Club, City Winery Boston, The Carlyle Room (D.C.), Green Room 42 (NYC), and The Side Door Jazz Club (CT), eventually headlining Town Hall in Provincetown.

The natural chemistry that developed on stage convinced the trio to collaborate in the studio, resulting in Many Rivers, their debut album and a powerful introduction to their collective voice.

ABOUT THE LABEL: Truth Revolution Records Collective

Many Rivers will be released via Truth Revolution Records Collective, an artist-run independent label founded by brothers Zaccai and Luques Curtis. Known for cultivating a diverse roster of forward-thinking jazz musicians, Truth Revolution is home to critically acclaimed artists including Orrin Evans, Ray Vega, and Sheila del Bosque. The label recently celebrated a major milestone with their 2025 GRAMMY® Award for Best Latin Jazz Album for Cubop Lives! by Zaccai Curtis, Luques Curtis, Camilo Molina-Gaetán, Willie Martinez, and Reynaldo de Jesús.

The Band

Lauren Scales – vocals

Mike Flanagan – alto saxophone

Chris Grasso – piano

Luques Curtis – bass

Charles Haynes – drums

Recorded at: Samurai Hotel Studios

Engineered/Mixed by: James Zaner

Mastered by: Kevin Blackler

Produced by: Lauren Scales, Mike Flanagan, Chris Grasso

ABOUT THE ARTISTS: Scales, Flanagan & Grasso

Scales, Flanagan & Grasso is a forward-thinking jazz trio defined by dynamic interplay, genre-blending repertoire, and a shared reverence for storytelling through music. With roots in Provincetown, MA, their collaboration emerged organically through residencies and live performance, evolving into a full-fledged creative partnership that has captivated audiences across the Northeast and beyond.

Lauren Scales is a Detroit-born vocalist, composer, and multi-instrumentalist whose musical pedigree and versatility span jazz, R&B, and progressive soul. A graduate of the University of Michigan’s jazz program, she earned her Master of Music in Songwriting from NYU Steinhardt, where she was named a Songwriters Hall of Fame Scholar. She was a finalist in the Sarah Vaughan Vocal Jazz Competition and participated in the Kennedy Center’s Betty Carter Jazz Ahead program. Scales recently served as adjunct faculty at the New School’s College of Performing Arts. She’s a featured voice in the award-winning children’s book Welcome to Jazz. Scales is also the lead vocalist of progressive R&B group Valipala, with whom she released two original albums. Her work blends sharp lyricism with wide-ranging musicality, making her a standout voice in contemporary vocal jazz.

Mike Flanagan is a Billboard-charting, OUTmusic Award-winning, and John Lennon Songwriting Award-winning saxophonist, pianist, and composer. As a solo artist under the moniker MikeMRF, he has released four independent albums, reaching #1 on the iTunes Jazz Albums Chart and charting three times on Billboard. He’s known for genre-blending projects and music videos that have garnered over one million views on YouTube. Flanagan earned degrees from Berklee College of Music and NYU, where he later served as adjunct professor. He is currently the Artistic Director for multiple Provincetown venues and has music-directed for Lea DeLaria. His collaborators include Lisa Bello, Gray Sargent, and Nicolas King.

Chris Grasso is a first-call jazz pianist and music director who built his career in Washington, D.C. before relocating to Provincetown, MA. Known for his exceptional work with vocalists, he has performed with jazz luminaries including Cassandra Wilson, Kenny Garrett, Joshua Redman, Houston Person, Nicki Parrott, Janis Siegel and Gene Bertoncini at prestigious venues like Jazz at Lincoln Center, Birdland, and the Kennedy Center. He also serves as longtime music director for internationally acclaimed vocalist Sharón Clark, with whom he has toured globally and received glowing praise from The New York Times, JazzTimes, and The Wall Street Journal.

Scales, Flanagan & Grasso represent a rare balance of virtuosity, chemistry, and vision. Their debut album, Many Rivers, scheduled to be released in 2025 on Truth Revolution Records Collective, positions them as a must-hear ensemble on the modern jazz scene.

Scales, Flanagan & Grasso · Many Rivers

Truth Revolution Records · Release Date: August 8, 2025

For more information on the album and Scales, Flanagan, and Grasso click here

For more information on Lauren Scales, please visit:

Facebook | Instagram

For more information on Mike Flanagan, please visit:

www.mikemrf.com | Facebook | Instagram

For more information on Chris Grasso, please visit:

www.chrisgrassomusic.com | Facebook | Instagram

For media inquiries, please contact:

DL Media · ‭(917) 929-4910

Roberta Lawrence · roberta@dlmediamusic.com