MUSIC REVIEWS

MELODY GARDOT "WORRISOME HEART"
By R. A. Pearson

Melody Gardot is a 22-year-old jazz musician who came to music in a round-about fashion. After being hit by a car while riding her bicycle she suffered multiple pelvic fractures, spinal, nerve, and head injuries. Gardot had played music before and her doctor recommended she try music therapy as a means for recovery. He believed it would help her with her cognitive problems, as music has been known to help repair neuropathways in the brain after severe trauma. The experience also helped with her short term memory, something she still has trouble with today. She began writing and recording songs on a portable multitrack recorder at her bedside before she was able to walk and began to write songs, some of which appear on her first full length CD WORRISOME HEART.

WORRISOME HEART was released in February 2008 and contains ten songs, all of which may be downloaded (at Amazon.com). The music is a simple jazz/blues mix that I like to refer to a ‘night club’ jazz. There is nothing musically overpowering, the music is almost background for the vocals and the listener is reminded of Nora Jones in many ways. The first cut and title tract “Worrisome Heart” set the mellow tone for the CD, which has some up-beat moments in it. The fourth song “Sweet Memory” is more blues than jazz and comes with a British blues rift easily recognizable from aficionados of that genre. A great tune on the CD is “Love Me Like A River;” if you are looking for two songs to download from this collection I’d go with the title cut and “Love Me Like A River.”

The CD was produced by Glenn Barratt and Gardot. Musicians on WORRISOME HEART include Ken Pendergast on bass, Charlie Patierno on drums, Matt Cappy on trumpet, Joel Bryant on organ, Dave Posmontier on piano, and Melody Gardot on guitar.

On March 2, 2008, blind Canadian rocker Jeff Healy, who uniquely played his guitar flat on his lap, died of cancer on the eve of his latest album release Mess Of Blues. The 41-year-old Healey had battled the rare cancer, retino blastoma, since an early age. The disease took his sight at the age of one. Healey played his guitar with it flat across his lap and is most remembered for his role in the Patrick Swayze movie Roadhouse.

Mess Of Blues was released later in March and contains ten classic blues covers by Jeff Healey. The music is great and the songs are great. The play list includes: “Jambalaya” by Hank Williams, “Like A Hurricane” by Neil Young, and “The Weight,” by the Band. This is a great CD.

The Jeff Healy Band's 1988 album See The Light, which included the hit “Angel Eyes,” was nominated for a Grammy award and sold more than one million copies in the United States. Healy played with blues legends B.B. King and Stevie Ray Vaughn, and recorded with George Harrison, Mark Knopfler, and Jimmy Rogers.

The music world will miss Jeff Healy and the Clarion Issue sends its condolences to his family, friends, and fans.

Editors note: Almost the same day Jeff Healy’s death was announced the world learned of Patrick Swayze’s struggle with pancreatic cancer. Here at the Clarion Issue we wish him well.