Rachel Zamsteen -- Bouquet -- EPK and Video

by Frank Gualtier -- 09/22/2006, 09/23/2006

In the past few days I've had a chance to preview the EPK and video for 'This Gun' from Rachel Zamsteen's upcoming debut release 'Bouquet' that's currently slated to drop this October 10th, 2006.

When you buy her CD 'Bouquet' you'll get the whole package -- music, EPK, and video.

In the EPK Rachel discusses a bit about herself, the story behind some of her songs, her thoughts on her creative process and some general Zamsteen philosophy.

You'll also get to see video snippets from songs such as 'This Gun', 'Bouquet', and 'Drought' and footage of photo shoots. She's a classic beauty.

I'm particularly fond of the footage of her playing guitar. Being a guitarist myself I suppose that makes perfect sense but this will appeal to everyone as it's always impressive to see the technicals at work in someone we usually only hear.

As well in both the EPK and the video we get to her play keyboard. What can I say -- just plain neat.

This is a fantastic addition to the CD.

Runtime for the EPK is about 5:41.

In the video for 'This Gun' is especially nice in that we get to see Rachel move about in some of the bizarre ways that jazz tends to get people moving. I love it and would pay the price of 'Bouquet' just for this video alone. That's partly because I found myself moving about in bizzare ways on hearing the song -- nice to see the effect at the origin.

It doesn't visually follow any storyline strictly but rather takes story and thematic considerations and splices them together in a sort of visual art that takes you back and forth between both of them and a jazzed up performance.

Best of all -- seeing Rachel sing and play to the camera. She's very expressive. Often sexy and at times just playful.

For those who want the goods up front the video will be on both Rachel's website and her myspace profile in a couple of weeks.

The video runtime is about 4:11.

The music makes me want to go see her perform. The addition of the visual media with the music both satisfies and intensifies that desire. Yes I meant to say that. And you'll see just how true it is when you get your hands on a copy.

Finally -- a couple of ways you can draw more attention to Rachel Zamsteen:

1.) Post links to the review I wrote recently for 'Bouquet' in your blog. You're welcome to post the content as well but the backlinking does something kind of magic behind the feed scenes. Each person that does this will increase the effect more than onefold -- so spread it around. I don't want to eleborate and give up all my tricks -- but I will provide the code:

<a href="http://indietour.blogspot.com/2006/09/rachel-zamsteen-bouquet.html">Read More About Rachel Zamsteen's Debut Release <i>Bouquet</i></a>

2.) Leave comments here and in my review of Bouquet. I moderate these comments and it can take me awhile to get to them -- but comments cause another kind of behind the scenes magic and that happens automagically and immediately regardless of how long it takes me to okay them so that they show up.

Links for Rachel Zamsteen:

• Website
  
• MySpace
  
• Label -- not|pop records
  
• Bouquet -- A Review by Yours Truly
  

Rachel Zamsteen - Bouquet

by Frank Gualtier -- 09/15/2006, 9/22/2006

After a prefix snippet of Beethoven somehow resolves into a Peggy Lee'esque Fever style finger snapping intro I hear the shadow casting larger than life voice of Rachel Zamsteen catting her way calmly to a point with:

"Come over here boy I got something for ya; rest your weary brow on my knee there. It's a big surprise so open wide and close your eyes, I think it's something that you're gonna like."

then drawing the bowstring taught:

"It's This Gun, it's This Gun in your mouth, that says you're gonna do some listening..."

and releasing the flaming arrow and all hell breaks loose:

"...now"

And suddenly I find myself in the middle of what sounds like a sizzling 1940s big band jazz noir production. Visions of Veronica Lake go dancing through my head...

I was sold on the spot.

The song was 'This Gun' from Rachel Zamsteen's upcoming debut album 'Bouquet' which is currently scheduled for release this October 10th, 2006.

The LP contains ten tracks of original music, the video for the song 'This Gun', and a multimedia EPK with interview. As well I believe there may be live concert footage. This is going to be hot hot hot and heavy -- I fully expect concrete to break when it drops!

The title track 'Bouquet' is classic apple-jazz with a progressive brightness to it. It's a brightness that is contrasted by the content -- an interesting batch of thoughts in which dismay at negativity infuses the narrator. Like when you're so tired of hearing people bitch you end up bitching about people bitching. I think we can all relate to that. Damnit -- right?

Another of my favorites is the song 'Orion'. An intense jazz number in 5/4 meter. Rachel shows some seductively mad vocal skills in a type of consonantless scat that'll make your knees weak. In parts of the song she pits these riffs, as well as lyric vocals, against an ostinato staccato style scat. It's cool it's sexy and it makes you want to dance. Take care not to break anything as 5/4 is a real bone wrencher on the dance floor. Probably the most recognized example of a piece scored in 5/4 is the original 'Mission Impossible' t.v. series theme (1966-1973).

In the song 1984 she sings in introspective disdain of authority using Orwell's classic fiction 1984 as a projector from her year of birth (Sept 21st, 1984 to be precise). A cool song already but given some great A|B|A|kickass transitional drumming by producer Andres Karu for good measure.

In fact there's a surplus of cool percussion syncopating it's way through this album.

I expounded on the jazz aspects of 'Bouquet' because that's what drew me to this music and to Rachel. Folk is my mainstay these days, however, and for someone so steeped in jazz she surprises by parring it in this genre.

I'm a total swoon for a song with a pulse. I like that feeling of being rocked along on a journey. Three flowing standouts that do exactly that are 'The Same Way', 'Lusted' and 'Saved'. While there's picking in all three the first, 'The Same Way', is finger picked Paul Simon style. 'Lusted' negotiates guitar a bit more like Nancy Wilson on blues. And saved -- folk rock. I should probably also mention the added spritz of americana in 'Poor Dead Baby Bed Bugs'.

Rachel Zamsteen is a skilled and diverse songwriter. As a performer her voice shines with crisp clarity and top rate technical skills. She's a multi-instrumentalist playing keys, guitar (acoustic, electric, slide), bass, flute, sax, piccolo, and drums. When I asked her about this array (impressive to say the least) she was happy to mention the lot (including "kazoo") but was quite modest regarding her skill levels. Especially regarding guitar. Take it from a 30 year vet -- this girl can play.

Finally, I read very recently that she was nominated for two Asbury Park Music Awards -- Best Female Solo and Best Female Vocal. I'm not the least bit surprised -- this girl is on fire. It's a glow you want to be near and 'Bouquet' is an album you want to hear.



Check out Rachel's music on her myspace profile and her label's myspace profile -- see links below.

Links for Rachel Zamsteen:

• Website
  
• MySpace
  
• Label -- not|pop records
  
• Bouquet EPK and Video for 'This Gun' -- Review
  

Note: For the sake of historical accuracy -- the song Fever was actually published in 1956 and recorded by Peggy Lee in 1958.

Rachel Taylor Brown -- Ormolu

by Frank Gualtier -- 09/12/06

This evening while reading blogs I ran across some words from Mark Collins, the cultural genius behind the internet radio station Women of the '90s, that echoed my own sentiments regarding Rachel Taylor Brown and her new album Ormolu.

In addition to what follows he added that Ormolu 'blew him away' and said that he guarantee's that it will be in his top 10 list for album of the year -- a page of thought Mark and I share.

---

"Upright Man" was the first single that I played off of Rachel Taylor Brown's fabulous album. Two weeks ago I introduced "Linda" off of it and it's currently number 9 in this week's WOT90 Top 20.

"Ormolu" is the third single selected from the album. It is simply brilliant!

The 'Ormolu' CD is only 23-1/2 minutes long and I guarentee that you will keep hitting the replay button on your CD player... over...and over... and over... Hell, I played it back to back five times in a row.

This is a must have.

---

Links for Rachel Taylor Brown:

• Website
  
• MySpace
  
• CD Baby -- Ormolu
  
• CD Baby -- Jonah Days
  
• CD Baby -- Do Not Stare
  

Beth Waters -- This Little Piggy -- Now Available at iTunes

by Frank Gualtier -- 09/12/06

Beth Waters -- 'This Little Piggy' -- Now available exclusively at iTunes.

     Buy It

     Read About It

     Be Friendly About It

Carla Werner -- Chords -- Ghost Road

by Frank Gualtier -- 09/09/06

I thought I'd share a transcription I did of Carla Werner's song 'Ghost Road' from her new LP 'Pure Things in Wild Places'.

It's my little homage to Carla for how inspiring her new album has been to me.

I am currently working with another artist who is writing out some of her songs and those will be appearing in the near future. Very gracious of her to do that and I'd like to encourage all artists who are on my list at mypsace to write out one or more of your songs with chords or tablature. If you write them out for me -- I will post them.

Please contact me via my myspace profile for corrections, questions, or if you'd like me to post some of your songs chords and/or tabs.

  See suggested fingering for chords below song.
   
  -- start --
   
  1  2 3 4 1 2 3 4    1  2 3 4 1 2 3 4
  Cm / / / / / / C(9) Cm / / / / / / C(9)
   
      Cm      Gm
  The road is haunted
       Fm               Cm
  with ghosts, time gone by
               Gm
  They lie and linger
        Fm   Cm
     as I go by
   
    Eb                         Bb
  A ship is waiting to take me home
    Fm (strum 5 beats then hold) Cm
  A light is shining, leading me on
   
      Cm      Gm
  I'm told of places
       Fm         Cm
    We go when we go
                  Gm
  The past golden faces
         Fm            Cm
  Steal away to distant shores
   
    Eb                         Bb
  A ship is waiting to take me home
    Fm                           Cm
  A light is shining, leading me on
      Eb                           Bb
  Archangel Michael standing by the door
        Fm            Cm
  He calls to me, I cannot go
   
  Eb / / / / / / / Db / / / / / / /
  Fm / / / / / / / Cm / / / / / / /
   
    Eb                         Bb
  A ship is waiting to take me home
    Fm                           Cm
  A light is shining, leading me on
      Eb                           Bb
  Archangel Michael standing by the door
        Fm            Cm
  He calls to me, I cannot go
   
        Fm            Cm
  He calls to me, I cannot go
   
  (2 times)
  Cm / / / / / / / Gm / / / / / / /
  Fm / / / / / / / Cm / / / / / / /
   
  -- end --
   
  -- Suggested fingering for chords
   
       E A D G B e
       -----------
  Cm   3 3 5 5 4 3
  C(9) 3 3 5 5 3 3
  Gm   3 4 4 3 3 3
  Fm   1 3 3 1 1 1
  Eb   3 6 5 3 4 3
  Bb   6 8 8 7 6 6
  Bb   1 1 3 3 3 1 alternate
  Db   1 4 3 1 2 1
  Db   4 4 6 6 6 4 alternate

Links for Carla Werner:

Pure Things in Wild Places

Departure

carla werner ep

• Website
  
• MySpace
  

Carla Werner -- Pure Things in Wild Places

by Frank Gualtier -- 09/07/06, 09/09/06

If anyone wondered what Carla Werner has been up to for the past three years the question has been answered by her newly released LP 'Pure Things in Wild Places'.

It is here on her second full length release, following an initial EP, that she displays true ascendancy to a new and fully higher plane of creative existence.

She's always been a good songwriter and singer. But she excels beyond her self on both counts with PTIWP and exhibits stunning skill with arrangement. In the latter regard I'm particularly enthused about what she's done with strings. Simple yet rich and full of elegance and the magic of hooks that stick but don't overpower those of the vocal melodies.

The layering of sounds is seamless and masterful and comes across as an extension of emotion rather than a technical feat. She becomes her music and her music sits itself before you as a person would with words to tell and the experience is made personal.

In the technical zone she has truly found her voice. It's still the same distinct and charming Carla but she's grown into an incredibly dynamic and patient style. She explores the upper and lower regions of her voice and makes an embedded art form of measured lingering and thoughtful melodious interlude. She also shows her skill and experience in the timbral spectrum she explores. I've loved her voice for a long time but here is a creature anew -- an old soul quickened -- and I have to say she takes the breath out of me for how beautiful she sounds.

Some songs such as 'Driftwood' and 'For The Moon' have haunting string accompaniment that weeps in some manner of irish folk lament. Context is 9/10th's of perception and such sounds can be as easily relatable to the old west era as to old Scotland or Ireland. Carla strikes me as a bit ambiguous on this as simply the name 'Driftwood' conjures in my mind the west yet 'For The Moon' makes use of strings in a more droning mournful fashion and takes me back further in time to roots an ocean away.

One of the biggest champions of the Irish sound for the past two decades has been Enya Brennan (Eithne Ní Bhraonáin) and intended or not I do hear a shade of Enya in portions of the album. The dosage is wafer thin but distinct.

This album not only shows tremendous growth but it contains a diversity of style. Along with what I just mentioned there's a distinct and well executed blues rock sound to the song 'Edge Of Joy', a more standard electric folk/pop rock feel to 'Into The Night' and 'Dovetails', a traditional acoustic folk ambiance to 'Love Comes Down', and an americana sound to 'June'.

My favorite track on the album is 'Ghost Road'. Carla's vocals are pure, surreal, and haunting in a Nancy Sinatra kind of way. The lyrics are, as with all on this album, poetic enough to stand alone -- but with the music the effect is all consuming:

"The road is haunted
With ghosts, time gone by
They lie and linger
as I go by

A ship is waiting to take me home
A light is shining leading me on

I'm told of places
We go when we go
The past golden faces
Steal away to unknown shores

Archangel Michael standing by the door
He calls to me, I cannot go"

I've transcribed this song -- check here for the chords.

'Pure Things in Wild Places' is Carla Werner's finest achievement -- an absolute masterpiece -- and is one of the best albums of 2006.

Links for Carla Werner:

Pure Things in Wild Places

Departure

carla werner ep

• Website
  
• MySpace
  
• Chords -- Ghost Road
  

Ivy York to play BBC Radio London

by Frank Gualtier -- 09/01/06, 09/17/06

Ivy York will be putting in an appearance on BBC Radio London this month (Sept 23rd, 2006) on one of the morning shows. There will be a live performance and some plugging for the new self titled debut album.

One of their fans got them this gig -- how awsome is that?

AS PROMISED HERE IS THE DATE AND TIME

Saturday September 23rd, 2006 -- JoAnne Good's Breakfast Show 94.9.

You can listen in here at 8:00 am UK time: http://www.bbc.co.uk/london/content/articles/2005/05/24/weekend_breakfast_feature.shtml

I can't imagine that anyone hasn't heard of BBC Radio London but it's a very big deal. I'm told some of the DJ's there like to champion new acts and it's served as a launching pad for folks such as Joss Stone.