the devil i knew – Nicole Zuraitis

Recognizing what has hurt us does not mean we are ready to leave it behind. Singer, pianist, and composer Nicole Zuraitis explores this contradiction in the devil i knew, an album conceived as an emotional journey through a relationship falling apart. Produced alongside Larry Klein, the project draws on the poetry of Dorothy Parker, Emily Dickinson, Edna St. Vincent Millay, and Frances Ellen Watkins Harper to question love, guilt, and our ability to acknowledge the wounds we have inflicted on others.

The story unfolds across five movements, from the uncertainty of the mirror to the questions that remain unresolved in the requiem. Zuraitis translates these emotions into a musical language that moves between jazz, soul, and popular song. Christian McBride's double bass, Gilad Hekselman's guitars, Donny McCaslin's saxophone, and Larry Goldings' organ bring different shades of intensity to a narrative enriched by Jerry Hey's horn arrangements and Vince Mendoza's strings.

On “the devil i knew,” Zuraitis begins with the intimacy of her piano before her voice rises to an almost devastating intensity, propelled by McCaslin's contribution. Later, on “the hardest part,” Dan Pugach's drums establish a pulse that seems to echo the difficulty of saying goodbye. The music also makes room for lightness, desire, and the possibility of beginning again, reminding us that emotions rarely move in a single direction.

By the time “epilogue” arrives, one question remains: what happens when we discover that what we have been trying to escape is also part of who we are? the devil i knew invites us to listen to that uncertainty without searching for definitive answers. Zuraitis brings us into deeply human territory, where accepting our contradictions may be the first step toward understanding them.