by Jane Lambert

Celia Berk’s ‘Now That I Have Everything’ is truly EVERYTHING

Celia Berk is an award-winning vocalist whose recordings have attracted listeners around the world. She has made memorable appearances at Carnegie Hall, Jazz At Lincoln Center, Birdland Theater, The Town Hall and the National Arts Club. Celia has been praised by some of the most prominent champions of The Great American Songbook.

She just released of her widely anticipated third album, Now That I Have Everything. Arranger/pianist Tedd Firth brings a Nat King Cole Trio feel to the recording, which explores the ways we try – successfully and unsuccessfully – to connect our heart to someone else’s. Co-Produced by Tony and Grammy Award-winning sound designer Scott Lehrer, it features the kinds of hidden gems by great songwriters that are Celia’s trademark. Many of those songs were featured in COMES LOVE, a 2019 show Celia created with pianist Sean Gough.

In his Liner Notes, author and journalist Will Friedwald writes, “Celia Berk makes us realize, in a way few singers can, that love is, in fact, never ever the same.”

When asked about the album, Celia says, “The story of this album really begins and ends with my friend Debbi Bush Whiting, daughter of Margaret Whiting and granddaughter of Richard Whiting. She had given me recordings of her mother’s appearances on a radio show, including Irving Berlin’s NOW IT CAN BE TOLD. The premise of that song is that the real story of a great romance has yet to be written. As I listened, I asked myself, ‘So what exactly can now be told?’ And then I thought, ‘Oh, I’m going to do an album about love!’ So I set out to find songs about the ways we try – successfully and unsuccessfully – to connect our heart to someone else’s.”

The songs cascade from a jazz silhouette of toe tapping to rain on a rooftop. This album is like sipping a nice cup of tea on a lazy Sunday afternoon. It encompasses the Broadway jazz element all the way down to songs reminiscent of Moon River. “Boum!” Is a fun loving dance number that incorporates feelings from your head to your heart and personifies the emotions. “Right as the Rain” brings a melancholy and somber feeling that captivates the whole body. The title track “Now That I Have Everything” dances on the piano keys and takes the center stage of the whole album in this show stopping number.

Listen here:

Celia debuted her new cabaret show, ON MY WAY TO YOU: Improbable Stories That Inspired An Unlikely Path, directed by Mark Nadler with music direction by Tedd Firth. Marilyn Lester of Theater Pizzazz called it “An enchanting show, executed with abundant smarts, humor and grace, and terrific choices of music known and unknown.”

Celia’s accolades include the album MANHATTAN SERENADE in which she received the 2017 LaMott Friedman Award. It was arranged and conducted by Alex Rybeck and co-produced by Scott Lehrer, the team behind her debut album YOU CAN’T RUSH SPRING. Lyricist David Zippel (whose “The Broadway Song” written with Cy Coleman received its first commercial recording) wrote in the album notes, “A tribute to her hometown, this collection is anything but renditions of the obvious New York songs. MANHATTAN SERENADE is curated: a connoisseur’s compilation of one exquisite, undiscovered musical gem after another.” YOU CAN’T RUSH SPRING and Celia’s solo cabaret debut, directed by Jeff Harnar, earned Celia a 2015 Bistro Award: Vocalist; 2015 MAC Award: New York Debut – Female; 2015 BroadwayWorld Award for Best New York Cabaret Debut; and The 2015 Margaret Whiting Award.

We have no doubt that “Now That I Have Everything” will follow suit brining about awards and notoriety to the ever so talented soul that is Celia Berk.

Connect with Celia Berk via:
Website / Instagram / Twitter / Facebook / YouTube / Spotify

09.15.22

by Jane Lambert

Jane Jensen’s Two New Singles Are a Captivating Pair

Jane Jensen’s aesthetic encapsulates the glitz and glamour of the 1970’s variety shows consumed by rock and roll, poetry, and electronic music. While her mind and music tend to wander in many directions, her love for industrial music is the thread that weaves it all together.

Her new album, Changeling, consists of 2 new singles, the industrial alt rock “Changeling” and the industrial pop-punk “Revolution Maker,” each with a Dark Wave and Synth Pop remix. They are sister songs with “Changeling” contemplating rebirth and self-transformation and “Revolution Maker” acknowledging a failed state and calls for the universal hero.

Listen here:

“I wrote ‘Changeling’ and re-wrote it again and again until I felt it hit that emotional spot I needed to fill,” shares Jane. “The song means a lot to me for my own development as a person and as a producer. ‘Revolution Maker’ was a collaboration with Marc and Eric Klee Johnson. They invited me to be a back-up singer in their New Wave band back when I was in high school. The rest is history. Writing music is a magical process but working with dear friends is pure icing.”

Connect with Jane Jensen via:
Website / Instagram / Twitter / Facebook / TikTok / YouTube / Spotify / Soundcloud

09.06.22

by Jane Lambert

“Hermana” is Singer/Songwriter Gia Levé’s New Latin Jazz Single

Singer/songwriter Gia Levé, has evolved her own music to reflect personal triumphs and our human struggle. She is influenced by her Kundalini and meditation teachings of mindfulness and inner strength.

She is set to release her LP, a collection of songs that reflect Gia’s intentions and values like self-love, self-acceptance, empowerment and especially speaking to women to rise up and be the best that they can. She collaborated on her first three songs that combine jazz tones with smooth Latin groove and pop sound: “Hold Me Again,” “Never Lonely,” and “Breathe with Me” with Brothers Koren and which were skillfully produced by four time Grammy award-winner, Bruce Lowe who brought a Latin vibe to the project.

Her new single, “Hermana” reflects not only her ideas of self-empowerment, but also a rallying call for women to come together to be voices for change. Her Celine Dion or Reba McEntire voice and the Latin Jazz essence of the song enhance the feeling of unity and love.

Listen here:

Connect with Gia Leve via:

Website / Instagram / Facebook / YouTube / Spotify

08.17.22

by Jane Lambert

Kremidas’ ‘Hold On Tight’ is an Acoustic Dreamscape

Kremidas, the multi-instrumentalist songwriter, has just released his second album, Hold On Tight, a cool and chill acoustic album inspired by his brave and courageous journey through cancer. It’s optimistic tone is what emphasizes the instrumental stories of love, hope, and pain.

“I am past cancer, thankfully, but it made me pause and think, ‘where do I go from here? what happens when I’m gone?,’” Jim shares. “When I looked back, I felt this real appreciation for life. There is a lot of bad, of course, but really a lot of good—life is so beautiful. I wanted this album to encompass the full span of the wonderful emotions of life. We are here for a period of time—it’s over before we know it—and I wanted to share in the beauty of it all.”

Hold On Tight is a showcasing of Kremidas’ instrumental prowess. The album features his skills with the strings, except those that require a bow, like the banjo, acoustic and electric guitar, mandolin, dobro, dulcimer, and pedal steel. Each aspect brings a different mood and emotion to the forefront.

“Refections (No Regrets)” is faster paced and has a Johnny Cash feeling to it, like he’s purging his emotions, while “Clara” is lighter and more delicate. He experiments with light synth sounds in “Over Half Way,” invoking a sense of mystery, like you don’t know what’s coming next. “You’re Not Losing Me” is the statement song of the album as it’s the only one with lyrics. He sings “You’re not losing me/I’m not losing you/ we’re just moving on/we’re just passing along.” The song is about moving on to new things and that being a good thing. “Between the Lines” is ambient yet carries a darker country sound. Jim says “This song expresses those times when you feel down—it’s meant to be sad, but also comforting.” The title song, “Hold On Tight” is interesting because it harkens back to “Refections” with the outlaw country vibe. The verses build tension that’s then released in the chorus. It’s emotive and moving.

Listen here:

Connect with Kremidas

Bandcamp / Spotify / Soundcloud

09.14.20

by Jane Lambert

Ricksha Radio Reveals “Hideaway”

With an extremely pop-electronica-type intro, Bob Dimick of Ricksha Radio bursts onto the scene with what may arguably be one of our most exciting debut tracks from an artist that we have seen in a long time.

“Hideaway” is Ricksha Radio’s newest release, following his 2011 project, “Welcome to My World.” And with almost a decade since the last time he released music, this feels almost like a rebrand, a new beginning, a debut release for us- and we are LOVING it.

With Bob’s smooth transitions, sultry vocals, and classic instrumentals, it is clear he has been doing this “music thing” for quite some time. But unlike many artists, he is able to put a modern swing on some classic sounds, and that’s what makes him so interesting.

We are so looking forward to hearing more from this artist, and can’t wait to see what else he has in store for us.

Listen To “Hideaway” below:

Connect with Ricksha Radio:

https://ricksharadio.com/

https://www.instagram.com/ricksharadio/

https://www.facebook.com/Ricksha-Radio-172169332827775

11.11.15

by Jane Lambert

EL VY Proves to Be More Than Just a Side Project, with Debut Release, “Return to the Moon”

The much buzzed about EL VY creates an inspiring album, Return to the Moon, out now via 4AD. Consisting mainly of Matt Berninger of The National and Brent Knopf of Ramona Falls/Menomena, what the duo creates is something honest, heartfelt, and truly unique.

Like when all high profiled musicians break off from their main band, there seems to be a bit of a back and forth skeptical reaction that travels throughout the internet. I believe it was in Pitchfork that I had read a blurb stating that Berninger and Knopf were “incompatible” as musicians. To be honest, yes, they kind of are incompatible as musicians; but on the bright side, that is exactly what makes this combination work well.

The first two singles shined light on the blending of two parties; first with “Return to the Moon (Political Song for Didi Bloome to Sing, with Crescendo)” and the follow up “I’m the Man to Be.” The first singles were definitely a departure from Berninger’s deep and heavy sounds of The National, but it allowed us to see a more upbeat version of what he has to offer. Knopf on the other hand, brings a stunning element of instrumentation to the table that sometimes provides a lively vibe, and other times, a haunting and unusual sound. The mixture of these elements seem to work completely, as they weave throughout each track of the record.

The biggest misconception that a listener can have going into this, is that it’s going to sound like a “National” record. It’s not. Then Berninger would just be working on National songs right now (Right? Right.). What would be the point? The voice is there, but the content isn’t always as heavy. You’re going to dance, you’re still going to get depressed as hell, and you are going to love every moment of it.

Releasing a series of lyric videos directed by the multi-talented Tom Berninger, it provides multiple songs with an intimate look to capture your attention even more. Tracks such as “Happiness Missouri” bring a haunting, yet determined sound into play, while harmonies fill the album in pieces such as “Silent Ivy Hotel,” or the chilling musicianship of “Paul is Alive.” Songs such as “No Time to Crank the Sun,” offers up Matt’s signature delicate crooning, as “Need a Friend,” shares a more vibrant sound, that brings Knopf’s intricate brand of musicianship to the table. Together they create a truly special musical experience within Return to the Moon.

Each piece on the record is strong enough to stand on their own, which is perhaps why the group decided to release a track one at a time leading into the record. Return to the Moon is perhaps the finest record of 2015; mark my word.

EL VY is currently on tour, recently kicking off their Eastern U.S. dates, with two stops in New York. Friday at Bowery Ballroom, and Saturday at Music Hall of Williamsburg. See you there kids.