Thursday, November 20, 2014

Jane St. Clair Is A Promising Up And Comer

By Ida Dorsey


There are a few good female vocalists that you will enjoy discovering online. Jane St. Clair is a musician whose albums include the 2007 release "Stories". She writes the melodies and lyrics to her own songs as well as singing and playing the acoustic guitar on these tracks. Her records are available through CD Baby, Inc, the online music store that specializes in the retail of compositions by independent artists.

Jane is based in California, USA. The tunes she fashions are a fusion of atmospherics and lyricism, fabricating a sound which should appeal to people who enjoy adult contemporary rock, jazz and jazz-pop. Anyone who likes the musical styles of Diana Krall, Steely Dan or Feist could well appreciate this gifted artist too.

Influences that are demonstrated in this young woman's work embrace Burt Bacharach, James Taylor and Sting. Jane has moreover been believed to pay homage to people such as Stevie Wonder, Joni Mitchell and Carole King. The words reflect an enthusiasm for poetry and story-telling in the style of Carlos Jobim, Tom Waits and Todd Rundgren.

A personal history starting with instruction in writing by the UNC - CH (University of N. Carolina) is clearly identifiable in the prominence of language palpable in Jane's music. Subsequent to Chapel Hill, Jane continued her studies in Boston, learning composition at Berklee College of Music. She expanded her musical knowledge at CalArts, taking advantage of the teachings of tutors including David Roitstein, James Newton, Paul Novros and Jon Bergamo.

There are many outstanding collaborators to "Stories", notably Ken Lasaine who helped to compose the emotional "Shower Into Gray" (a song devoted to those killed in the tragic events of 9/11), but also plays electric and classic guitar and the E-Bow. Other celebrated contributors on this album include Paul Litteral on horns and trumpet, Alan Pasqua on the keyboards, Danny Frankel on percussion and drums, Nedra Wheeler on the upright bass and Michael Manning on fretless bass. These instrumentalists have recorded and toured with top names with the status of Ray Charles, Bob Dylan, James Brown, Santana, kd lang and the B-52s.

Reviewers of "Stories" refer to the passionate efficiency, graceful smoothness of voice and lilting vocals. People talk of the songs as being poetry set to music. Originality and uniqueness are features often attributed to St. Clair's material. The overall package delivers a well-defined, distinctive quality which stirs the soul.

Distinctiveness is enhanced by the work of Dan Garcia who engineered and mixed the album as well as adding final vocals, additional guitar, percussion and trumpet. Jane's deep grounding in musical and prose education has allowed her to produce heartfelt ballads that combine jazz influences, Brazilian grooves, intuitive instrumentation and clever turns of phrase. Adding a supple, endearing and evocative voice to these elements is a definite recipe for success.

Whether you want to find the soulful music she creates, or many other genres from World music to Avant Garde, CD Baby is an excellent source. Recordings start from only $5 and one can also acquire vinyl here. Many aspiring bands and up-and-coming artists start out by marketing their material on the web.




About the Author:



No comments:

Post a Comment