Songbook Volume 2
Imagine, if you will, walking into a tiny music club in West London and suddenly your ears perk up like a meerkat and you ask the server who IS that? That’s Adele Adkins but she prefers going by just Adele is the hasty response. In another time and space while waiting for the train you are serenaded by a pale red-headed chap who is so mesmerizing you almost miss your train. And lastly but certainly not least, a young beautiful black girl almost blows the roof off the New Hope Baptist Church in her mother’s choir with a voice gifted from the heavens. Talent abounds like Adele, Ed and Whitney, and we are fortunate to discover hidden gems in a myriad of ways.
Marla Lewis has been writing, performing and recording for many years and has garnered numerous well-earned awards, but still manages to fly under the mainstream musical radar. Her new EP album, Songbook Volume 2 is making waves, and as a thrilling follow-up to her first smooth jazz release, Songbook, she extends the love fest with her favorite sounds. Zooming in for a closer look, the EP is bookended by Enchantee co-written with Laura Baron. Love is in the air. Excitement and anticipation are rendered in the lovely lyric, “…you touch me, and the stars come out to play.” Each song creates a unique character as is the inviting and accommodating femme-not-so-fatale on Viens Chez Moi Ce Soir (Come to My House Tonight). “We can take in the sunrise,” wait, what, ok. This is Only a Test is from the perspective of that limited time before show time but certainly has elements of speed dating (I might be a tad overreaching). Claudette’s Song is the historically sound true story of young Claudette Colvin who was arrested in Montgomery, Alabama for not relinquishing her bus seat. Do you Jump at the Chance for new adventures and excitement? Well, I think you just might after this toe-tapping rendition. We close with a radio cut of the opening song and you are left to bathe in an aural bath of terrific lyrics, stories and music. Producer Bob Stander returns to lead a band of super musicians that has the intimacy of a house band. Marla’s smooth honey vocals ride majestically on the tracks in perfect synchronicity. Hopefully I have whet your appetite to visit www.marlalewis.com, listen to the tracks and take some of this delightful ear candy home for continued gentle revelries. Enchantee!
Reviewed by John Wood
Meet Johnny on the Spot
John Wood is a singer/songwriter, guitarist, and producer who created the Theater Arts Festival For Youth, TAFFY, a popular outdoor family festival that ran for 10 years in Agoura, CA. He is West Coast Producer of the nonprofit organization TAFFY Presents that brings entertainment to children in hospitals, schools and more. He has performed over 8,000 traveling theater and music shows from schools and theaters to the Hollywood Bowl with his group J.P. Nightingale. He has written, produced and performed numerous songs as well as character voices for East Coast jingles. In addition, he is a national children’s music reviewer for his own site Kidzmusic.com and KidsFirst.org, and was the music judge for 14 years for NAPPA, a national children’s music award contest. John was born in England and is still a British citizen in case the Vietnam War breaks out again. He is owned by three cats named Shadow, Finnegan and Archie!
You can find his Johnny on the Spot podcasts on YouTube.
