If Dusty Springfield sang Lou Reed songs backed by Booker T and the MGs, it might sound like this.

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Hazel Lord is the brainchild of New York City based songwriter/guitarist Anthony Biale. Having performed original material with a variety of bands in his native San Francisco and later Los Angeles, Biale decided to follow his muse and relocate to New York City inthe mid nineties. Taking up residence in the legendary Chelsea Hotel upon arrival he quickly gravitated to the beating heart of the underground music scene by playing bass for local jazz/art hipster band "Jazz Funeral". "It was a great gig" says Biale "we would come up with grooves and just improvise all night until they shut us down".

But "Jazz Funeral" met an untimely demise in 2000 when two members of the band got married and left the city, effectively breaking up the group. Nurtured by the eclectic bohemian milieu of the Chelsea, Biale put down his bass and returned to his original passion: songwriting. "I began writing more accessible material that I would try out on off nights at smaller venues in the Village...as the new songs began to take shape I started to think about putting out a record" says Biale "but I knew had to find just the right people who could grasp the vision of what I heard in my head" - enter Petina Cole - "I met Petina at a partyfor Columbia University alumni that a mutual friend was having, she told me she was a singer and I asked if she would be interested in singing in a choir part I was working on" - Cole, always looking to stretch her artistic parameters was up for the gig. Impressed with the stunning range of emotion in her vocals and depth of musical knowledge (Cole is a professional flutist) she ended up singing lead on the track.

Happy with the fruits of their synergy, Biale knew he had found the singer for his record. When Cole suggested friend and Jazz pianist Daryl Kojak as a possible producer, Biale trusted her judgment and booked time at Kojaks midtown studio in the winter of 2002. "What a great decision that was" says Biale "Daryl is a musical genius - the best musician Ive ever worked with, bar none" When Coles musical colleague and well known indy film actress Susan Mitchell was recruited to add violin to a few tracks the line-up was complete. "Susans contribution was invaluable, the songs she plays on are my favorites on the whole record, shes an amazing player" Biale added.

Taking the name Hazel Lord from a combination of the late Funkadelic guitarist Eddie Hazel and star of 70s TV show Hawaii 5-0 Jack Lord - Biales musical vision was complete. Venus in the Street is the result !