Captivating…Beautiful Things!

Note:  This interview is from “Rootstime” a Belgian publication.  We’ve done our best to translate from Dutch to English…

The risk that you are on the wrong foot is put after the first song “Have You Ever Loved?” Of singer and song writer Joy Mover of Miami on her eponymous debut album is quite considerable. It is a swinging bossa nova melody which this song is offered and that the listener would ever do think that this is a new Gloria Estefan has risen.

Of course, no musician without any influence of this dynamic South American music to begin a career in sunny Miami, Florida. Joy Mover is perhaps a new name for most of us, she’s already quite some years active in the local music scene. Born in Boston, she ended up in Miami where her family roots its first brought into contact with the jazz music, but over the years there were influences from folk, rock and blues on top.

This broad mix of musical styles led now that Joy Mover has a private plate included with veterans John Paul and Mike Levine in the producer’s seat. The second song “Mary’s Song” on this debut album still fits perfectly into the world of salsa and samba, but with song number 3 “If I Could Tell You” dabbles this singer is much more extensive in the world of jazz music, an environment where they are very good at home.

This CD contains six songs with eleven songs of own manufacture which often Latin American rhythms will be charged. In addition, five cover versions of well-known and less obvious numbers. When we find the unknown tracks “Nature Boy” by Eden Ahbez from his album “Echoes” from 1995 and “Corcovado (Quiet Nights Of Quiet Stars)”, a bossa nova song that was made in the large version of Astrud Gilberto.

More known covers are the songs “Till There Was You” by Meredith Wilson in 1957, “Fever” by many others but original by Little Willie John in 1956 and best known in the version of Peggy Lee and “Dream A Little Dream Of Me” , a song from 1931 that his greatest fame in the version of Cass Elliot of The Mamas And The Papas’, but also countless times by other big stars were covered.

It’s that mix of original songs and carefully selected cover versions which ensures that this debut album nicely varied and balanced and remains captivating from song 1 to song 11. Of these Joy Mover may also still many more beautiful things hoped for in the next few years.

(Valsam)
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