Music
Press
Mirenda Rosenberg is a young Irish soul singer and 'Placeholder' is her debut album and if you're looking for something a little different to the soul music currently peddled by the so-called big names you could do worse than investigate. Mirenda cites her chief influences as Billie Holiday, Nina Simone and Roberta Flack and – if they could – any of those three ladies would be proud to be associated with this album. That's not to say that Mirenda sounds like any of them or that her music is in any way derivative or a pastiche. Indeed, on the contrary, the eleven tracker is totally original ... quirky and enigmatic even. No, the link with those three true divas is in the approach to the music. Ms. Rosenberg's soul is an intelligent soul. The melodies are often intricate but the lyrics are always intriguing, interesting and intelligent... proper grown up soul music, if you would. Case in point is the unusual title cut. It's a pacey little tune with fine soaring harmonies and a sweet melody driving a lyric that deals with people not in love loving each other via, I guess, the internet ... "we met virtually but in reality we connected". See what I mean about interesting and enigmatic? Speaking of which, I don't know many artists who'd come up with a song title as blunt as 'Death'. Mirenda Rosenberg does ... then goes on to dress the lyrics in a loose, loping funk arrangement. There's a lot more surprises on the album. 'Nothing' has reggae lilt, the brass work on 'It Takes' will recall the marching funeral bands of New Orleans, while 'Good Woman' is a blues based rocker. Ballad-wise, 'Only Human' has a delicate feel; 'Didn't Make Love' is hugely melancholic (like Ian McEwan's novel, 'On Chesil Beach'), while the dramatic 'Goodbye' lasts a mere 27 seconds. My personal favourite though is the sax-led 'Puppet'. It's a melodic duet with Graham Miley and features some superb harmonies and, thinking of radio, maybe a better bet as lead single than the shifting rhythms of the lead single 'Dangerous'. Clearly, 'Placeholder' is a varied album. What holds it together is Ms. Rosenberg's vocal talent which in the space of a few bars can go from feisty strength to a frail vulnerability. To repeat – worth checking, if you 're looking to take your soul in new directions. For more info go to www.mirendarosenberg.com
(BB) 4/5
- Bill Buckley, Jazz and Funk and Blues
I've probably mentioned this a couple of times before, but the best thing about reviewing is the 'unexpected discovery'. Something I experienced again a couple of weeks ago when a certain Mrs. Mirenda Rosenberg contacted me. Added to her mail was a track titled puppet and when I listened for the first time ... well I was quite shocked, in a pleasant way that is. A couple of days later her debut album, Placeholder dropped in and the CD has been a favourite here at JazzandSoul since that day.
All I read about Mirenda Rosenberg, all the songs I hear, it all breathes love for music. On Placeholder, Mirenda opens up a wide range of styles and elements, flirts with jazz and funk, embraces blues and soul and delivers some wonderful pieces of art. Guideline throughout the CD however is the undeniable warmth of Mirenda's voice which serves as the perfect handhold.
With opening track Placeholder, Mirenda immediately makes a remarkable entrance with a full, rich sounding tune that draws its drive from the uptempo old school soul sound. From that point, the journey only gets more intriguing. With a somewhat blunt title as Death, one would expect a dark and depressive song, by all means not a rather funky sounding cut as it turns out to be. Goodbye etalates Mirenda's vocal range floating on a hidden reggae beat while Only Human reminds me again that good music doesn't have to be complicated at all.
An than of course there's puppet. What an addictive little saxophone hook that is, what a successful marriage with Graham Miley's voice, what an intelligent break in the middle, what a dope song structure. This certainly is one of those tracks that you fall in love with from the first couple of chords as it fits like a glove from the start.
Some critics may find the duration of the album a bit of a downer as 33 minutes indeed is rather short for an 11 track CD.
I however prefer 33 minutes of Mirenda Rosenberg than 5 hours of music which I afterwards experience as a total waste of time.
I can't wait to hear more from this sharp - edged diamond.
Highly recommended.
- Teach, Jazz and Soul
Discography
2010 - Placeholder (MRB002CD)
Photos
Bio
SUPPORTED:
Chuck Berry
Bellx1
Cathy Davey
The Commitments
FESTIVALS:
Cork Jazz Festival
Derry Jazz Festival
Blues on the Bay Festival
Spraoi Festival
Rory Gallagher Festival
Dun Laoghaire Festival of World Cultures
Belfast City Blues
Clifden Jazz & Blues Festival
The Ocean FM Festival
Dunfanaghy Jazz Festival
Venues
Academy, Dublin
Black Box, Belfast
Quays, Galway
Grill, Letterkenny
ADDITIONAL INFORMATION:
Appeared on RTE , BBC, and TG4 Presented for BBC Radio
Released EP March ‘09
Released debut album April ‘10
Playing Ireland since May 2007
Some singers own the stage but Mirenda Rosenberg is famous for owning the stage, the dance floor and sometimes the audience's personal space when she performs!
The charismatic singer has showcased her vocal talents and performance skills throughout Ireland and even opened for the legendary Chuck Berry on two separate occasions.
The experience of relocating to Ireland in 2005 from the United States helped make the new album 'Placeholder,' a rich gumbo of musical flavours and tones. The upcoming launch follows a busy couple of years since forming her band in 2007.
Mirenda's vocal dexterity and lyrical skills are evident in the diverse collection of songs. On the duet, 'Puppet,' her syrupy vocals tease the listener with the seductive opener “I'm a puppet on a string for you/secret little rendezvous leave me dizzy.”
She also evokes the blues tradition on the likes of 'Good Woman,' which adopts the bourbon-fuelled swagger of early electrified blues. Its insistent guitar provides an earthy backdrop for Mirenda's vocals. The defiant refrain of “The blues ain't nothing but a good woman feeling bad” is like a call to arms for this emotive album.
This good woman may feel bad but she sounds damn good!
Born in Springfield, Illinois, Mirenda grew up outside Washington DC. Raised the daughter of an ordained minister, Mirenda's musical influences were initially restricted to Christian and classical music. The discovery of jazz and blues on her older brother's radio opened up a whole new musical soundscape and introduced her to the likes of Billie Holliday and Bessie Smith - formative influences who remained constant companions on her musical journey.
"I was too young to understand the content of their music, but I couldn't miss the spirit of it. I'd listen to the jazz and blues station then I'd get a hair brush for a microphone, stand on the hearth of the fireplace, and give full on performances to a stuffed animal audience. Even at that age I had songs in me that needed to get out and I'd make up tunes. If my parents wandered into the room my jazz songs became gospel music. I could get very holy very quickly.”
Her early talents were recognised when she was asked to perform a gospel solo in church at the age of four. The precocious young soloist had to be talked down from the pulpit when her improvised song showed no sign of ending!
Classical training followed and Mirenda toured the States with a number of choirs throughout her teens before studying Vocal Performance at college. While there, she started to sing jazz at weekends to earn extra money and relished in the freedom and the refreshing intimacy that this musical sideline offered.
"I knew then I wasn't cut out for Opera. If I have a choice between big Wagnerian Horn Helmet head and an evening dress with flowers in my hair - the evening dress wins hands down. I want to be able to connect to my audience - I need to be able to walk up to someone, look them in the eye and share myself with them or talk to the woman in the crowd who looks like she's having a bad day. I can't do that pumping out an aria. More than anything else I need to be able to croon what I'm feeling - jazz, soul, funk, blues or whatever I'm feeling.”
Appearances on BBC and TG4, gigs at the Derry Jazz Festival and the Cork Jazz Festival and a recent sold out series of dates have followed. It all feeds into her love of music and need to perform.
"I love music in a way that is sick!" Mirenda explains. "If I could, I would marry it, make a life with it so we could have little notes of our very own. It's all about music, performing, and connecting for me. I'm like a spider, I lure you into my web and you can't help but stay there…but instead of sucking you dry after a gig I hope you'll want to take me home for a glass of wine and a chat – or at least some tea.”
Tel: +353 (0) 85 127 8823 / +353 (0) 87 053 5860
Email: info@mirendarosenberg.com
www.myspace.com/themirendarosenbergband
www.mirendarosenberg.com
Links
