Midnight Skylark
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8/20/2007 8:01:39 PM
Guess Who's Been Waiting for You
One of my great pleasures this hot hot summer of 2007 has been familiarizing myself with the music of Nhojj, one of the most uniquely gifted singer/songwriter/producers around.
It has become almost standard in reviews of Nhojj’s first CD, I’VE BEEN WAITING FOR YOU, to compare the purity of the singer’s falsetto to that of Prince, and to note that the soulfulness of his delivery is on par with that of Maxwell, Michael Jackson, or Sade. The Bobby McFerrin link has also been well documented. Consequently, I will forego such comparisons but will point out that Nhojj’s artistry is also reminiscent of celebrated New Age singer Enya. Like her, Nhojj’s haunting layered vocals with his skillfully crafted arrangements create expressions of highly original deeply impacting musical art.
On the surface, Nhojj’s songs appear to engage traditional themes of romance and intimacy with a unique style that employs lyrics of velvet poetry and gently captivating arrangements. The power of his vocal delivery is such that it takes the opening track, “Faithful,” beyond a lover’s declaration of fidelity and makes it almost into a sworn commitment to the higher purposes in life. The influence could be one of the singer’s gospel background or it could be an aspect of the subtlety of his art. Note, for example, the title track. It could as easily represent a celebration of the arrival of a flesh and blood beloved as it could the arrival of a musical vision into the singer’s life.
Nhojj’s skills as a spoken word artist on “Another Day” are less commanding than his strength as a vocalist on the other 14 tracks, including the intro and several interludes, but the poetry itself is a worthy testimony to his abilities as a writer. “The Sad Song” is a stand-out out with its upbeat melody and interwoven vocals in the face of lyrics recounting a failed love affair. Experiencing the whole of I’VE BEEN WAITING FOR YOU, listeners soon understand they are being allowed to share in a very absorbing love affair with music and life. The beauty it promises and the joy it delivers turns out to be well worth the wait.
Midnight Skylark Aberjhani
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