Jana Mashonee: New Moon Born CD review
New Moon Born is Jana Mashonee’s first venture into the mainstream music scene, and it’s a pretty good one.
With this album, she explores new directions in her music by incorporating blues, soul, and world music into the new tunes. The Native American singer provides all the vocals and piano, and serves as co-producer of New Moon Born.
For the most part, all the songs on this album are varied and worth a listen. The lyrics possess honesty and passion. New Moon Born is comprised of a whopping 16 songs. However, a tighter set of 10-12 songs might have worked better, because the album gets off to a bit of a slow start. Also, a great deal seems to be synthesized, which weakens some of the album’s potential.
The album really takes off and shows its strength at song number five, the funky “Miracle.” It’s high-spirited, playful, and has fun lyrics involving unicorns and new moons. The meat of the album is right in the middle, with songs like “Never Fall” and “Just One Night,” a romantic ballad about new beginnings. The album closer, or bonus track, “Una Noche” is the Spanish version of this song. The upbeat songs that stand out here are “Take Me Back,” “Chameleon,” and “Carousel,” a very inspiring and soulful composition.
Jana Mashonee sings her heart out on New Moon Born and her passion for music really shines through. Her voice is soothing and powerful. Mashonee is a talented composer and singer, and bound for a successful career.
Mashonee earned a Grammy nomination for her 2006 concept album, American Indian Story, and has won seven Native American Music Awards, including one for The Enlightened Time video. It’s fantastic! View it below.
Quincy Jones
Quincy Delight Jones, Jr. was born on March 14, 1933. He is a man of many talents and accomplishments – music conductor, record producer, arranger, film score composer, and trumpeter.
He has been active for more than five decades in the entertainment industry and Jones has earned 27 Grammy Awards and the Grammy Legend Award in 1991. He’s worked with such legends as Dizzy Gillespie, Frank Sinatra, Sammy Davis, Jr., and Dean Martin. He worked closely and was good friends with Sinatra. Their last project together was 1984’s “L.A. Is My Lady.” He produced Michael Jackson’s album Thriller and “We Are the World,” and the film The Color Purple.
Happy Birthday, Q!
For more on Quincy’s contributions to the music industry visit: http://www.quincyjonesmusic.com
Elvis: Readers’ Comments
Earlier this week, I requested that my readers send me their thoughts on Elvis: favorite songs, movies, memories, and/or overall impressions. And here they are:
I remember singing “Hound Dog” from the hearth of my fireplace (that was my stage) and listening to my dad’s records. My all-time favorite Elvis song is “It’s Now or Never.” My family was very connected to Elvis because my father loved him. For a few reasons: Elvis was very spiritual, had a good heart and was generous, and was Southern. My dad also grew up listening to the gospel singers that Elvis always had singing backup: Jake Hess (The Imperials), The Jordanaires, The Jubilee Four, and probably the biggest name in southern gospel music: JD Sumner and the Stamps. I remember listening to JD Sumner and the Stamps way before Elvis. I think a lot of people probably don’t even know Elvis had so many gospel singers singing with him. Lastly, I have probably listened to Elvis’s gospel music more than his mainstream music. By the way, the only 3 Grammy Awards he won were for his gospel music.
-Jeremy L. Beck (singer, songwriter, multi-instrumentalist, and producer)
I am not a huge Elvis fan, but I have to acknowledge him as a great performer in American popular music. Besides the fact that he was very attractive, charismatic onstage, and had an amazing voice, I think he was a very interesting person, too, and people responded to that. Not everyone knows that he had a very diverse ethnic background, including some Native American heritage, and I think that helps to make him an American icon. My favorite periods for Elvis are the very beginning of his career (before he went into the army, and then did all those movies) and later during his resurgence in the late sixties. I like some of his lesser known songs, such as his cover of the old Hank Snow country song, ” A Fool Such as I” and “Love Me.” From the later period I like “A Little Less Conversation” ” In the Ghetto,” and “Suspicious Minds.”
-Sue Bachner (singer/songwriter of Ether Park)
Elvis’ profound mark on popular music was, by most accounts, a happy accident. He was not a songwriter, and did not aspire to be an innovator. He was a kid who wanted a record deal. The result of Sun Records’ discovery was nothing less than the gift of “black music” – and essentially rock’n’roll – to the rest of the country. Elvis was the messenger – an interpreter of music considered taboo by white America. Once the secret of this sonic groove and soul was out, it could not be stopped, and it changed the world.
-Doug Hinrichs (percussionist)
I cannot remember when my fascination with Elvis began, but I have always loved him. His voice is like velvet and of course, he was easy on the eyes! Even today, I still wrap my Christmas gifts while listening to Elvis’ Christmas album….I can’t do it any other way! Below, are my top ten Elvis songs and movies.
-Claudia Gomez-Pina
Top 10 Elvis Songs: (in no specific order, although #1 is my favorite)
1. Kentucky Rain
2. Always on my Mind
3. Suspicious Minds
4. In the Ghetto
5. Can’t Help Falling in Love
6. It’s Now or Never
7. If Everyday was like Christmas
8. If I Can Dream
9. A Little Less Conversation
10. That’s All Right
These last 2 were hard for me to let go of…
Blue Christmas
The Wonder of You
Top 10 Movies:
1. Jailhouse Rock
2. Paradise Hawaiian Style
3. G.I. Blues
4. Blue Hawaii
5. Viva Las Vegas
6. Fun in Acapulco
7. Frankie and Johnny
8. It Happened at the World’s Fair
9. King Creole
10. Clambake
Rumours
On this day in 1977, the No. 1 Billboard Pop Hit was Dreams. The band was Fleetwood Mac. And the album was Rumours. Rumours topped the charts for about 30 weeks, and won the Grammy for Album of the Year. It’s made it to Rolling Stone magazine and VH1’s Top Albums lists, among others.
Fleetwood Mac is comprised of the founder, Mick Fleetwood, Stevie Nicks, Lindsey Buckingham, Christine McVie, and John McVie. The lead vocals often depended upon who wrote the song; and for the most part, it was Stevie, Christine, or Lindsey.
Below is the track list as it appeared on the original vinyl version of Rumours, along with who sang each tune. Click on song titles for videos or performances. My favorite tunes off Rumors are Second Hand News, Never Going Back Again, and The Chain.
Side One
1. Second Hand News (Buckingham)
2. Dreams (Nicks)
3. Never Going Back Again (Buckingham)
4. Don’t Stop (C. McVie)
5. Go Your Own Way (Buckingham)
6. Songbird (C. McVie)
Side Two
1. The Chain (Nicks, Buckingham, C. McVie, John McVie, Mick Fleetwood)
2. You Make Loving Fun (C. McVie)
3. I Don’t Want to Know (Nicks)
4. Oh Daddy (C. McVie)
5. Gold Dust Woman (Nicks)
Vince Gill
Vince Gill, a member of the Country Music Hall of Fame and recipient of 18 CMA Awards, came on the national scene with the country rock band Pure Prairie League in 1979. Gill sang lead on the hit Let Me Love You Tonight. Gill went solo in 1983 with some success. In 1989, he joined MCA Records and recorded his breakthrough song When I Call Your Name. Since then, Gill has been a force in country music.
Vince’s velvety voice isn’t his only talent. He is a marvelous guitarist, and also plays banjo, bass, mandolin, and the fiddle. Gill has transcended genres by singing duets with leading ladies from country, pop, rock, and R&B, including Dolly Parton (I Will Always Love You), Reba McEntire (Oklahoma Swing, The Heart Won’t Lie, It Just Has to Be That Way, These Broken Hearts), Faith Hill (Let Me Let Go), Barbra Streisand (If You Ever Leave Me), Gladys Knight (Ain’t Nothing Like The Real Thing), and Amy Grant (House of Love).
In 2006, Gill released the Grammy Award winning-album These Days, a groundbreaking, four-CD set featuring more than 40 new recordings. Each album in the set explores a different musical mood – traditional country; ballads; contemporary, up-tempo; and acoustic/bluegrass music. The set features guest performers including Sheryl Crow, Phil Everly, daughter Jenny Gill, wife Amy Grant, Emmylou Harris, Diana Krall, Michael McDonald, Bonnie Raitt, Leann Rimes, Lee Ann Womack, Trisha Yearwood and more.
Check out some of Vince’s performances below:
House of Love
Happy 2008!
I hope you enjoyed the year in review posts this week. New music and new features will make their way to Adeli’s Music Blog, so please join me in 2008.
Thanks for reading!
Coming soon:
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Featured Year in Music
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