Kevin McCormick’s album, Songs Of The Martin is about more than just the compositions he’s chosen to record for the album.  It’s about the instrument he’s chosen to play them on. In fact, the C.F. Martin “DeGoni” guitar that he plays is really the star of the show.  How could it not be, it’s an original made in the 1840s!

With Songs Of The Martin, Kevin hands the listener a beautiful and eclectic collection of guitar music, from pop standards that will be familiar to every ear to more classical pieces.  Kevin’s guitar playing will definitely keep even the most casual of listeners enchanted.

The album opens with a true classic: Lennon/McCartney’s White Album tune,  “Blackbird”.  This song gives the listener all the proof needed to know that Kevin is a master at his craft. If a song like “Blackbird” is played as an instrumental and it still retains its integrity, then it is being played well.  In this case it’s being played more then well.  It seems as though the guitar is singing the words.  Kevin and the Martin pay

proper homage to the classic track. Another familiar tune that Kevin gives the royal treatment to is “What A Wonderful World,” a song made famous by the inimitable Louis Armstrong. It’s hard to listen to this song without hearing that bluesy voice singing, but Kevin and the Martin turn it into a lullaby.

It’s not the pop tunes, however that catch the listener’s ear the most. The simple “Etude 22” by Napoleon Coste draws  you in with the intricacy of the fingering.  The music played is light and airy and at times gentle.  “Vals En Re” is another classical composition that McCormick tackles. Composed by Francisco Tarrega, this guitar waltz will conjure images of senors and senoritas dancing the night away.

Regardless of what type of music Kevin is playing, be it a jazzy number like “I’ve Grown Accustomed To Your Face” or something folksy like Elizabeth Cotton’s “Freight Train”, the listener can’t help but be impressed. Probably the most stunning track chosen for this album is Steve Howe’s “Clap”, which has roots in ragtime and country blues.  The Irish anthem “Danny Boy” is such a sad tune, but with the way Kevin plays it some of the melancholy is lost and it seems more hopeful.  On songs like this it’s easy to imagine Kevin lovingly caressing the strings of the Martin.  The playing comes across as soft, almost whispering into the ear.

After only one listen it’s easy to tell that Kevin McCormick is a man who not only has a great talent but is comfortable with playing a variety of styles. With music on Songs Of The Martin spanning two hundred years, he certainly had numerous compositions to choose from and it seems that he’s chosen the best of the best.

Let yourself be drawn into the beauty of seventeen songs played on a guitar that is over one hundred years old. It’s a listening experience that shouldn’t be missed.

Review by Andrea Guy

Andrea Guy, Reviews Kevin McCormick, Songs of the Martin

Gabe Hizer’s Persistence of Memory was a totally unexpected listen.  His music can best be described as a cross between 70s folk and adult contemporary, and there’s a little bit of country sprinkled into the mix. Think Gordon Lightfoot’s song-stylings with a voice like Gary Puckett.

All of that makes Persistence of Memory a very unique listen. Gabe’s songwriting is elegant and mature. I can’t see kids grabbing this up; this is music for people that have already traveled down life’s road a bit, especially songs like “Some Things Never Change” and “The Lesson”. These two are particularly poignant. “Some Things Never Change” deals with the changes that Alzheimer’s Disease takes on the life of a loved one. It’s hard not to feel the emotion when listening to this song. This is one of those songs that will leave you in tears by the time that the last note is played and sung. With “The Lesson”, Gabe paints an accurate picture of how we all react to the end of a relationship, from the self-imposed loneliness to the inability to see that there may be hope for good things in the future. I particularly love the lines “It’s the time when you’re out of on you own/Your heart turns to stone for awhile/You can’t see that there’s light up ahead/All you know is the darkness inside”. I can’t think of any better words than these to describe how I’ve felt after a break up.

Gabe seems to be in tune with the broken hearted. “Paris Café” is a reflection of a man that can’t get away from the memory of the lover that’s left him, no matter how far he travels.

One of my favorite songs on Persistence Of Memory is “The Ballad Of Joey And The Bottle”.  I think Gabe was channeling Gordon Lightfoot when he was writing this one.  The song is actually about the insanity defense, something that Gabe, a former lawyer knows more than a little bit about. The song is sung in that folk country style that Lightfoot perfected in the early 70s. “The Ballad Of Joey And The Bottle” would be right at home sung next to the likes of Alberta Bound and High and Dry.

This album was an absolute joy to listen to.  I loved the beauty of the songs, but more than that I loved Gabe’s voice and his incredible range. The man can hit the low notes and some pretty high ones, and he does it without making the listener cringe. In fact, listening to Persistence Of Memory is blissful. It’s an album I’d recommend to all my friends that love the music of the 70s, because Gabe has captured all the good things that were brought to music in that decade and he’s created a beautiful album that should be savored like a fine wine. It’s only February, but I count Gabe’s Persistence Of Memory one of my favorite albums of the year. I’m sure in December when I look back on all the music that’s come out, this album will still be in the top.

Review by Andrea Guy

Andrea Guy, Reviews Gabe Hizer, Persistence of Memory

When it comes to jazz and singers that perform standards, most of the performers that come to mind are men. Well, move over Michael Buble. Move over Harry Connick Jr. There’s a new voice in town and it’s a lady. Audrey Silver has a voice that’s unforgettable. I think its safe to say that she’ll give the likes of Diana Krall and Jane Monheit a run for their money.

Dream Awhile is a strong sophomore effort for a singer who we can only hope is going to give us many more albums in the coming years.  Her debut album Here in My Arms appeared in 2004 and fans have been waiting for new material ever since. One thing is for sure: Dream Awhile was worth the wait.

On Dream Awhile, Audrey tackles eleven songs from the American Songbook and she does it with class. The songs she picked aren’t the same tried and true tracks but more eclectic picks that others may have overlooked.

The album opens with Irving Berlin’s “The Song Has Ended”. The scat at the end of the song gives it a memorable twist. “In The Wee Small Hours” is a heartbreaking song of unrequited love and Audrey sings it with such longing. You automatically sympathize with the woman she’s singing about.  That’s one of the things that make Audrey’s singing so special. Her voice is deep and rich, and she has a way of really emoting that makes the songs more intimate almost as though she were singing each one for you.

The songs that stand out the most are tracks like “Too Marvelous For Words” and “So Many Stars”. On the “Stars”, Silver’s vocal style sounds very much like her contemporary Krall, but where the two may have similar sounding voices at times, Silver has a style all her own. My personal favorite is the album closer, “I Could Write A Book”, a very upbeat number about falling in love with a friend. There is only one other song on Dream Awhile that’s upbeat, “Exactly Like You”. These two tracks are toe tappers, and the kind that make you want to grab someone and dance they way your mother or grandmother used to dance.

Audrey’s voice is a treasure. It doesn’t matter whether the songs she’s singing are about falling in love or out of it. Audrey could sing in the New York City phone book and it would sound beautiful. That statement may be cliché, but that doesn’t stop it from being true.

Another reason Audrey’s Dream Awhile is a stellar recording has to do with her choice of musicians. Her current band is made up of many stellar musicians: pianist Joe Barbato,

Chris Bergson on guitar, Joe Fitzgerald on bass, and drums by Anthony Pinciotti and Todd Isler.  These players, along with Silver and her voice of gold create an album that jazz fans and casual listeners won’t want to miss.

After listening to Dream Awhile several times, I find myself wondering, if Audrey is this wonderful now, what will her album’s will be like a few years down the line. I guess we’ll just have to wait and see.

Review by Andrea Guy

Andrea Guy, Reviews Audrey Silver, Dream Awhile

Call Hawk and Dove psychedelic country or alt-country, but neither really fit the bill for this band, which really defy labels.  The band is comprised of Elijah Miller (Lead vocals, guitar) John Kleberg (guitar, banjo vocals); Stephanie Sanders (bass, keys, vocals) Rachel Lyon (violin, mandolin, vocals) David Butler (drums).

They charge into our lives with the too short EP Rocking Chair, which is a great introduction, a kind of “Hi, here we are, gotta go,” kind of thing that makes you want to grab hold of someone’s collar so that they’ll stay awhile and play some more.

Of the four tracks that comprise Rocking Chair, three are studio and the last track Muscle Breaks is live.  The EP is a mere 18 minutes long, but these are 18 minutes that you won’t mind giving to the band. Frontman, Elijah Miller has a voice that’s somewhere between Jeff Tweedy and Bon Iver, and in my book that’s a very good thing.

The EP opens with Furious Armies a guitar heavy track with a distinctly emo vocal. The guitars detract from Elijah’s voice, which is really wasted on a song that really tries to rock. Elijah’s voice is much better suited to slower numbers.  When he sings the slow folksy Stain and Boy On The Moon, you hear what perfection sounds like. Boy On The Moon is particularly gorgeous, a lullaby that’s practically whispered, with the guitars and drums playing just as quietly for the first part of the song until it builds to a plaintive wail at the end.

Though of all the songs it’s Stain that really sticks out. It deals with people and relationships and the extremes that they sometimes go through to keep them. I really like the visual of a relationship leaving a lasting mark on someone, a stain.

What I find absolutely amazing is that Muscle Breaks, sounds so perfect and yet it was recorded at a gig in New Hampshire. There’s nothing there to denote a live audience; no screaming fans, no talking before or after the song.  Rachel Lyon’s violin really gives life to this song. I particularly love how it has an old fashioned, almost vaudeville sound to it.

Rocking Chair is a great introduction to this New York City band.  The songs are smart, often crossing the line to intellectual, but always listenable. This EP is the first taste of Hawk & Dove, it’s a good thing that they are working on a full length album as well as a rock opera, so they have no plans of going anywhere any time soon, and that’s a good thing, because after listening to Rocking Chair, I definitely long to hear more from this band.

Reviewed By Andrea Guy

Andrea Guy, Reviews Hawk and Dove, Rocking Chair

Lily Sparks rocks hard and when I say hard, I mean hard in the vein of Lita Ford with maybe a hint of Siouxsie and the Banshees. This comes from having a lead singer with a huge voice. When you hear Niamh belt out a song like Walk Away, you probably won’t forget her and that’s a good thing. There are too many vocalists that just sound the same out there.

That’s why it’s so disappointing that Cooper Cobra is only 5 songs. From Stars to The Girls you are really drawn in. Niamh’s voice grabs on to you and you can’t stop listening, it doesn’t matter if she’s rocking out, like she does on the album’s opener, Stars or if she’s going bluesy, like she does on the New York City inspired The Girls, or taking the power pop route with Where Are We Today. Whatever she’s singing, you’ll feel compelled to listen and you’ll find yourself bopping along to the music.  At times it’s hard to believe Niamh grew up in Ireland, because her singing is very American.
Lily Sparks creates music that makes you want to crank the volume all the way up and sing along. If you aren’t driving there will probably be some air guitar-ing going on as well. The music is very modern with a touch of 80s girl rock, particularly Walk Away, which will remind some listeners of fun rock made by Vixen only without the big hair. This kind of rock band is few and far between.  This is a band that’s out there to make good music, not to cater to an image. This is a band of great musicians and an even greater singer. Hey, it’s not just me, Niamh’s won awards for her vocals. So don’t just take me word, give Cooper Cobra a listen.

The EP is a fun romp of good old-fashioned rock and roll, with nothing to mask the things that make it great. It’s got wailing guitars, it’s got a vocalist that you can’t stop listening too, but most importantly it’s got songs that really stick with you.  It’s fun music, pure and simple.  How can it not be fun with lyrics like “Stars, guitars and muscle cars, make me happy”? I know after hearing Stars I was happy. I was bouncing around the room and that lyric was stuck in my head. It’s still stuck in my head. Why? Because it’s a catchy lyric.

One of the best things about Cooper Cobra is its playability. You pop this CD into you player or on your iPod, or whatever and you want to listen to it often. It gets you moving. It makes you feel alive. You want to share its goodness with your friends. The only flaw is that Cooper Cobra is just an EP and 5 songs aren’t nearly enough when you get rocking with Lily Sparks. This is one band that you’ll want to hear more of, so let’s hope Cooper Cobra is the start of something big for this band, because I know that once you hear this EP you’ll be just like me, wanting more!

Reviewed By Andrea Guy

Andrea Guy, Reviews Cooper Cobra, Lily Sparks

Sharon Klein’s The Way Back Home is the album fans of folk and world music look for each year. Not only does Sharon bring us some intricate guitar playing and some lovely lyrics designed to captivate.

The album opens with Valley Of Dreams a song that Sharon describes as partially autobiographical and just a little bit reminiscent of the way life was in the early part of the 1960s. The lyrics take you back to a time when dreams were big and young men were going off to fight. You see a brother killed a family torn apart. The song shows dreams lost and finally dreams regained.

Down Mexico is another song that has the theme of dreams. These dreams are unobtainable and you feel that loss right along with Sharon. This is one of those songs that will bring a tear to your eyes.

Noura has an exotic middle-eastern flair that is guaranteed to captivate. One listen and you’ll be charmed by Sharon’s voice. The story she tells however is sad and yet inspiring. It is the tale of a woman from Afghanistan forced into an unwanted marriage to a man who kept a harem. She escapes leaving her child behind and mourns her homeland and the flattened village where she once lived.

It doesn’t take more than a listen to see how deeply personal Sharon’s lyrics can be but there are two songs in particular that are more personal than the rest; Happy Dogs and From This World To The Next. Happy  Dogs carries a dedication to two of her late four legged friends. This song is a wonderful tribute to her animal friends that have gone to the next. Happy Dogs is a light and almost lively instrumental that really let’s Sharon’s fantastic guitar playing shine through. Tippy and Willy would be very pleased.   From This World To The Next is even more personal than that, the song focusing on her mother whom she lost in January of 2009. I dare any of you who have lost someone not to conjure that loved one and be moved to tears.

There is no lyric that can compare to these “and I move on with my life I listen close and hear you say, I’m a candle burning brightly, I’m a candle that protects, I have gone to the almighty. From this world to the next.” These lyrics are so beautiful and inspirational. You can feel the love she has for her mother with each word. I’m sure she’s smiling down on her from the next world, pleased at her daughter’s accomplishments.

There’s more to this album than sad, heart string tugging songs. Not Far Away is a jazzy tune with a spiritual message. This is probably one of the only songs on The Way Back Home that doesn’t deal with darker subject matter. It’s an uplifting song about how the higher power has helped throughout life in good and bad times.

Listen to this album with an open mind and heart. Maybe once it ends you will find you’ve learned something from the songs Sharon sings. At the very least you should have had a beautiful listening experience.

Reviewed By Andrea Guy

Andrea Guy, Reviews Sharon Klein, The Way Back Home

Are you one of those people that find traditional Christmas music a bore? Do you like something a little bit different when it comes to festive sounds? Well if you are one of those people, you’ll want to grab a copy of Musaphonic’s latest release, Yule Wonder, and at times you’ll be doing just that, wondering. Why, you ask? Well, I’ll tell you.

The album is very avant garde. At times is a very beautiful listen and at other times it’s a little bit strange, but that’s what makes this different.  You’ll be delighted by Churchwarden, Pheasant Dreams and Peppermint Suite among others.

The quirky songs are ones like Tinsel On My Stump which has a very Tom Waits air to it.  It is totally unexpected too, when surrounded by the other tracks on the album. which sound more like soundscapes that you’d hear on albums by Mannheim Steamroller, but that’s what sets this album apart from any other holiday fare. Of course, you might notice that this album is different just by flipping the disc over and looking at the titles. Titles like The Burial Of The Sardine,  Plaid Gravy and Xmas In The Mortuary are a definite sign of something a little off the norm, but before you dismiss this album as something too crazy, slip that disc into your CD player. Some of the most interesting tracks are the ones that have the oddest names, like The Ice Worm Festival,  The Night Of The Radishes and Wolf At The Door, the later of which I’m particularly fond of for the cricket-like sounds in the background and thunderclaps. Plaid Gravy bears mentioning again, because the lyrics alone will have you giggling and with the addition of the banjo just makes the listener go WOW! I swear I heard something about mustard and wieners in the lyrics! Those are two words I never thought to hear in a song holiday or otherwise.

For the most part, this album plays like the score to a 21^st century ballet, which I’d love to see. When it goes off that format, it can confuse the listener a bit, but for those willing to take a chance on holiday themed disc that’s not filled with Silent Night and White Christmas, this is definitely a disc worth trying, and because of its unique sound, it can be played throughout the year without getting you strange looks.

I applaud Musaphonic for filling a gap in holiday music genre, one that I’m not sure any of us were aware was there, but they did it and they did it well. Yule Wonder is an excellent CD for the holiday and one you can enjoy year round. There will be no wondering about how good it is after one listen. In fact the only thing that you will be wondering is why more people haven’t heard of Musaphonic before. This eclectic disc is definitely a must have album. Go to CD Baby and grab a copy now!

Reviewed By Andrea Guy 

Andrea Guy, Reviews Musaphonics, Yule Wonder

Christmas music is something that has to done really differently to be interesting and attract attention, that said, Dan Van Oss will be doing that with his latest offering The Heart Of Heaven ~ A Christmas Present. It truly is beautiful present that he gives us, treating us to renditions of some of the best carols and some new songs that will soon become favorites.

He takes songs like Joy To The World and gives then a whole new sound. To some this may seem like a sacrilege but really it isn’t. Dan has given the songs a new twist, a different twist, a beautiful twist. Listen to the songs and love them. The different arrangements really are refreshing especially the sax on O Come O Come Emmanuel.  That one instrument takes the song out of the deep darkness that it usually lives in. Sure the haunting melody is still there, but the sax takes the song to a higher plane where things are just a little more joyful and expectant of the coming savior.

The tone of the album can best be described at New Age but I’d like to go a step further than that. The album has a very old world feel. Maybe some will call it Celtic or New Age, but when you listen to it in many places you can feel yourself being transported to Dickens England. The most modern sounding of the tracks is Little Drummer Boy which sounds very Middle Eastern while still managing to keep the integrity of the song.

This is an album of songs that focuses more on the spiritual part of Christmas than the Santa Claus, materialistic part of the season, and I think that’s what makes this album so special.  But there is something besides the songs that make the album so beautiful and that’s Dan Van Oss’ voice. It’s hard to pin point the exact reason his voice will move you, perhaps it’s the gentleness with which he sings or the music itself that brings out the beauty, but whatever it is, the songs and his voice will captivate you. Listening to The Heart Of Heaven can best be described as a religious experience. Why? Because it’s hard not to grasp the real meaning of Christmas after listening to this album.

The best thing about The Heart Of Heaven is that there isn’t a bad song on it. How can there be a bad Christmas song? But really, all of the songs chosen are done so beautifully that it’s hard to pick a favorite. Each one has its own special magic. Today I love Gloria and In The Lonely Midnight. Tomorrow it may be some other songs.

Anyone that longs for something different and beautiful for the holiday season should search this CD out. It’s the perfect addition to everyone’s holiday music collection and one you may even find yourself slipping back into your CD player long after the season has past, just because Dan’s voice is so hard to resist.

 Reviewed By Andrea Guy

Andrea Guy, Reviews Dan Van Oss, The Heart of Heaven

Sometimes you listen to an album from beginning to end, but when I put Peter Douskalis’ The Dance Of The Sea in my player, I had to play the last track first. Why? Because the last track is Come Together, one of my favorite songs by The Beatles, and curiosity made me want to experience that track first.  Peter’s interpretation stays true to the original while spicing it up just a tad, giving it added oomph, that’s needed when you remove the vocals from a track. After giving the album a full listen, I found it to be the perfect album closer.  Its more bluesy than the rest of the album and a whole lot more funky. It leaves the listener wondering what to expect next from Peter.

What’s really amazing about this disc is the choice of songs and the age of the performer. Peter Douskalis is just twenty two, an age when you’d be thinking that an aspiring guitarist would be rocking and wailing with his instrument, but no, Peter is playing songs like My Favorite Things from The Sound Of Music.  Another interesting choice is The Girl From Ipanema. This is one of those songs that’s quietly lively. It gets your foot tapping and soon you are humming along with the soft strains of Peter’s guitar.

What I love about this CD is its ability to really draw you in. Acoustic guitar has the tendency to be relaxing and when you see the title The Dance Of The Sea,  a stunning track that is written by Peter, you know that this album is going to do just that, but it does more. Somehow Peter’s guitar reaches out and touches your soul. The music caresses you like a lover’s hand, and your troubles just seem to melt away. The title track is a particular favorite. Its got a light and airy feel to it. Its very upbeat. It gives you the sense that you should be frolicking in a field somewhere. Yes, frolicking.

When you want to take it down a notch or two there’s Whisper Not a more mellow track that has a bit of a bluesy feel to it. The two versions of  the Miles Davis classic, Blue in Green, are a must listen as well for their extreme beauty.

The Dance of The Sea is something different for the music lovers ears. Its an album of beautiful sounds some new and some familiar. Its an album to be treasured and savored and shared with other music loving friends. One listen and you’ll be entranced.  It is like a breath of fresh air.  I love this CD and I think you will too. The Dance of The Sea is a rare find an instrumental CD that keeps you coming back again and again. For that we should thank Peter. We should also thank him for creating an album that just may relieve the stresses of the workday better than any anti-depressant. So, Thank you Peter! Keep the great music coming!

Reviewed By Andrea Guy

Andrea Guy, Reviews Peter Douskalis, The Dance of The Sea

Most people who think of smooth jazz these days are going to think of Kenny G. Well, now they a new name to think of, and that’s Osaru, who has created a magnificent album of smooth jazz that will chill you out on the hottest of days and take you below zero when the temperatures are cool.

Home With The Keys is Osaru’s second album and its aptly titled too. Listen to the solo sax on these tracks. Those beautiful sounds are made with the keyboards, a breath controller and a wind controller. That’s impressive to say the least.

The songs have a very low tempo, lets take it to the bedroom type of vibe. Each track seems to speak to you in an intimate manner. I call this album an instrumental album, but there are vocals, but when the tracks use the voice its more as an instrument creating a unique sound then it is singing to a lyric particularly in songs like Pretty Lady one of the more mid-tempo tracks,  where those vocals give the song an almost tribal sound and yet later the same song closes the album with a totally different feel to it with the Slow Jam Version, which gives the song more of a romantic, turn the lights down low and snuggle closer feel.

Home is probably the track that moves me the most.  There’s something about the groove that gets the hips swaying. Its one of the lower tracks but the music really compels the body to move. Its like the music reaches out and asks you to dance and you have no choice but to accept. How could you resist? The sax solos give new meaning to the word sexy. The sax grooves on in Downtown which can best be described as a Saturday night song. I love songs that create an image in my head, and this album is full of them. When I listen to Downtown, I can see Pittsburgh on a rainy Saturday night with people hustling about to get to the theaters, clubs and bars. A song that can make you visualize, especially one without lyrics, is something spectacular. The music is telling its story and that’s a hard thing to do. Kudos to Osaru for filling an album with songs like that, as well as songs that make your body want to move.

So slip Home With The Keys into your CD player, grab a glass of wine, or better yet, a whole bottle, turn on the music, close your eyes and relax and let the music take you wherever it leads you. Osaru’s latest album is the perfect way to chill out after a long day or any day for that matter.  Home With The Keys is an album that fans of smooth jazz will be thrilled to add to their collections. Osaru has brought something special to his listeners ears and all we can do is say thank you for the beautiful music, which we’ll be playing for years to come.

Reviewed By Andrea Guy

Andrea Guy, Reviews Home With The Keys, Osaru