MP3 J. Michael Reeds - 8th & Mona Lisa

Jazz Standards with a contemporary twist.

8 MP3 Songs
JAZZ: Jazz Vocals, JAZZ: Traditional Jazz Combo



Details:
People have been asking me where the title â8th & Mona Lisaâ comes from. Well, of course, there being eight songs on the album did play in to it some what, but thatâs getting a little too logical. 8th & Mona Lisa is a hypothetical street corner created solely in my imagination. â8th,â of course, is none other than 8th Avenue in New York City. I have spent many years living in the heart of New York very close to 8th Avenue. 8th is an incredible street with a long history of both triumph and heartbreak. It has long been an avenue known by performers. Cutting right through New Yorkâs famous Theatre District, it has harbored some of the most well known dance and rehearsal studios ever. It has also, through the years, harbored prostitutes, pimps, hustlers and sham artists. Sailors during Fleet Week walk up and down 8th Avenue. It has an allure, which is undeniable. I love 8th Avenue. I love its history and diversity, its unabashed sleaziness. It has, in a very strange way, helped shape who I am as a person and an artist.

I am very proud of this album. It marks a turning point for me as a singer. The musicians are no less than superb. For me, working with great musicians is a real priority and I consider myself to be no more important than they are. On this album you will find wonderful instrumental solos that are integral to the material. My co-producer and Musical Director, Wells Hanley, is quite simply, one of the best in the business.

In todayâs nostalgia craze, where everyone seems to be doing jazz standards, I listen to a lot of it and I think, âOK, thatâs very nice . . .but why? You havenât brought anything new to it. Why should I listen to you, when I can listen to the original artists who recorded this?â I think whatâs key to keeping this kind of music alive and relevant to us today, is to mix it up a little. Bring yourself to it. Do it a little differently. Tell us through this music, who you are and what youâre feeling. This is what Iâm trying to do here. Who knows if Iâm succeeding. Maybe time will tell. Meanwhile, Wellâs and I have already started working on the next album. So stay tuned.

Peace.

J. Michael Reeds