Search - Janis Siegel :: Thousand Beautiful Things

Blissfully Sublime!

Christine Rowe | Danville, IL | 04/06/2006

(5 out of 5 stars)

"I haven't taken the time to count a thousand beautiful things but there are certainly 12 on this, Janis Siegel's 9th solo release. As usual, she takes her fans on an unforgettable ride, away from the banality of everyday life. Looking to kick back and relax? Then put this album on, fix yourself a margarita, and put your feet up.

Miss Siegel decided to take a ride on the Latin express for this album and it brings a joyous feel to the overall tone of the music. I can't help but smile as I listen to it. To be fair, I won't give her all the credit. The producer, Brian Bacchus, and all the musicians pull all the pieces together into one beautiful, exquisite sculpture. Miss Siegel generously shares the spotlight with her fellow musicians, allowing their talents to shine on many of the songs. The beauty of Edmar Casteneda's Columbian harp adds an elegance and grace to every song he plays on, and Marlon Saunders backing vocals glide in as smoothly as silk.

I love all the songs on the album, but the standout for me is "Did You See the Moon Tonight?". Its gentle sadness will bring a quiet ache to the heart of anyone who's ever loved and lost. I heard Miss Siegel sing this song last October while she was touring with The Manhattan Transfer. It was the week after my mother had passed away, and the sentiment of the song fit appropriately with what I was feeling at the time. It still does.

Amazingly, Janis Siegel just continues to get better. She's lovelier now than years past, her talents are deeper, her voice more mature and expressive. I'm grateful that she continues to share all these with the rest of the world. I recommend "A Thousand Beautiful Things" to anyone who wants to smile."

! Muy Bonita, Senora Siegel!

Rick Cornell | Reno, Nv USA | 04/12/2006

(5 out of 5 stars)

"In her last five solo releases, starting with "The Tender Trap", Janis Siegel has well proven that she is just more than a part of the world's most eclectic singing group, The Manhattan Transfer. In her own right, she has developed into a world-class jazz singer, and truly one of the most versatile singers in the world.



In this album, Ms. Siegel adopts a clearly Latin groove in all but possibly the most effective cut, or the last one, "Did You See the Moon Tonight", a stunning voice-piano duet with Edsel Gomez.



But this is not 12 Americanized "Oye Como Vas." Rather, this is contemporary pop, by and large, penned by such artists as Nellie McKay, Stevie Wonder, Annie Lennox (the title track), Suzanne Vega ("Caramel", probably the most familiar of all of the selections), Paul Simon ("Love", with a chorus that sounds like the back-up to "Suppertime" from "Little Shop of Horrors"), Bjork, Lizz Wright/Danilo Perez and Fred Hersch/Norma Winstone.



The end result is, to emphasize what the review below stated, sublime. Mr. Gomez stretches out and truly sounds like a jazz pianist; and I enjoyed the emphasis in 5 of the cuts on the Columbian harp (which sounds an awful lot like a zither), played by Edmar Casteneda. And when it cooks, it really cooks.



But the album is truly Ms. Siegel's. Her voice has gotten richer and deeper over the years, and she sings such songs as "I Can't Help It" and the title track as soulfully as any "soul singer" around.



More importantly, every one of her last five albums is completely different from the others; yet every one is done really well. My personal favorite is "I Wish You Love"; but this is #2 and, really, you can't go wrong with any one of them. It's a testament to how gifted she really is. For all the recognition Janis Siegel has received, it isn't enough. RC"