Music
Press
Rachel Sierra Project
Held Under the Knife
Anthropoda Records
When I review an album or single, the first thing I listen for is the instant likeability factor. If I like an album from the first listen, then usually that recording is going to get a great review.
This was the case with Rachel Sierra's debut album Held Under the Knife. You need to get a copy of this album...it's an instant classic.
Everything from the great songwriting, the musical craftmanship, the beautiful vocals...there is so much to like about this album.
Rachel Sierra is a Los Angeles-based singer songwriter via the Bay Area of California. She was schooled in the classical music arts so her background as a vocalist and musician is solid.
The best way I can describe her, even though she has her own distinct style, is a cross between Tori Amos mixed in with the sophistication and jivey quality of a Ricki Lee Jones as a songwriter/singer and a dash of musical sensibility of Swing Out Sister for good measure. Especially on the jumpy One Last Hit where she arranged the horn section.
She surrounds herself with some great musicians on this album too. Especially noteworthy is bassist Chris Freeman and guitarist Tiffin Roley. The horn section of Early McCalister, Mike Daigeau and Elliot Deutsch is a threesome you are going to enjoy.
For more information on Rachel Sierra including upcoming shows go to www.rachelsierraproject.com and www.arthopodarecords.com
Reviewed by: Allen Bacon, Editor, The Daily Bosco
Album Cover credits: www.arthopodarecords.com - THE DAILY BOSCO
Here is our review for summer:
Rachel Sierra Project-
If you close your eyes, sometimes you can take yourself places that presumably can take all of your troubles away and flush them down the toilet bowl. Well if you listen to Rachel Sierra Project with your eyes closed and feel the rhythms of the song ‘Problems (book of love)’, I swear you are transcended to another place and time, maybe some cool jazz club with a talented and beautiful singer up there on the stage with an incredible vocal range that touches your very soul, that singer would be non other than Rachel Sierra.
However, we would not be doing Rachel’s music justice by pinpointing it into one particular genre as it leads us down a path of eclectic sounds that has the samplings of a great rock and roll band to the sultry sounds of a lounge singer who plays her piano with distinction and sings her heart out.
Rachel and her band hail from the Los Angeles, California area and have formed a very tight unit of talented musicians. The guitar playing of Tiffin Roley is subtle and precise accenting each song with brilliance.
The band has a debut cd out called ‘Held Under The Knife’ and it can be purchased online through anthropodarecords.com. The band also has a myspace page, check them out at www.myspace.com/rachelsierraproject.
Rachel is also planning on touring with her band this summer to support the new record, so be sure to check out her concert listings and see her show, you won’t be disappointed.
Review by Darryl Salach of www.TargetAudienceMagazine.com - TargetAudienceMagazine.com
Discography
"Held Under the Knife"
-2008
Photos
Bio
Rachel Sierra has been writing music since the age of eight years old. At just thirteen she began performing her original songs in coffee houses all around the Bay area. She has graced numerous Wineries around Sonoma County with her soulful renditions of great Jazz standards, and performed three years in a row at Sonoma State University's Festival on the Green with her Father's band Hotlips and Fingertips. With fifteen years of experience on the piano and five on the guitar, Rachel has kept audiences intrigued with her heartfelt expressions of life, love, and everything in between. Influenced by everyone from Nina Simone to Ani DiFranco, the Beatles to Bob Dylan, Rachel delivers her powerful lyrics through many different genres of music such as Folk, Blues, Jazz, Funk, and Hip-Hop. As the front woman in her band Higher Funktion, a Humboldt County based Funk/Reggae band, Rachel has seduced many a crowd with her true to life lyrics and commanding stage presence. Higher Funktion performed from 2001-2003 at venues in San Francisco and all over Humboldt County. In 2004 Rachel left the band to pursue her dream of becoming a working performing artist and Enrolled at the Musician's Institute in Hollywood, California. It was there that Rachel met Tre Hardson formerly of the Pharcyde, the legendary Los Angeles based hip-hop group. Tre was quick to recognize her talent and swiftly recruited her for her first inter-state tour singing back up vocals for his solo project with his band Fuqawi. The tour took Rachel through California, Arizona, New Mexico, Colorado, Utah, and Oregon. This would prove to be just a warm up for the summer festivals of 2005 including "Reggae on the River", and the "Reggae Fest 2005" in Truckee, California where she performed along side Michael Franti and Spearhead, The Wailers, and Damian Marley. In September of 2005, Rachel left the country with Tre hardson for her first International tour. The 18 city, eight country, three week tour proved to be the most valuable stepping stone in her career, learning of the hardships and the triumphs that accompany life on the road. Rachel recently signed to Arthropoda Records in November 2006 based in her hometown of Los Angeles, California. Held under the knife is the Rachel Sierra Project’s first full length recording, released January, 2008. the Band Members are Blair Shotts (Drums), Christopher Freeman (Bass), Tiffin Roley (Guitar).
Other players on the Record include The Under the Knife Choir (Back-up vocals); Angela Carole Brown (Back-up vocals); Ryan Cross (Stand up Bass, Cello); Mark Indictor (Violin); Early McCallister (Saxophone); Mike Daigeau (Trombone); Elliot Deutsch (Trumpet); and Lance Morrison (Guest Bass).
Links
