MP3 leap - POP: Folky Pop

If the Beatles met Sheryl Triumph this would be their love-child. Earnest reasoning lyrics and glutinous melodies by this hit songwriter slip-slide over shimmering, guitar-kissed bandscapes. Alex Forbes is also a recognised songwriting train in NYC.

12 MP3 Songs
POP: Folky Pop, ROCK: Acoustic

leap Songs


Details:
Seashell Sky presents "leap," by singer/songwriter ALEX FORBES, the follow-up to "Just Floating Around..." , which Billboard Magazine calls a "promising debut" and a "sterling album" featuring "inspired... folk/pop gems."

Capturing the intense energy and intimacy of her acclaimed live performances, "leap" takes listeners on a roller-coaster ride of instantly hummable melodies, insightful lyrics, and guitar-laced sonic textures. Alex's distinctive vocal stylings and uplifting lyrics shine through a soulful blend of pop, rock, and folk accompaniments.
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HIT SONGWRITER ALEX FORBES:
Marrying Lyrics to Melodies
And Mentoring the Next Generation of Talent

Prominent New York hit-writer and performer Alex Forbes is creating as fast as she can, recording songs for several high-profile artists and film projects while simultaneously gathering material for her third solo album. A prolific lyricist and an expert in crafting catchy, heartfelt tunes, Alex has been in constant demand as a songwriter since 1985.

In between writing assignments, Alex finds time to nurture the careers of numerous up-and-coming songwriters, training them in groups and one-on-one sessions as they strive to create their own three-minute masterpieces. The highlights of her warm, supportive approach are detailed on the website www.CreativeSongwriter.com.

With over 65 songs released and a long streak of successes on Billboard's Pop, Dance, Adult Contemporary, and International charts, Alex exudes wisdom and passion when speaking about the rewards of engaging in the creative process. She has been a featured panelist at events sponsored by ASCAP, The Recording Academy, The Connecticut Songwriters Association, and BMI/Add Joy to Learning. She has taught at the National Academy of Popular Music, and currently teaches a course at the Gotham Writers Workshop. Many of her students and clients have gone on to great success as writers, producers and performers.

EARLY INSPIRATION

Alex came of age in the leafy New York suburb of Briarcliff Manor, back when the Beatles, Aretha Franklin, Carole King, Jimi Hendrix, and Joni Mitchell shared airtime on Top 40 radio. After years of playing guitar and singing, she wrote her first song in 1977 and immediately knew she'd found her path in life.

Armed with a Creative Writing degree from Stanford University, Alex moved to Manhattan to pursue songwriting full-time, diving head-first into the city's thriving community of writers, performers, musicians, and music industry folks. Having heard that one's success in the music business often depends on "who you know, " she took classes, joined organizations, played gigs, and, most important, developed lasting relationships with kindred musical souls.

In 1985, Alex and four fellow writers founded Song Party, a bi-weekly forum for new material that ran for four years. Many of New York's most successful songwriters, including Shelly Peiken, Eric Beall, Andy Marvel, Jeff Franzel, Nina Ossoff, and Jane Kelly Williams, attended these critiquing sessions, and their talents cross-pollinated wildly.

Alex was also generously mentored by the late great Doc Pomus, lyricist for numerous Elvis Presley songs including "Viva Las Vegas," and "Little Sister," as well as "This Magic Moment" and "Save the Last Dance For Me."

GOING PRO

Alex's first hit was the now-classic dance song "Too Turned On," performed by Alisha (Billboard #6 Dance) - a surprise considering she'd always leaned more towards guitar-driven pop/rock and had never written a dance song before. This success led to a string of groove-oriented cuts, culminating in the #2 Pop song "Don't Rush Me," performed by Taylor Dayne. Taylor was nominated for a Best New Artist Grammy that year, and Alex and her collaborator Jeff Franzel received ASCAP Pop Awards.

Since 1985 Alex has had dozens of songs, many of them singles, released in the US and overseas by artists including Rockell ("In a Dream"), Jaco Pastorius, Appolonia, Martha Wash, Noel, George LaMond and Hiram Bullock. Her tunes have appeared on albums, on TV, and in feature films, including one song she co-wrote with Cyndi Lauper for Cyndi's film "Off and Running." Many songs have charted in the US, and others have been hits in France, the UK, Australia and Japan. Stylistically, Alex's material is all over the map: Pop, Dance, Jazz, R&B/Pop, Latin, New Age, and Rock, often thanks to the wide-ranging talents of her collaborators.

A turning point came in 1993, when TV teen heartthrob Joey Lawrence's version of "Nothin' My Love Can't Fix" reached #19 on Billboard's Pop chart. Alex began to wonder if there wasn't more to life than writing for 15-year-olds.

SOLO ALBUMS

All along, Alex continued to write and perform her more personal, guitar-oriented rock/pop. Veteran rock producer Tony Visconti (David Bowie, T. Rex, Moody Blues) heard several songs and was inspired to co-write and produce her debut album.

Alex followed this up with the self-produced "leap" a few years ago, released on her own label, Seashell Sky. In support of both albums, she ventured out on three well-received Troubadour-to-Door Tours in the US and Europe, playing clubs, pubs, and house concerts.

COACHING AND RECENT RELEASES

Alex's recent releases include "Big Love," a top 5 single in Denmark performed by rock artist Marie Frank, "Sure" (Gomi, featuring Roy Harcourt), "Life Without You" (Maria Christenson) and three songs ("Still Here," "Optimist," and "Come On Angel") in the Off-Broadway musical "Ministry of Progress."

For the past several years Alex has also been training the next generation of songwriters, both privately and at Gotham Writers Workshop. Her clients include writers with a wide range of talents and aspirations, and Alex traines them in person, online, and by phone. Her website, CreativeSongwriter.com, is scheduled to be up and running in early 2005. Songwriters interested in learning more are encouraged to contact Alex by email or phone.

Alex is currently working closely with several recording artists on their projects and is also writing for Songs of Love (www.songsoflove.org), a foundation that provides personalized songs for chronically or terminally ill children. She divides her time between Manhattan and upstate New York, where she maintains a home recording studio.