CD Review: Crazy Mary “Dreaming in Brilliant Color”
New York-based band Crazy Mary has been around for over a decade and has created ten albums that feature their band of rock and roll. The band currently consists of Em Z on vocals, guitarist Charles Kibel, The Wizard on the bass, Parker Reilly on keys, drummer Nick Raisz and Walter Steding on fiddle. The sound Crazy Mary takes a lot of different elements and blends them together to create different styles and feelings from song to song. With this ever-changing sound, the band considers itself as a psychedelic rock band. The band is currently promoting their tenth and latest album entitled Dreaming in Brilliant Color.
The newest release from Crazy Mary begins with the track “Come on Let’s Go”. With a slightly experimental sound of the music, the rock feel of the song may remind a lot of people of bands like Blondie. And with the inclusion of Walter Steding’s violin, the beginning track of the band’s latest release is both full of energy while also having a slightly unique feel.
“Cup of Tea” is the second track off of Crazy Mary’s latest CD. The song is a strong rock track that features the playing of keyboard player Parker Reilly that helps the band to create a unique rock sound. Of all of the songs on the release, this is probably the track that sounds the most like a straight-out rock and roll song. It is also one of the strongest songs on the entire album.
“Lonesome as a Train” is a track that takes a good amount of rock and adds just a touch of blues to the fun. The band creates a song that truly has the feel of a train rolling down the tracks. And the addition of Walter Steding’s violin really adds to that train feel as the instrument makes the listener imagine a train whistle.
Crazy Mary takes a slightly different approach with the song “Ferris Wheel”. The Americana song created by the band takes the band’s sound in a new direction as they add some country elements into the mix. The track created by Crazy Mary sounds as much like rock and roll as it does country.
The song “I’m Ready To Go” begins with the keyboards from Parker Reilly and then becomes a track that features a slight Irish feel to the music. With all of the instruments working well together, the disco feel, the Irish approach, the gang vocals from the rest of the band and Em Z’s vocals come together to create another of the strongest tracks on the release.
“Pass the Bread” finds the band slowing the pace down a little as the song begins. Before long, the band adds a little energy to the music as they take the song into the refrain. The alternating between lighter and harder keeps the music fresh throughout the length of the track.
It is on the track “Nick’s New Groove” that you really get to experience the creativity of the band. The song has the most unusual feel of any of the songs on the release. It is this creativity that really sets this song apart from the rest of the album.
With the amount of years that Crazy Mary has been a band, the time spent to get here was obviously time well spent, as the music from the band on Dreaming in Brilliant Color is well written, well played and very entertaining. Each of the songs on the release is unique and has its own style. The ever-changing feel of the release shows off the talent of each of the players in the band. And since there isn’t one song that brings the release down, it ends up being a very strong release from beginning to end.
Hessler Street Fair 2012
Most people believe that the summer season officially gets underway with Memorial Day Weekend. But here in Cleveland, some would say that it actually begins one weekend earlier. The weekend BEFORE Memorial Day Weekend is the time when many people make their way over to University Circle where they take part in the festival known as the Hessler Street Fair.
The Hessler Street Fair actually predates the Woodstock festivals, having its roots in a simple block party that took place in the area around Hessler Road. By 1969, it had become an all-out party with many people from outside of that area showing up to take in the festivities. And decades later, Hessler Street Fair is one of the biggest events throughout the entire Greater Cleveland area, and the event that many people (myself included) consider to be the unofficial beginning to Summer here in Cleveland.
Like the original Woodstock Festival, the Hessler Street Festival also has a political undertone to it: While Woodstock was created to provide just a few days of peace and harmony while the Vietnam War was taking place, the Hessler Street Fair was originally held to cover the financial costs being amassed while trying to fight University Circle Inc as UCI tried to buy and tear down the houses on Hessler Road so that the land could be used by University Circle and Case Western Reserve University. 43 years have passed and the residents of Hessler Road are still fighting. Money raised from the vendors who take part in the festivities will go to help defer the costs of fighting in court to keep Hessler Road the way it is.
The largest part of the Hessler Street Fair is the musical entertainment. The special part the music is that most of the bands contain at least one person with some connection to the street. It is this “home grown” idea that makes the entertainment so special. And each year, the Hessler Street Fair always has some of the best music of any festival during the summer season throughout all of Greater Cleveland.
This year’s main stage entertainment will include: Jah Messengers, Charlie Mosbrook, Morticia’s Chair, Katty Whomp Us, George Foley and His Rhythm, plus a lot more. On Saturday, May 19th, the featured band of the night will be Into the Blue, a Grateful Dead tribute band made up of members of Sultans of Bing. On Sunday, May 20th, the featured band will be Carlos Jones and the PLUS Band. These bands, as well as many others (including the JiMiller Band) will be part of this year’s event.
If you happen to be a history buff and would like to know a little bit about the fair itself while you are attending the event, just step over into the Hessler Street Fair Museum, located on the grounds of the fair. There, you will see and hear all sorts of things that will take you back in time to some of the more historic parts to the festival. You can even sign the visitor’s book located inside the Museum to let future attendees know that you were there.
As always, the Hessler Street Fair is pure family fun. Along with things to do that will make the adults happy, the event also includes plenty of things to do that will entertain your children. Inside Harmony Park, you’ll find: Balloons from Flower Clown, face painting, scavenger hunts, puppet shows, Mr. Bill Does Magic and much more. So bring the whole family for a day of fun.
The Hessler Street Fair is a two-day annual event that takes place the weekend BEFORE Memorial Day Weekend and will take place May 19th and 20th, 2012. For complete details on the festival, including directions, check out the website for the event. Come out and join in the fun as the Hessler Street Fair celebrates 2012 and beyond.
CD Review: Adam Gilbert “A Generation of Forgotten Kings”
Adam Gilbert’s A Generation of Forgotten Kings is one of those rare finds- an alternative pop/rock album created using the piano as the main instrument that all of the songs are based around. The piano helps make the album different from the vast majority of the alternative rock albums out there….and that difference is what makes A Generation of Forgotten Kings so refreshing.
The newest release from Adam Gilbert starts with the title track,“A Generation of Forgotten Kings”. The 10-second a’capella chant that begins the track gives the listener some indication that this release may be just a little different. And when Jonathan Lamb’s electric guitar leads the instruments for the next few seconds, you get the impression of a straight-out alternative release. It isn’t until Gilbert’s piano shows up 40 seconds into the track that you get a real sense of what to expect. In fact, with the addition of Gilbert’s piano, the track feels like an alternative rock song with a large orchestral influence. The rock band, Gilbert’s piano and the return of the chant from the beginning of the track all combine to create a track that captures the listener and refuses to let them go. The decision to make “A Generation of Forgotten Kings” the lead-off track to the album (and consequently, the title track of the release, as well) was a very bold move that pays off in a large way.
“How Do We Respond,” the second track off the release, also begins with a’capella: The first couple of seconds of the track start with just Adam Gilbert’s strong tenor voice and gradually transitions into something that might remind you of a song by Marc Cohn. The pop/rock feel of the song alternates between Gilbert’s piano and the guitar playing of Jonathan Lamb, creating a tune that goes well with the lyrics written by Gilbert about not knowing exactly what to say when things happen.
With the track “On a Hill,” you really get a chance to hear the talent of Adam Gilbert as a piano player: For most of the five minutes of the track, it is just Gilbert on the piano being backed up by bassist Jason Fraticelli and Mark Guiliana on the drums. The three musicians create a track that sounds a lot like something that Billy Joel might have written. When the rest of the musicians come in to fill out the sound of the song, the band once again creates a track that has an orchestral feel, kind of like seeing Gilbert live on stage in concert.
One of the most powerful tracks on the latest release from Adam Gilbert is the song “A Little Emotion”. Along with the strong lyrics from Gilbert on this track, the rest of the musicians help Adam create a song that contains the right amount of feeling to pull at the heart. This track features Nathan Goehen on bass as well as Leena Gilbert on violin. In fact, it is Leena Gilbert’s playing that truly brings the “emotion” in this song.
You can tell that an album is very strong when a song as strong as Adam Gilbert’s “Better” comes late in the album’s playlist. “Better” is a song about looking forward to times that aren’t so hopeless and trying. The music is very upbeat and helps to boost the positive message of the lyrics. And when the song finally builds to the big crescendo, the listener gets to experience some of the best playing from all of the musicians involved with the song. This could easily be the best track on the album.
While Adam Gilbert is the writer/singer/piano player and the main point of interest on his release, his album of A Generation of Forgotten Kings was created in such a way to allow all musicians involved the chance to shine as much as Gilbert himself, and the musicians that helped are a major reason why the album is so strong. Guitarists Jonathan Lamb, Matt Jaworski and Steve Berstein all help shape the music, while bassists Jason Fraticelli and Nathan Goehen along with drummers Mark Guiliana (who also helped produce the album) and Shawn Baltazor give the song their strength to help make the release so solid.
Taking Adam Gilbert’s talent as a piano player, his strong yet charming voice, his talent as a songwriter and the talented musicians who helped create this release, you end up with an album that is strong from the first note until it ends one hour later. A Generation of Forgotten Kings leaves you wanting more, a sure sign of how solid an album can be.
CD Review: Lauren Edman “It’s Always the Quiet One”
Connecticut native Lauren Edman is an up-and-coming singer/songwriter that has taken her abilities as a singer and started creating her own songs that would make use of her strong yet soft voice. Musically, you could compare Edman to writer/pianists like Fiona Apple and Tori Amos while vocally, her voice may remind you of a combination of Fiona Apple and Kate Bush; musical approach that seems like a combination of pop, indie and folk with a little opera thrown in. This unique vocal/musical style can be heard on Lauren Edman’s new release entitled It’s Always the Quiet One.
Lauren Edman’s It’s Always the Quiet One begins with the track “Wasting”. The song features a light musical feel while Edman’s vocals are strong and light at the same time. The soft approach of the music on the track makes for the perfect beginning track to the release, as the listener gets just a hint of what Edman’s music is about.
The piano takes center stage on the beginning of the album’s second track “Slate”. The piano is later mixed with other orchestral sounds along with a light percussive effect that all come together to create a beautiful track that gives Edman’s voice a chance to shine in the gentle feeling of the music.
“Charge” is one of the most commercial tracks on the release. The track begins with Lauren Edman’s synthesizer creating a light musical line that features one note at a time before it eventually builds with many other keyboard elements to make a song that would be a perfect fit on soft rock stations. One of the best parts of the track is the lyrics sung by Edman. Her voice is very lovely on this song and the layering harmonies give that voice a lot of depth on the song.
On the song “Be the Light,” it is truly Lauren Edman’s voice that takes center stage. While she does create a musical landscape for her vocals on this track, the music of this track is very minimal, adding only the slightest amount of melody under her voice. The minimalist nature of the track takes nothing away from the beauty that Edman has created in the music for the tune.
Another track that will catch the ear of the listener is the song “Silent”.With this track, Edman adds a slightly different feel to her music. The track features more than just the sound of her piano or keyboards. The addition of the clarinet on the track gives a more classical feel to the song, which might remind some of a song from a Broadway musical. This is one of the strongest tracks, though also one of the album’s shortest songs.
“This Is It” is a track that should find a place in the hearts of fans of music that can be heard on reality shows like American Idol. The song allows Edman to show off her ability to hit the high notes more than most of the other songs on the release. It’s also the type of song that many people could find themselves enjoying.
The album comes to a close with the song “She’s Not Here”. The light, slow pace of the song brings the album to a close in a very gentle way. The track once again allows Edman’s to shine through.
The new release from Lauren Edman is a piano-driven album that features a lot of great tracks from a talented singer-songwriter. From the beginning track of “Wasting” to the final track of “She’s Not Here,” the songs play out with an easy feel to their musical approach. And the minimalist approach to the production of the music allows the listener to enjoy the lyrics and vocals from Edman as she sings her way through the ten tracks that make up the release. The tracks “Slate,” “Sweet Girl,” and “Silent,” are just some of the best tracks on the release. If you are a fan of musicians like Tori Amos, Fiona Apple or even Kate Bush, you’ll find plenty to enjoy on the 2012 release It’s Always the Quiet One from Lauren Edman.
CD Review: The SaddleTones “Hitch Yer Wagon”
When you turn on the country music radio today, you inevitably run into music that sounds more like southern rock than it does the music that was made popular by people like George Jones, Merle Haggard or even Patsy Cline. But just when you’ve all but given up on finding that good old-fashioned country sound ever again, along comes someone like The SaddleTones.
The SaddleTones is a country band that is fronted by Miss Laurie Ann, who creates songs that feature a sound that is almost timeless. Part of the reason for that “timeless” feel is her voice, a voice that will instantly remind you of other singers like Loretta Lynn, Wanda Jackson and the aforementioned Patsy Cline. And the words that Miss Laurie Ann writes will also transport you to another time with their simplicity, something that is truly missing from today’s music.
Of course, The SaddleTones are more than just Miss Laurie Ann on vocals and guitar; the band contains three other musicians who help bring each song from Miss Laurie Ann to life. The rest of the band consists of guitarist Mike McMillan, bassist Arturo Baguer and drummer Ira “Tex” Kaye. Together, these four musicians make the perfect ensemble to create that old-time country sound. But the band also takes a touch of rock and roll to give their music some body. This “rock-boppin’ country” as it’s been named can be found on the debut release from The SaddleTones called Hitch Yer Wagon.
Hitch Yer Wagon from The SaddleTones begins with the title track. “Hitch Yer Wagon” is a tune that transports the listener back in time to another time when country music had its own unique sound. The addition of Isaac Stanford’s steel guitar helps bring back that unmistakable feel that only country music had. This track alone will make you wish this type of music was still being played on today’s contemporary country music stations.
It is on “The Last to Know” that you get a real sense of what the expression of “rock-boppin’ country” means. The SaddleTones create a song that would sound like a blues tune if only a blues singer was the one adding their voice to the music being played by the band. As it is, the country-flavored vocals from Miss Laurie Ann adds a lot of twang to the blues to make the song so much more. The country/blues combination from the band as well as the addition of Earl Poole Ball’s piano all combine to create a track that has mass appeal to it, as country fans will like it as much as the blues fans.
“Detour to Nowhere” is one of the hardest rockin’ tracks on the release. The roots-rock music created on this song is very reminiscent of early Johnny Cash as the driving nature of the song may remind you of those early days of rock and roll when country music, the blues and R&B were all coming together to create a new musical genre that would soon take the world by storm.
On the track “Long and Lonely Night,” the SaddleTones create a slow-paced song that truly brings back the feel of old Loretta Lynn songs. You can almost feel the pain in the lyrics written and sung by Miss Laurie Ann as you listen to the song. The entire band does a wonderful job capturing the feel of old country songs that seem too long gone. It’s a pleasure to hear that you can still find this type of country music if you try hard enough.
The pace changes from song to song on Hitch Yer Wagon from The SaddleTones. One minute, you’re listening to a slow, painfully emotional track like “Long and Lonely Night,” the next, you’re listening to a song like “Lackawanna County Line Blues,” which has a much faster and upbeat feel to the music, even though the lyrics of that song are still a little on the sad side; and then, the musical landscape changes once again for a song like “Usual Way” which slows the pace down to a painful crawl as you listen to Miss Laurie Ann sing about the pain of living from day to day.
Miss Laurie Ann and the rest of The SaddleTones bring to life music that seems to have been long gone. The writing and playing on the band’s 2012 album Hitch Yer Wagon takes you back to the days when country music still sounded like country music. This new release seems almost lost in time when compared to today’s country music scene; but for those looking for that classic country sound, look no further than Hitch Yer Wagon from The SaddleTones.
Click HERE for a live performance of the band’s song “The Usual Way”.
CD Review: Midwest Hype “Dayglow”
There is a movement in the music industry to create fresh sounds by combining elements from different music genres. Illinois-based Midwest Hype is one particular band that has created a new style by taking rock and roll and mixing it with several other genres. The resulting style from the band takes music in a whole different direction while keeping lovers of rock and roll happy.
Midwest Hype contains seven musicians who all come together to create the band’s style. The band consists of George Matthew Prellwitz on lead vocals and guitar, Max Kepler on drums, Nathan Miller on bass, Kevin Krizmanich on keyboards, Ben Morrisey on sax and Scott Whitford on trumpet and Justin “Ideal” Diehl as the vocalist/emcee. Along with the rock base, the band’s sound also incorporates jazz, R&B and hip-hop together to make a style that everyone can get behind. The band took several of their songs and entered the studio, where they worked with producer Steven Gillis who took their music and created a very strong release entitled Dayglow. Dayglow from Midwest Hype is a six-song release. And while the release is rather short, the powerful music created by Midwest Hype will keep the listener hanging on to each note played by the talented seven-piece band.
Dayglow begins with the song “Behind Our Eyes”. Right from the very first note of this track, you get a very good indication of what the band is all about. The track contains a solid reggae base to the music. Along with the reggae, you hear plenty of jazz influence through the playing Ben Morrisey on sax and Scott Whitford on trumpet. And while the words from Justin “Ideal” Diehl are done in a hip hop rhythm, his words fit well with the rest of the track, without adding any unneeded attitude you usually get from hip hop emcees.
Diehl is the first member of Midwest Hype that takes the spotlight on “Elastic Booty Shorts,” the second track of Dayglow. He takes the lead on the vocals while the band really takes amount of jazz on the approach to the music of the track. The hip hop/jazz fusion on this rock hybrid song creates a strong and commercial radio-friendly song that many will find very entertaining.
While the song “All is Water” still contains the same mixture of jazz, rock, reggae that is found on the rest of the release, the smooth approach to the song is a little softer than the previous tracks, which makes it perfect to be played on today’s smooth jazz radio stations.
The beginning of the track “Runaway” brings back just enough of the memory of Bob Marley to give fans of straight reggae music a reason to smile with a sound that seems to be reminiscent of Marley’s “No Woman, No Cry”. George Matthew Prellwitz’s voice creates a strong focal point to draw the listener in. And when the band brings back the rest of their hybrid sound later in the track, they keep the energy up with Morrisey’s sax playing and Justin “Ideal” Diehl’s rapping.
The track “Do or Die” is probably the closest thing to a rock and roll feeling you’ll find on the release, as the band takes the song into a ska direction: The electric guitar from Prellwitz combined with the horns of Ben Morrisey and Scott Whitford make a strong rock/jazz combination that any ska lover will enjoy.
The Dayglow release from Midwest Hype comes to an end with the track “People of America”. Like a lot of the songs in reggae music, “People of America” has a strong message within the lyrics. The lyrics speak of enjoying the peace of our time.
Dayglow from Midwest Hype is a strong six-song release that incorporates many musical genres into one style that will make jazz fans, rock fans, and even hip hop fans happy. The songs created by Midwest Hype give the listener a clear view of the talent that each member of the band possesses, and the talent of the band as a whole. The only thing that may be a problem is the length of the CD: With only six songs, the release is over way too soon.
Click HERE to see the video to the band’s song “Do Or Die“.
CD Review: Alan Grandy “El Grande”
Cleveland’s own Alan Grandy has spent more than two decades performing his own music on his own or as part of some of the many bands that have made a large impact on the local music scene over the years. Whether part of Terrible Parade, the Jehova Waitresses, or most recently Sputnik, Grandy has had a large part in making the Greater Cleveland music scene what it is today.
To give people a reminder of what Alan Grandy has accomplished over the last quarter century, he has put together a 19-song collection of some of his best material, entitled El Grande. El Grande features music that was selected by fans over the years that truly helped shape the musical legacy of one of Cleveland’s most creative singer-songwriters, Alan Grandy. The collection focuses on the three main time frames in Grandy’s career- the Terrible Parade years, Grandy’s solo material and his most recent work as part of Sputnik.
When someone puts together a collection of an artist’s musical history, they usually work chronilogically, from beginning to most recent. However, El Grande works in the exact opposite way, featuring Grandy’s work with Sputnik first and then going backwards. The listener gets a chance to experience what Grandy sounds like today and then gets to hear where he came from, musically.
Alan Grandy’s most recent work has been as part of the band Sputnik. Sputnik not only features Grandy on guitar and vocals, but Jay Bentoff on bass and vocals, as well as Jeff Harmon on drums. This trio features a light rock style to their music. Sputnik’s music can be found on two releases: 2004’s Underradar and 2003’s I, Cosmonaut. The El Grandy CD gives each release equal time featuring two songs from each release, including the song “Alienne,” a track that made its way onto the DVD release of the short-lived series Wonderfalls.
The middle part of El Grandy features four songs from Alan Grandy’s solo release entitled Acrowno’stars. The four songs featured from that release are rather sparse in their production quality, featuring mainly Grandy and his guitar; although, the songs “Drunk” and “Leslie’s Lonely Day” do feature Grandy’s future Sputnik band mate Jay Bentoff adding either vocals (“Leslie’s Lonely Day”) or e-bow (“Drunk”). In fact, Grandy and Bentoff would later redo “Leslie’s Lonely Day” with Jeff Harmon as part of Sputnik on the I, Cosmonaut CD.
One other song from Grandy’s Acrowno’stars, “Disconnected,” comes from his time in the popular Cleveland band the Jehova Waitresses. The version that’s included on both Acrowno’stars and here on El Grande is a solo version with only Grandy and his guitar. While it sounds kind of flat without the rest of that band behind him, the solo version allows Grandy to shine more than he could when the rest of his former band mates filled out the sound on the album version of “Disconnected,” which was included on the Jehova Waitresses album Perfect Impossible.
The largest amount of time is spent on Alan Grandy’s time in the band Terrible Parade. Eleven of the nineteen songs on El Grande are taken from various releases from that group. In fact, the compiled songs from that band feel like a compilation on their own. And with the different members who were part of that band during its history, the eleven songs on El Grande that came from Terrible Parade contain a good amount of variety that help keep this compilation refreshing.
The first three Terrible Parade songs (“Soul Sister,” “Ed McMahon Says,” and “Telephone Man”) have the same feel to them that would later show up in the songs by Sputnik. However, the song “Sometimes I’d Rather Be Alone” is probably the song with the most rock and roll quality to it. And “My Horoscope” has a feel that seperates itself from the rest of the material on the CD by going in a slightly different direction , melodically. The song is very full-bodied, having a lot of layers to the music, making it the song that would probably catch the ear of the listener the most.
El Grande from Alan Grandy is a very strong release shifting directions from song to song and changing feelings in the music from group to group. The collection of songs on the album gives a very good indication of what Grandy has been up to for the last twenty-five years or so. El Grande is the perfect place to begin to start discovering the talent and music of one of Cleveland’s best singer-songwriters. The album is also a good indicator for things to come from this talented musician.
CD Review: Ralph Carney’s Serious Jass Project “Seriously”
Tin Huey’s Ralph Carney is currently a million miles and a million years (or so it may seem) from his time with that legendary Akron, OH band. Currently you can find Carney living out in the Bay Area of California where he fronts Ralph Carney’s Serious Jass Project. The Serious Jass Project (yes, it’s JASS, not JAZZ) is a quartet that is made up of: Ralph Carney on Saxes, clarinets, flute, trumpet and more; Randy Odell on drums; Ari Munkres on bass and Michael Mcintosh on keys.
Ralph Carney’s Serious Jass Project is a musical group that keeps the memory of the older jazz music alive. Much of the music that the band focuses on is the type of music that the founders of Rock And Roll might have been listening to when they were growing up, influencing them and their writing styles when they started creating their own style of music. Needless to say, most of the songs that Ralph and the band play are neither boring nor what you would normally call “standards”. The group is currently promoting their newest release, 2011’s Seriously.
Seriously begins with the Buddy Tate tune, “Blue Creek Hop”. While written way before the advent of Rock And Roll, this track is one of the most “rockin’” songs on the release. The energy level of the music will have you jumping out of your seat and onto the dance floor.
The Coleman Hawkins tune “Meet Dr. Foo” is the song that truly shines the light on the talent of Ralph Carney as a musician; on the track, Carney multi-tasks as he plays not only the saxophone, but also the trumpet and flute……all at the same time. The layering effect of the various instruments creates a sound that gives the impression that the Serious Jass Project is a lot larger than just Carney, Odell, Munkres and Mcintosh. The tune is the perfect opportunity for the listener to experience the quartet as a “serious” jazz ensemble.
In sharp contrast to the light, upbeat feel of “Meet Dr. Foo” the Serious Jass Project goes for something a lot more intense on the next track: It’s on the Duke Ellington tune “Echoes of Harlem” that the mood turns a little darker. The intensity of the playing of Michael Mcintosh on the piano gives the composition a lot of the feeling that Ellington wanted to convey when he wrote the tune. The ensemble really grabs your attention on this track.
Several of Duke Ellington’s tunes are included on Seriously. It is on Ellington’s “Carnival in Caroline” that the Serious Jass Project brings a little lightheartedness back into the mix on the release. Along with the core of Carney, Odell, Munkres and Mcintosh, “Carnival in Caroline” also features Mike Groh who adds some flavor to the band’s sound by playing the guitar on the track. But the most important element added to the song is singer Karina Denike. Denike’s beautiful, clear voice adds that touch of polish to truly bring out the beauty in Ellington’s song.
While there is a consensus in the music industry about the year that the musical genre “Rock And Roll” actually began, there are always those songs that seem to blur that defining mark in history. “Moondog Boogie” is definitely one of those “blurring” songs, as Freddie Mitchell’s “rockin’” song was written in 1952, a few years before the 1954/1955 mark. On Seriously, Ralph Carney’s Serious Jass Project gives “Moondog Boogie” the respect it deserves. The band takes the song and has fun with it, which includes the shouted refrain consisting of the tune’s title, “Moondog Boogie”. The track is another instance where the listener will find the need to get up and dance to the music played by the band.
A much slower tune awaits the listener a few tracks later by the title of “Pompton Turnpike”. The Will Osbourne and Dick Rogers-penned tune has been recorded many times since it was written; the most recognizable version of the song was probably done by Rock Hall Early Influence, Louis Jordan. The version created here not only features Ralph Carney on sax, but also Michael Mcintosh on the piano. Members of the band join in on the lyrics and Mcintosh later handles the feature vocals rather well, which is slightly better than the band’s vocals…….thankfully, they are very fine musicians.
All but one song on Seriously was composed by other writers. The last tune, however, is a track called “Echoes of Chloe,” which is a free-form jazz piece created by the band to end the album on a slightly unusual note.
Taking all of the elements that make Seriously what it is, there is much to enjoy when listening to this album from Ralph Carney’s Serious Jass Project. And whether you are a fan of jazz music or early rock and roll, this is a release that will definitely enrich your music collection.
Find out more about Ralph Carney’s Serious Jass Project and many other Cleveland-based bands and artists by checking out Smog Veil Records. You can also check out FLY PR, the PR firm that’s promoting this release.
CD Review: Ga Ga James “Black Cherry Soda”
When you think of music for children, people like Raffi and Sharon, Bram and Lois are two of the first artists you think of. You can now add Ga Ga James to that list.
The Black Cherry Soda release from Ga Ga James is one of the best albums for children to be released in a long time. Not only does the album make for good entertainment for young children, but James and Robin Gaul did not forget that there are adults who will be listening to the album, as well. The songs for children like “Airplane,” “Sometimes I Like to Be Alone,” and “Shampoo,” as well as the songs for adults such as “Barnyard Dance,” “Kicking Up Our Heels,” and “A Whaler’s Life” all combine to create an album that can truly be referred to as “family entertainment”……..and isn’t that just what you’d be looking for when spending time with your kids?
CD Review: Markeisha Ensley “Talk to Me”
You may have heard of the fabulous singer named Markeisha Ensley, but if you haven’t you’re missing out. Like Alicia Keys before her, Markeisha is not only a fine singer, she can also play the piano. But as a teacher and an artist as well, this New York-based singer-songwriter has so much to offer. With the style of music that Markeisha creates, it’s only a matter of time before the whole world becomes familiar with this up-and-coming musical artist. 
