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I'm always on the lookout for interesting new music, but it's not very often I find an accomplished artist with as deep a repetoire as Jonatha Brooke, that somehow I've never stumbled across.
A friend from Missouri out here on business brought one of her early CD's "Grace in Gravity" last month, when she was in the band "The Story" and while I didn't quite wear it out that weekend, I did eventually find her web site and order several more. Now she's a solo artist, and also writing music for films (more on this to come).
Jonatha Brooke
What's she like? Well, I really wouldn't want to buttonhole her, but let me say that if you like Sarah MacLachlan, or Suzanne Vega, you'll probably really, really like Jonatha. Her extensive jazz and rock influences make her music more complex in structure than many other artists, and more varied in the techniques she uses to achieve varied emotional moods.
If you want to start off easy, I'd suggest "Plumb", released in 1995 on GRP records, and available on her web site. A very nice all around album, with excellent sonics.
In the "Story", she was partnered with Jennifer Kimball on vocals, and I really like the way their voices work together, expecially on some of the acapella cuts at the end of "Grace in Gravity".
DVD AUDIO ALERT!
For those of you looking for something to try out in the DVD-Audio arena, her most recent release, "Steady Pull", besides being out on CD, is also available in a DVD-V/DVD-A combo disk, with an 88.2kHz surround mix, and a 176kHz 24bit stereo mix! There are very few high bit rate DVD-A disks out, so I think this a bit special.
What's really surprising is that she made this DVD/CD combo herself with out any kind of record label backup!! The quality is first rate with a very clean, professional sound which, if you didn't know that this is an indie label, you would think you were listening to someone with a huge budget and a major label behind her.
Now if only there was a DVD-A player that I'd want to play it on... most of the existing hardware released, aside from the Pioneer AX10, is distinctly low res/low rent.
Earlier I mentioned film. In the new sequel to Peter Pan, "Return to Neverland", she sings "The Second Star to the Right" from the original, and wrote a song called "I'll Try" that appears twice in the movie and also as part of the end credits.
So, if you're getting a little tired of the same old stuff that the established record companies are putting out these days, try something a little fresher and more real- give Jonatha a try.
Best regards,
Jon
Earth First!
_______________________________
We'll screw up the other planets later....
A friend from Missouri out here on business brought one of her early CD's "Grace in Gravity" last month, when she was in the band "The Story" and while I didn't quite wear it out that weekend, I did eventually find her web site and order several more. Now she's a solo artist, and also writing music for films (more on this to come).
Jonatha Brooke
What's she like? Well, I really wouldn't want to buttonhole her, but let me say that if you like Sarah MacLachlan, or Suzanne Vega, you'll probably really, really like Jonatha. Her extensive jazz and rock influences make her music more complex in structure than many other artists, and more varied in the techniques she uses to achieve varied emotional moods.
If you want to start off easy, I'd suggest "Plumb", released in 1995 on GRP records, and available on her web site. A very nice all around album, with excellent sonics.
In the "Story", she was partnered with Jennifer Kimball on vocals, and I really like the way their voices work together, expecially on some of the acapella cuts at the end of "Grace in Gravity".
DVD AUDIO ALERT!
For those of you looking for something to try out in the DVD-Audio arena, her most recent release, "Steady Pull", besides being out on CD, is also available in a DVD-V/DVD-A combo disk, with an 88.2kHz surround mix, and a 176kHz 24bit stereo mix! There are very few high bit rate DVD-A disks out, so I think this a bit special.
What's really surprising is that she made this DVD/CD combo herself with out any kind of record label backup!! The quality is first rate with a very clean, professional sound which, if you didn't know that this is an indie label, you would think you were listening to someone with a huge budget and a major label behind her.
Now if only there was a DVD-A player that I'd want to play it on... most of the existing hardware released, aside from the Pioneer AX10, is distinctly low res/low rent.
Earlier I mentioned film. In the new sequel to Peter Pan, "Return to Neverland", she sings "The Second Star to the Right" from the original, and wrote a song called "I'll Try" that appears twice in the movie and also as part of the end credits.
So, if you're getting a little tired of the same old stuff that the established record companies are putting out these days, try something a little fresher and more real- give Jonatha a try.
Best regards,
Jon
Earth First!
_______________________________
We'll screw up the other planets later....
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