With
her innovative blend of folk, rock and country styles,
singer/songwriter Jennifer Berezan has nurtured a loyal international
following for her songs of profound depth that tackle contemporary
issues with insight and striking melodies. Check out Jennifer's new
album:
Photos:Irene Young
excerpt from
FAME Review
written for the "Folk & Acoustic Music Exchange"
by Roberta B.Schwartz
Jennifer
Berezan occupies a space and a talent all her own. Sounding like no one
else, her beautifully expressive alto possesses a higher register that
takes us deep inside those secret places where pain and heartache, as
well as great joy and love dwell side by side.
Refuge is the work of a mature artist at her best. Dipping into folk,
pop, blues and a bit of country, Berezan blends these sounds into her
own special mix. Whether exploring the uncertainties of love, or the
physical terrain of the Canadian prairies, Berezan's stunning vocals,
skilled guitar work and poetic lyrics are sure to move us.
The opening cut, Refuge, is a fitting introduction to Berezan's work. A
tribute to the places we go to find security and comfort, Berezan
describes
Walking
home under Northern lights
You could see clear cross the world to the other side
The snow fell so still like music to the ground
And I'd take refuge in that holy sound.
Crazy
Saints tells the story of a woman gone mad who lives in a mythical world
of her own making. Its lovely, haunting melody is backed by superb work
on both acoustic guitar and drums. Berezan pays tribute to the place she
grew up in the gentle, lulling country-folk song, Alberta Moon. Nina
Gerber provides articulate guitar accompaniment with Chris Webster and
Anthony J. Costello on fine backing vocals.
Evie, the recording's best cut, is a stunningly beautiful love song
about a young woman's love for another. It is a perfect vehicle for
Berezan's passionate vocals and expressive lyrics:
I
know a place that we can run to
I read about it it's far away
Somewhere a world that we belong to
Evie what do you say?
The
upbeat Home to You fuses elements of blues, pop and folk into a
delightful mix of acoustic guitars, dobro and percussion. Home is the
songwriter's refuge, with the lover who waits for her there. The power
and insecurity of love is the territory that Berezan knows best. Whether
You Go, featuring delicate guitar work and an understated cello by Jami
Sieber, details the emotions of a love that is hard to hold onto. The
Woman I Am asks the question "can love survive the storms that life
occasionally throws in its way?" Whatever the outcome, with a voice
as lovely as Berezan's we are sure to be listening.
Another of the recording's most memorable songs, If I Can't Dance is an
uplifting, celebratory romp which addresses joy in the face of any kind
of pain or sorrow.
Life is a cup of water
from which we're all drinking
And whether it's half full or empty
depends on your thinking
Cause beauty and terror are racing wherever you go
But if I can't dance
I don't want to be part of that show.
A
wonderful instrumental gig at the bridge, and the perfect backing vocals
of Anthony J. Costello and Chris Webster once again make this tune
special. Closing the recording is a bluesy number, Call It the Blue Sky,
which recalls a loved one who is away and deeply missed. This is Berezan
at her wonderfully expressive best, and a fitting close to a beautiful
collection of songs.
Production by Anthony J. Costello and Jennifer Berezan herself is right
on target. The musical accompaniment and backing vocals provide the best
possible backdrop for both Berezan's expressive vocals and skill on
acoustic guitar. Jennifer Berezan is the perfect chanteuse to love by,
to listen to, and to be moved by. It's all there for the listening: the
gorgeous alto, the poetic lyrics and the wonderful guitar work. Take a
few moments and fall in love.
In
January 1999, Jennifer made a pilgrimage to the island of Malta to the
Hypogeum. The Hypogeum is an underground Neolithic temple which has been
closed to the public for many years;however, Jennifer obtained
permission to record inside the temple. Her experience inside was truly
amazing.Here is what Jennifer has to say about it:
I'm
back from my trip to Malta and recording in the Hypogeum. It was more
incredible than I had ever imagined. We were given permission to spend
three days alone in that amazing 6000 year old underground temple. Each
day we worked
together to haul in and set up the equipment and at the end of the day
removed it again. We set up the microphones in the oracle chamber and
sang beneath a ceiling of red ochre spirals.
We sang into a chamber hued out of the rock in one of the walls in the
oracle room and the sound was the purist and richest acoustics I've ever
eperienced. I've sung in cathedrals including St. James Picadilly(a
Christopher Wren church in London) but this was by far the most powerful
and sacred place I have ever sang. My friend and engineer Don
Benedictson did a brilliant job of recording these tones in all their
purity and in listening to the tapes since returning home it really does
feel that the presence of that place translated into our recording.
There was a constant dripping of water there that also ended up on our
tapes and though at the time I was concerned about this, having returned
home it feels like an integral part of the music we created there and
helps transmit the actual experience of being in those chambers.
There were many moments during the sessions that I felt moved beyond
words and I felt immense gratitude for having the opportunity to be
there. The power of the Hypogeum to heal and transform felt very alive
even in these modern times. I experienced the energy there as a profound
kindness that opened my heart and flooded me with a sense of being held,
loved, forgiven, empowered. I left with a joyful heart and a feeling of
deep longing for what I know we have lost in this modern culture. Though
I have begun my daily rounds of errands and activities, there are
moments throughout the day and in my dreams when I feel the spirals,
lovingly carved ceilings and beautiful stone doorways still singing
inside me. I know that we all took something deeply personal and ancient
from that holy place.
Visit Jennifer's site to learn more about her and her work and buy CD's.
Edge of Wonder
