Monthly Archives: February 2022

Single Review: Anissa Lea – “Be My Baby”

Posted on by

Anissa Leaby Eric Harabadian, Contributing Blogger

Single Review of Anissa Lea: “Be My Baby” (E & A Music Productions)

Anissa Lea is a talented and versatile young vocalist from Detroit, Michigan. As the world knows, the city of Detroit has an esteemed reputation for producing some of the greatest rock, jazz, pop and soul music of all time. And Anissa Lea embodies all of that and then some. She possesses vocal skills and a sense of music history that extends way beyond her years. With a love for everyone from Ella Fitzgerald and Dinah Washington to Peggy Lee and Billie Holiday, she has an uncanny knack for stylistically borrowing from these musical legends while simultaneously evoking an approach that is all her own.

One artist, in particular, that really made an enormous impression on Lea early on has been the recently dear and departed Veronica “Ronnie” Spector. Spector, of course, was one of the progenitors of the “girl group” concept as frontwoman for The Ronettes. The Ronettes had a string of early ‘60s hits, including “Baby I Love You,” “(The Best Part of) Breakin’ Up,” “Walking in the Rain” and, unquestionably, one of Spector and The Ronettes’ biggest smashes “Be My Baby.” And that is the song in question here.

Anissa Lea puts her own spin on “Be My Baby” that blends a contemporary jazz-pop sensibility, with a funky spirit and groove. She’s joined on the song by some of the best side men and session artists in the biz, including Kurt Krahnke (bass), Rob Emanuel (drums), Adam Allen (guitar), Stefan Kukurugya (piano), Keith Kaminski (saxophone) and Justin Garrett Walter (trumpet).

The track sizzles with sincerity and respect to Spector’s original version. But, then, the song elevates to a surprising smooth and jazzy feel, as Lea’s dulcet Billie Holiday-meets-Peggy Lee-type phrasing thoughtfully delivers the song’s urgent message, Kaminski and Walter’s rich wall of sound envelopes your senses. The addition of Allen’s mid-song acoustic guitar solo is icing on the cake. Lea cleverly sings just a tad behind the beat, thereby not only giving the song a thoroughly fresh perspective, but adding to the danceable syncopation of the rhythm section. It’s a sweet and reverent tribute that deftly walks the line between contemporary and nostalgia.

Anissa Lea’s version of Ronnie Spector’s “Be My Baby” is now available on all streaming platforms. For more information just go to www.anissalea.com.

 

Single Review: Le Sonic feat. Robert Lee – “Any Moment”

Posted on by

by Eric Harabadian, Contributing Blogger

Single Review of Le Sonic feat. Robert Lee: “Any Moment” (Generic Records/The Orchard)

Guitarist Robert Lee Balderrama hails from Saginaw/Bay City in the “thumb area” of Michigan. It was there that he was instrumental in the launch of the seminal proto-punk/garage band Question Mark and The Mysterians in the early ‘60s. The teenage Mexican-American quintet scored a #1 hit with the organ-driven classic “96 Tears.” The song has been a staple in popular culture and on oldies radio and Sirius XM in perpetuity. And Rolling Stone magazine deemed it one of the “500 Greatest Songs of All Time”!

Le Sonic Feat. Robert Lee – Any MomentOver the years, Balderrama went on to play with Tex-Mex rocker Joe “King” Carassco and also fronted his own blues band and smooth jazz ensemble. Over the last decade or so Balderrama has partnered with Mysterians’ keyboardist Frank Rodriguez and has concentrated on the jazzy side of things. Under the moniker “Robert Lee Revue” he’s released two albums: For the Love of Smooth Jazz and City of Smooth Jazz. One of his compositions “Happy and Go Lucky” reached Top 30 on the Billboard Smooth Jazz Chart.

Currently, Balderrama has formed an alliance with multi-faceted songwriters/producers Mike Rogers and Gary Lefkowith. The duo call themselves Le Sonic and have created a legitimate modern jazz hit with the video and audio single “Any Moment.” The tune is based on a fairly simple two chord vamp that is hypnotic and seductive. Balderrama is a student of Wes Montgomery, George Benson, and Carlos Santana, and he weaves the essential melodic elements of said mentors into his silky smooth guitar lines. Rodriguez lays down a billowy bed of velvety piano tones that are the foundation of the tune. Topping things off are vocalist Dennis Collins and trumpeter Jim Hynes. Collins, who sings the ethereal song title’s refrain, has worked with Roberta Flack, David Bowie, Billy Joel, Al Green, George Benson and Bob Dylan. And Hynes can be heard on themes for Masterpiece Theater, CBS This Morning, NBC Sunday Night Football, and CBS Evening News.

“Any Moment” is vying for #1 spot on the various music industry charts, including Billboard, Media Base Smooth Jazz and Smooth Jazz Network.com . For more information on Robert Lee Balderrama just go to www.facebook.com/robertleerevue.