The Season is Approaching...

It's getting close to that time of the year....  In only 7 more days I switch over to all Christmas Music.  I've been listening to some over the past few weeks, here and there, every now and then.  The WT Grant series has been getting some play in my office.  With Halloween nearing, I'm mainly spinning some classic spooky tunes for the next few days.  But then, come Nov 1, it's Christmas Music season!

I acquire Christmas Music CDs throughout the year when I find something of interest in a thrift or used book store, and then start buying the new releases as soon as they come out.  Today was a particularly good day.  I made a couple stops, and brought home the new releases from Chris Mann (from The Voice), Colbie Caillat, Christina Perri, and the latest Now! Christmas comp (pretty good stuff on it, with a few exceptions, ahem ahem Bieber ahem).  Previously I had picked up Blake Shelton's new release.  I'm not a big country music guy, but Blake is pretty good.  I wait until Nov. 1 to listen to the new stuff each year - it's like a little treat for ol' Der Bingle.

There are more new releases (or re-releases) that I will be getting.  I think Cee Lo Green's album will be interesting.  Jumped all over the chance to order a signed Doris Day release from Real Gone today.  Then there's the upcoming new release from one of my favorite new jazz singers, Jillaine. 

And, yes, I've been working on getting some shares ready for all of you awesome Merry and Bright readers.  I have some pretty good stuff I've been preparing.  I probably won't share anything out until after Thanksgiving this year, but you never know.  Maybe one or two special treats will sneak in early.  I've been focusing on recording, and tonight was a massive ClickRepair session.  Later comes the artwork scanning and processing.  Then zipping, uploading, and posting.  It's all progressing...

Well, have a great Halloween everyone!  I'll be back in the posting swing very soon.

Sophie Madeleine "The Rhythm You Started"

Hello dear readers.  All of you long-time friends of Merry and Bright know that Sophie Madeleine is my favorite artist of the decade.  You can check the archives for my posts about Sophie and her music, and my opportunity to meet her last December in NYC.

Such a lovely and talented artist deserves lots of good publicity, so I thought I'd create a quick post to let you all know that her CD "The Rhythm You Started" is now available in the U.S. on Amazon and iTunes.  The U.S. release contains a new song, previously unavailable, called "Poltergeist".

Sophie is an amazingly talented singer/songwriter/ukuleleist, with a *beautiful* voice.  Check out her videos on Youtube, then head on over to Amazon or iTunes and buy her CD.  Oh yeah, she has a cool website, too, and you can find her on Facebook and Twitter.

"The Rhythm You Started" on Amazon

Sophie Madeleine website

Cavalcade of Sports

Here's an interesting little record I found recently.  It appears to be a promotional 7" 33RPM record for a larger set of recordings.  This is called "Cavalcade of Sports", and features narration by the great Mel Allen.  Who else grew up just waiting each week for "This Week in Baseball" and the voice of Mel?

For sports buffs, this is a very interesting record.  You'll hear the voices of many sports greats from years past, including Jesse Owens talking about the Berlin Olympics, Lou Gherig speaking on his retirement day, and Babe Ruth, both at his retirement and just before his death.

One of the most interesting sound clips is from Knute Rockne.  There is an extended clip of Knute addressing his Notre Dame team before a game.  Trivia time:  Knute Rockne died in a plane crash near tiny Matfield Green, Kansas, in 1931.  Matfield Green is in Chase County, KS, one of the most beautiful counties in the state.  The 60ish miles on K-177 from Cassoday, KS North to Council Grove is one of the most scenic drives in the state.  Northbound, you can see the Knute Rockne memorial off to the right on top of the hill where the plane crashed.  The memorial in on private land, so is not accessible to the public.  I used to drive by there on my college travels, from my home in South-Central Kansas to Kansas State University in Manhattan.

Anyway, here it is, of interest to sports fans, probably not so much for others.  A final note:  the record was a little rough, so there are a couple skips in the recording.

Enjoy!

download link

Album Review: "Brighter Than The Blues" by Kelley McRae

The road was good to Kelley McRae.

Mississippi native and recent Brooklyn resident Kelley McRae and her husband/guitarist Matt Castelein left the security of jobs and apartment in February 2011 and embarked on the “Great VW Camper Van Tour”, criss-crossing the country performing in venues of all shapes and sizes, including many, many house shows, where Kelley and Matt would perform in a living room, a hallway, out on a deck, or wherever the host provided space for the performers and a gathering of friends.  After over 150 shows and 35,000 miles logged in their VW camper van, Kelley and Matt settled for a while in Tennessee to write and record a new album, with songs inspired by their travels across the country.

Yes, the road was good to Kelley, as an inspiration for this collection of songs, and as a way to practice and perfect her art.  Kelley’s new album, “Brighter Than The Blues” is beautiful.  Kelley’s vocals are stronger than ever before, and the musicality is tremendous.  Following her earlier albums “Never Be” and “Highrises in Brooklyn”, “Brighter Than The Blues” features eleven new songs written and performed by Kelley and Matt.  Their travels and experiences over the past year, and the closeness they felt as they toured together, all come through in this amazing collection of songs.

Kelley has long been a gifted songwriter.  “Sparrow”, “Time”, and “More of Nothin’” from her previous releases highlight her songwriting talent.  “Johnny Cash”, from her debut album “Never Be”, is as fine a song as anyone has written, ever.  Let me mention it here, in the same sentence as “Mona Lisa” and “Summer Wind”.  It’s *that* good.  The songs on “Brighter Than The Blues” are as strong as ever, and show that she continues to grow as a songwriter.  These songs are heartfelt, moving, and deeply intimate.  Kelley does not write superficial or fluffy.  Her songs come from deep within the heart of a true artist.

The arrangements, guitar accompaniment, and vocal performances on “Brighter Than The Blues” show Kelley’s true growth as a musician.  Her singing shows amazing strength and maturity, finely honed from her time on road.  The performances are rich and full, enveloping the listener, surrounding you and drawing you into an incredible musical experience.

The title song, “Brighter Than The Blues” opens the album and immediately sets the stage for the record with a superbly strong vocal performance and reminiscences of their long time on the road and their closeness as a couple.  These themes are revisited throughout the record, from the haunting melody of “Keeper of the Light” to the personal “When the Evening Comes”.  My favorite song is “25,000 Miles”, about the trials and tribulations and joys and stresses and growth that came from their tour.  In this one song, Kelley masterfully gives us a glimpse of their experiences.  In retrospect, what a glorious artistic journey this must have been.

Performing so many shows in such intimate venues has truly fostered Kelley’s growth as a musician.  On her website, Kelley says “I really wanted to capture the spirit of the live show” when creating “Brighter Than The Blues”.  As a house-show host who got to hear Kelley and Matt perform from about three feet away, I can attest that she succeeded.  Her new album has all the energy and warmth of a living room show.  By the way, let me tell you, Kelley and Matt performing in your living room is really cool.

“Brighter Than The Blues” is an amazing recording by a truly gifted singer/songwriter.  And, although Kelley is the name on the record, let me give a shout-out to Matt, whose vocal harmonies and excellent guitar work bring completion to this collection of songs.

If you hurry (by September 15, 2012) you can get a free download of “Brighter Than The Blues”!  Details are on Kelley’s website.  But wait, there’s more – join Kelley’s mailing list and you’ll get a free download of “Johnny Cash”.   It’s worth it, believe me.

Kelley McRae website

I was a backer of the production of “Brighter Than The Blues” on Kickstarter, receiving a pre-release copy of the CD and a darned cool T-Shirt for my contributions to the album production.  No other compensation was received.

Free Christmas Song from Jillaine!

Reader Zepp noted and commented that Jillaine has a free download of "Jingle Bells" from her (first) Christmas album on her website.  Nothing better than a free Christmas song, right?  Thanks to Zepp for pointing that out.  Here is a link to Jillaine's download page:

http://www.jillainerecords.com/downloads.html

Enjoy!

Album Review: "Scars on My Heart" by Jillaine

In 2011, jazz songstress Jillaine released "Scars on My Heart", following her 2009 debut, "You Really Meant It".  "Scars on My Heart" features 12 new songs, nine written by Jillaine, and is a very worthy sophomore effort.

I admire an artist that explores different styles and techniques.  While it may not work exactly as expected ("Chris Gaines", anyone?), respect points are always earned for the effort.  With "Scars", Jillaine moved from the piano/guitar jazz sound into some unabashed rockers.  "You've Lost", in particular, is a superbly written and performed song backed by a rock beat and featuring a well-done guitar shred.  The song, written by Erik Chaston, is a strong in-your-face message, spelling out in no uncertain terms the current state of an ex-relationship.  "Confusion", "Hole You Dug", and "Doubts" also stretch Jillaine away from the jazz-club sound and into more edgy, rock-infused cuts.

The strongest songs here, though, are the performances in her home genre of jazz.  Jillaine's amazing voice is perfectly suited for the spotlight of jazz, where it can shine as the focal point, complemented and supported by the instrumental accompaniment.   Where Pat Benatar, Chrissie Hynde, and (yep) Lady Gaga have mastered the art of dominant lead vocals in rock songs, Jillaine has comparable talent in her comfort zone, jazz.

The title performance, "Scars on My Heart", is a highlight of the album.  Jillaine sings with a subtle strength, interpreting this song in her middle and upper registers.  Sam Jones on guitar and bass and Ryan Flores on drums provide perfect musical accompaniment.

"Strong and Sure" is beautifully performed.  It is smooth, restrained, and soft, yet consurrently strong, with a deliberate, growing intensity through the song.

The album closes with, in my opinion, the two strongest performances.  On "This Time" Jillaine explores her range, strategically incorporating the lows into the higher-register themes, with superb results.  Craig Adler is stunning on guitar and bass.

"Doubts R&B" is an extended reworking of "Doubts" from earlier in the album.  It goes back to basics - vocals and piano - with simply perfect results, and gets my vote for the best performance on the album.  It is a shining moment in all aspects - vocal and instrumental performance (Craig Adler returns on piano), lyrics, and arrangement.  Love, love, love it.  It is a great way to bring the album to a close - the listener is left wanting more.

"Scars on My Heart" is another strong effort from Jillaine, who has become one of my favorite new artists.  She's given us variety, stepping into different musical arenas, while reassuring us that she can return to the stronghold of jazz at any time and blow us away with her performance.

Still to come: "Jazzy Christmas To You", Jillaine's 2011 Christmas album, "As American as Jazz", a 2012 release of patriotic/Americana songs, and a promised upcoming 2012 Christmas release.  Two Christmas albums in two years - that's my kind of artist!

Jillaine Records
Jillaine on Facebook

"Scars on My Heart" was provided for review by the artist.

Album Review: "You Really Meant It" by Jillaine

I have about 300 jazz CDs in my collection, which is paltry when compared to many jazz music lovers, but still a pretty decent accumulation of music.  Probably between 75 and 100 are primarily jazz vocals, a minority of my collection, but a good representation of jazz vocalists through the years.

In my collection, I have nothing that compares to Jillaine.

Jillaine is an independent vocal artist possessing a powerful, steamy, sultry voice that leaps out at you from the first few bars of her debut album, the 2009 release "You Really Meant It".  She does not have a sound similar to the greats - Ella Fitzgerald, Sarah Vaugh, Billie Holliday - nor the contemporary stars of jazz like Roberta Gambarini, Sophie Milman, or Jane Monheit.  Jillaine has a voice and style all her own, and it's good stuff, cats, good stuff.

Jillaine's "You Really Meant It" features nine songs, four written by Jillaine.  The first song, "Older, Stronger, and Wiser, Too" is an exceptional lead track which quickly envelopes us with the heart and soul of Jillaine's voice.   The record continues with "You've Got Your Memories", a gut-wrenching breakup song with excellent guitar accompaniment by Sam Jones.

The songs on "You Really Meant It" are steeped in the musicality of jazz standards.  You feel as if you're in a piano lounge, sipping a martini, listening to a masterful vocalist with piano and guitar acting as enhancers, complementing and never overshadowing the vocals.

All nine songs on "You Really Meant It" are strong.  Jillaine's partner musicians have just the right touch.  I especially enjoyed the two songs written and accompanied by Anthony Phan, "Love Without Distance" and "Misfortune".

"Misfortune", the closing piece, is full of swagger, and, like most of the songs on this record, explores the darker aspects of life and relationships (or, recently ended relationships).  Jillaine's voice is uniquely suited to driving home the emotion present in the lyrics.

I love finding music from independent artists, especially those with the talent and potential to be stars.  The internet has given these artists an unprecedented method of connecting with fans, and, conversely, has made it possible for fans and music lovers to interact with artists as never before.  Jillaine has a website, http://www.jillainerecords.com/index.html, a Facebook presence, https://www.facebook.com/JillaineRecords, and other web-based avenues to her music.

It was through the internet, via my friend Stubby at Stubby's House of Christmas, that I was first introduced to Jillaine's music.  (Stubby's review of Jillaine's 2011 Christmas CD is here).  Many kudos and thanks to Stubby for his tireless work to find all the best new Christmas music year-in and year-out.  Without Stubby, I may have never found Jillaine's music.

"You Really Meant It" is a tremendous debut from a promising new artist.  I love Jillaine's voice, seriously.

Jillaine has released "Scars on My Heart" (2011), "Jazzy Christmas To You" (2011), "As American as Jazz" (2012), and a single "My World" (2012) since her first album.  I'll be reviewing all of her albums here, as Jillaine has graciously provided me with CDs for review.

I have not listened to her Christmas CD yet, as I'm saving it as a treat to open when the season arrives (which for me, is about mid-September).  And I have no doubt that it will indeed be a treat for my ears.
Please treat yourself and visit Jillaine's website for more information and song samples from this tremendous jazz singer.