Joni Mitchell meets Jamie Cullum in beautiful piano-driven pop songs, lush vocals and warm jazz-inflected playing.

11 MP3 Songs
POP: Piano, JAZZ: Jazz-Pop



Details:
Passionate, lyrical and thoughtful - here is an album of piano-based songs of great quality. Pop but not just pop, or maybe âserious popâ, the music explores that fertile ground between styles. There's a jazz edge to Black Dog and Ride the Waves, an emotional rock feel in the title track All My Good Intentions, earnest country in Let it Go, Brother and Sunlight up to the Sky, even a nod towards Broadway on Magnificent Mistake. Some people hear echoes of Stevie Wonder, others Billy Joel, Elvis Costello, or Joni Mitchellâ¦but whatever the influences, Todd McNeal has woven them together into an authentic sound.

Needing a big vocal talent to do the songs justice, Todd teamed up with lush British vocalist Emma Lewendon: âI first heard Emma sing back in the UK when she was with the contemporary folk trio Kai and I was blown away by the full, warm tone and beauty of her voice. What I didnât realize at the time was how versatile a performer she is: far from being a folk music specialist, sheâs equally at home with jazz, pop and music-theatre. When I found out through our mutual friend, English composer Richard Leigh, that Emma was coming to Sydney for six months, I knew I had to get her to sing these songs.

In choosing the other musicians I was really influenced by the sound on Jamie Cullumâs first album. I wanted jazz players who could help create that same warm, natural sound of quality pop songs with jazz instrumentation. Dave Ellis (bass) and Lawrie Thompson (drums) fitted the roles perfectly, and there was some fantastic solo work from Graham Jesse (flute) and Peter Kartu (trumpet) on a couple of tracks.

Most of the songs were composed during a few months of fervent creativity when I moved to Australia in 2003. Iâd been returning to music gradually over the preceeding years after a fallow period, and had been working with lyricists Tom Green (Twice its Weight in Gold) and Aidan Matthews (Star). Then I found myself a long way from home with a piano, a few months to spare and my beloved wife out at film school, and these songs just started coming out, lyrics and all - I didnât have much choice!â

****************************************

Sydney-based songwriter and composer Todd McNeal trained classically in the UK at the University of York and the Royal Northern College of Music. After considerable success in his late teens and early twenties with a few one-act operas, songs, music for theatre and concert hall, he struggled to find a way through the classical/pop/jazz divide and pretty much stopped writing. But after a few years in the wilderness he cheered up and got back to that piano where he belongs. These days he writes mostly pop songs, music theatre and the odd short film score. Todd is open to collaborations with performers, lyricists, dramatists and film directors and can be contacted at info@toddmcnealmusic.com.

****************************************

Emma Lewendon â vocals, backing vocals
Todd McNeal â piano, keyboards
Dave Ellis â acoustic bass, electric bass
Lawrie Thompson â drums
Graham Jesse â flute on Black Dog and Star
Peter Kartu â trumpet on Star

Produced by Todd McNeal
Recorded and mixed by Michael Bartolomei at One Chook Studio, Bondi
Mastered by Albert Zychowski at Sony DADC Mastering, Huntingwood
Art Direction & Design by Kathleen Woolford
Photography by Jedda Bradley

www.toddmcnealmusic.com
email - info@toddmcnealmusic.com