Called "A beautifully controlled and sumptuous voice" by All About Jazz, "Something special and truly unique" by Grammy nominated vocalist Luciana Souza, "Lovely and haunting" by The New Yorker and "Comforting, exciting and spellbinding" by People Magazine, Alyssa began laying the foundations for Echo in January of 2006. It was a more than year-long process, influenced by Alyssa's travels throughout Brazil, India, Africa and Europe, as well as her long-time love affair with guitarist and lyricist Douglas Graham.

"Echo is like a fairy tale," says Alyssa, "It reveals the different complexities of an alluring lover, equally at home with flirtation and passion and knowing the precise distance between the two. A love story that is true and eternal, Doug and I have been together since we were kids and this record is truly a tribute to our successful love story and to many of the places we have traveled together - emotionally and geographically."

From a love song written in the aftermath of an argument and the pull of honeyed love that almost conceals a fear of loss ("Butterflies") to a song about escaping the world together ("Pictures of You") to the Latin surrealism of the title song (inspired by the last five minutes of the classic Italian film "La Notte") co-written by Bryan McCann, a childhood friend of Alyssa, and Professor of Brazilian and Latin American History at Georgetown, Echo is a mythical blend of magical originals and familiar melodies filled with the musical unexpected.

Alyssa's creative resolve, passion for storytelling and vocal eloquence are the products of her enduring artistic exposure. Growing-up just outside of New York City, Alyssa's father took his daughter to see many of the musical greats as a child - Ella Fitzgerald, Dizzy Gillespie, Nancy Wilson, The Temptations, Neil Young, Bob Dylan - and after studying piano, saxophone and guitar, Alyssa attended both Ithaca College and The New England Conservatory of Music where she studied Jazz Voice and Contemporary Improvisation.

While in college she co-founded and performed with the band Blindman's Holiday, a six-piece ensemble rooted in original compositions. The band became legendary on the college circuit and secured some high profile performances with such artists as The Band, Lisa Loeb, Hot Tuna, Jessie Harris (Norah Jones) and The Wailers. Alyssa went on to develop her unique artistic style, playing on her fresh, breezy phrases and lilting Brazilian rhythms that hypnotize the senses.

In 2005, Alyssa launched her solo career with her critically-lauded debut CD, What Love Is, chosen by All About Jazz as one of the "Best New Recordings of 2005" and JazzIz's Annual "Women In Jazz" issue. In the words of Jazz.com Alyssa sings with "total honesty and directness... She's not a star yet -- but just wait and see."

Visit Alyssa online: http://www.alyssagraham.com

http://www.myspace.com/alyssahopegraham

For additional information and media requests, please contact Alisse Kingsley at Muse Media, 323-467-8508, e: AlissetheMuse@aol.com.

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