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11/25/2023 Joyann Parker (from the album Roots
Joyann Parker (from the album Roots on Hopeless Romantica Records) (by Lee Zimmerman)
Looking at the idyllic image on the front cover and the beaming face on the back cover and inside sleeve, one would hardly guess those images belong to a decidedly demonstrative Bluesy belter. Yet, Joyann Parker is that and more. Her new album, Roots, is a powerful example of verve, variety, and virtuosity, courtesy of a multi-faceted artist who’s seemingly unafraid to cross stylistic boundaries and offer a series of powerful performances that incorporate her singing and songwriting skills within the expanse of its 13 original songs Helmed by Kevin Bowe, the man behind the boards for such artists as Bruce Springsteen, Lucinda Williams, Etta James, Jonny Lang, and Kenny Wayne Shepherd, among the many, every one of these tracks makes a powerful impression, from the tangled acoustic trappings of “Miss Evangeline” and the sultry sounding “Forsaken,” to heartbreaking ballad “Going Under”, the Gospel-like tenacity of “Wash It Away” and the soulful sheen of “Closing Someone Else’s Blinds” and “Old Flame”. There are other shifts in style and sound as well — the brassy, reggae-inflected “Juxtaposition”, the down-home country-ish noir of “Sconnie Girl”, and the samba sounding “Ain’t Got Now Time to Cry”. In between, she returns to her base in the Blues, courtesy of such songs such as “Stay Home Mama” and the title track in particular, the latter of which effectively expresses her intents. “I put my roots down, down in the ground / Dig ’em deep and make ’em sound”. Joyann Parker is clearly comfortable doing just that, and the fact that her career is still in its relative infancy is all the more reason to be wholly impressed. A classically trained pianist, she’s clearly come into her own, obviously eager to explore her full potential while taking her listeners along for the journey. Naturally, the title says it all, but this is far more than a perfunctory performance that simply states its goals. Roots digs deep, and the riches that result make the task decidedly worthwhile. (by Lee Zimmerman) Listen and buy the music of Joyann Parker from AMAZON For more information, please visit the Joyann Parker website The Blog Tags widget will appear here on the published site.
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