Maryland-based pianist, vocalist, and bandleader Natalie Brooke will release her fearless new full-length album, Measured in Moments, on October 10. The record cements Brooke’s place among the most compelling new voices in modern jazz-fusion, weaving vulnerability, grit, and explosive energy into a bold, expansive statement.
LISTEN | Natalie Brooke - Measured in Moments
The album’s opening singles showcase the scope of Brooke’s evolving sound.
“Sometimes,” featuring fretboard powerhouse Cris Jacobs, is a groove-forward meditation on life’s dualities, led by Brooke’s soulful vocals and anchored by the lyric: “sometimes change is what I am, sometimes I’m better off running.” The track builds in intensity, slipping into a jazz-soaked breakdown before Brooke unleashes a fiery organ solo. Jacobs answers with a spellbinding improvisation, pushing the song into uncharted territory.
“Hands” is urgent and electric, riding a staccato motif into a soaring chorus that feels both sultry and celebratory. Brooke leans into tension-building bridges and moments of release, channeling her instinct for drama and motion while inviting listeners straight to the dance floor.
For Brooke, Measured in Moments represents years of transformation and reinvention. Her artistry was forged in contrast, with classical training giving way to the “brutal learning curve” of jazz, a love of grit and volume born from years spent at metal shows, and the personal challenge of stepping fully into her voice later in life.
“Vocals were a completely different approach for me,” Brooke explains. “I was quiet my whole life. Singing was actually a huge challenge. When I was 25, I started taking voice lessons in secret. I didn’t tell anyone. Learning to be okay with being loud and being heard has become one of my biggest strengths.”
That newfound confidence translated to the stage. Six months before the pandemic, Brooke launched her band. The forced pause that followed became a turning point:
“When I first started my band, I was still a little shy being the frontwoman,” she recalls. “After COVID, I told myself that when I got back out there, I wouldn’t hold anything back.”
Now known for her high-energy performances, and for wielding a keytar she bought on a whim, Brooke thrives on creative friction. This fall, she’ll bring her electrifying live show to audiences across the East Coast and Northeast.
Brooke wields her newfound power across Measured in Moments, showcased on standout track “Stupid Head,” a gritty, cosmic prog-rock odyssey that’s surprisingly digestible despite its complexity. “Water for People” shifts direction entirely, presenting an imaginative, smile-inducing étude that blooms into shimmering harmonies and a soaring guitar finale.
This weekend, Brooke will take the stage at Darlington, MD’s fourth annual The Ramble Festival, followed by shows next week at Roanoke, VA’s 5 Points Music Sanctuary, and Charlotte, NC’s The Rabbit Hole. Local audiences can catch Brooke’s highly anticipated two night run at Baltimore’s legendary 8x10 on November 20th and 21st supporting TAUK. For Brooke’s December weekend in Richmond she’ll ignite the stage at Ember Music Hall for a pair of after parties following Pigeons Playing Ping Pong and Big Something.
Natalie Brooke Fall 2025 Tour Dates
10/10–12 – Darlington, MD – The Ramble Festival
10/17 – Roanoke, VA – 5 Points Music Sanctuary
10/18 – Charlotte, NC – The Rabbit Hole
10/25 – Baltimore, MD – MD Science Center Halloween
10/31 – Charlottesville, VA – The Southern
11/20 – Baltimore, MD – 8x10
11/21 – Baltimore, MD – 8x10
11/22 – Pittsburgh, PA – Thunderbird Café & Music Hall
11/29 – Philadelphia, PA – Johnny Brenda’s
12/5 - Richmond, VA - Ember Music Hall
12/6 - Richmond, VA - Ember Music Hall
MEASURED IN MOMENTS
(Independent Release)
Friday, October 10, 2025
TRACKLIST:
Hands
The Turn
Stupid Head
Sometimes
A While Ago and Back Again
Droplets
Water for People
Lucky Enough
Nostalgia Brings A Special Type of Pain
Prelude to Forever, Forever
Forever, Forever
