COVER -> POWERSSOUND
Bob Powers Girl singers have it rough. Sometimes the quality of the voice becomes less important than how she'll look on the cover of the album. Unfair? Absolutely. Sexist? No question. But as someone once said, very little in life can be counted as fair.
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Just on the cover of her album, Joanna de Seyne more than succeeds in guaranteeing that browsers in the local record emporium will stop dead still when their eyes focus on de Seyne's first album. If such browsers happen to be male, the odds go way, way up.
A blonde with hair parted in the middle, de Seyne is not just your average pretty girl. Her eyes are deep enough to drown anyone who's unprepared. Her nose shows strength, her lips act like a magnet.
As you no doubt have figured out, this columnist is quite impressed with Joanna de Seyne, even before placing the CD on the turntable. The sound that dances out of my speakers combines charm, mystery, and warmth. All of the songs on the debut CD, "Picture This," (NetherWorld/Allegro) were written by de Seyne and various co-writers.
The overall theme of "Picture This" is lost love. In the first song, "Nothing Left of Me (Picture This)," she sings this chorus, "I've been waiting here since two/And there's still no sign of you/And as far as I can see there's nothing left of me/And I'm walking out that door/And I'm crawling on the floor/And as far as I can see there's nothing left of me." The song deals with her first return to the apartment that she had shared with her ex-husband. She was shocked to see that every trace of her has been banished.
With a voice that portrays emotions in an up-front, this is me, like it or not demeanor. As she sings in "State," "In this state/In this state of mine/I just need some time/To close my mind/To get me out of here."
Although much of the album deals with lost love, disappointment and emotional disappointments, "Picture This" is not a downer. Because de Seyne sings with such feeling and emotion, she will more than likely cause listeners to empathize with her woes, and look for that bright morning sun climbing over the horizon.
My only quibble with the album that that on occasion the accompaniment seems to be working against de Seynes extremely winsome voice. For the most part, the band plays in a minimalist way, but once or twice the musicians (usually guitars, bass, synthesizers, drums) seem to be slightly at odds with de Seyne.
According to publicity notes, de Seyne's family has a long history in the music industry. Her great uncles founded Decca Records. Her grandfather bought the rights to "I Left My Heart in San Francisco" before Tony Bennett made it famous. Her father, Richard Kapp, is a conductor who operates the successful independent classical label, ESS.A.Y. Recordings. And her mother is a former opera singer.
"Picture This" is one of those albums that grows in depth and interest with every playing. It's a CD that will stay at hand in this household for a long time to come.
Good-bye, Tito
The death on May 31 of Latin bandleader and master percussionist Tito Puente came as a shock. Puente's playing of timbales was spectacular and innovative. Seeing Puente in action was to expect this undeniable bundle of energy to stay around on Mother Earth forever. He was a great musician and a wonderful entertainer.I was lucky enough to see him perform in Columbus, Ohio, a few summers ago. It was one of the most entertaining shows I've ever seen. Puente was in fine form, acting upset with the audience, who hadn't acted sufficiently enthused until he played his song, "Oye Como Va," which had been a hit for Carlos Santana. Puente had been quoted that everytime Santana played the song, "I get a nice royalty check."
A brilliant musician, playful stage presence and seemingly indestructible, Tito Puente will be missed.
