|
Formats and Editions
1. So Near, So Far
2. If You Could See Me Now
3. Yes And No
4. Not Quite Enough
5. Amazing Grace
6. Jewel's Lullaby
More Info:
Calvin Johnson Jr.'s debut CD, Jewel's Lullaby, is projected to soar because of it's refreshing fusion of honesty and artistry. It's songs are auditory snapshots of a deeply transformational phase of his life, ripe with inflections that listeners than feel rather than hear. The title track is a tribute to Johnson's daughter, who was a newborn at the time he decided to compose the album. Inspired by a melody he conjured up to soothe her to slumber, the song excavated a type of enlightenment for him that translates directly into the music. "For the first time in my life, I was acknowledging certain emotions that were repressed. Because of this new gift," he says, "I couldn't contain them anymore. I had to express them." And he does. A truly meditative endeavor, Jewel's Lullaby is a musical memoir. Johnson is a jazz scholar himself, immersed in musical theory since before he could speak, but the tracks on this album include elements of funk, as well as church, making it a versatile listening experience. "It was an expressive flurry that couldn't be tamed by a contrived system," he says about writing and producing the album, which was somewhat of a perfect storm for him. "My background has allowed me to expand upon my creative inclinations." Johnson's treatment of "So Near, So Far" plays with the concept of musical layers; instruments and cadences complement one another on a track that feels beautifully paradoxical. "Amazing Grace" offers the resonance of a small town church, with it's sentimental yet undeniably powerful tone. While the song was intended for a sax quarter, Johnson plays each part of this track himself, conveying his own artistic evolution. "I was reflecting on a very personal loss and it felt like divine intervention. I had to do this song. Something or someone was standing over me to guide me," he reflects. Inspired by muses and driven by a family legacy, Calvin Johnson, Jr. has already captured attention from mentors and peers with this new project. Thrilled to present Jewel's Lullaby to the music world, his upcoming performances promise a very personal introduction to himself, his band, and their sound.
