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Featured Artist: ZANA MESSIA
ZANA MESSIA: Biography
“Think really great female lounge/jazz vocalist with a touch of Tom Waits...on a world tour adapting the music to each culture along the way. She along with the Balkan Soul Orchestra play some very addcting - not to mention really great-music.”
Christopher Levine
Author of "Eclectiblogs-Weekly Meanderings for Music Head Co - Eclectic Inc.
An established performer across the Balkans, Zana Messia has gained a solid reputation as a singer and songwriter, appearing regularly on screen, stage and radio. Her voice embodies the spirit and emotion of Balkan Roma music and flirts with Jazz. The result is a pure cross-cultural blend of the traditional and contemporary, with influences that stay true to her rich Balkan roots.
Her band, The Balkan Soul Orchestra has just completed their debut album. Executive produced by world renowned drummer Harvey Mason who is also featured on the album along with multi instrumentalist Daniel Weinstein, master accordionist Nick Ariondo, pianist Theo Saunders, and Balkan guitarist Alhmer Imamovic. The sound of The Balkan Soul Orchestra is an organic mix of world fusion, combining elements of Balkan Roma music and jazz. Their debut album has been described as a post modern phenomenon, reflecting our shrinking planet, where cultures collide, mix, and a new future emerges.
Zana recently placed her music in several domestic and internationally released feature films. Her song, "If You're Wondering”, featured in the motion picture "The Lightkeepers", was presented to AMPAS for consideration as "Best Original Song" in the 2010 Academy Awards. Zana also has a new placement in the soon to be released movie "Flying Lessons".
Zana's background is a whirlwind ride. She spent her early childhood in Mostar in the former
Yugoslavia, learning to play piano and winning local talent contests. Her musical sensibilities were
quickly curtailed at the age of 11 when war broke out in Bosnia/Herzegovina. Her family was forced to flee as refugees to Sweden. Despite the upheaval, Zana resumed her music studies and her talent soon came to the attention of world-renowned jazz pianist and vocal coach, Steven A. Garrick.
He took the precocious singer under his wing tutoring her until his untimely passing when Zana was just 13. Undeterred by the loss of her mentor, she recorded her first demo at the age of 15, and landed a record offer with Sony Music, Sweden. By 16 she had performed in front of a live television audience of 20,000 in Sarajevo.
Zana's two pop-flavored releases, “Gotta Stop” and “Talk to Me”, released by the Universal Music Group have the drawn attention of many magazines and radio stations. Her songs have been released on Universal, Sony BMG and Virgin EMI. In 2006, Zana moved back to her war-shattered hometown Mostar to study the folklore and music of her ancestry and work as Musical Director at the United World College before moving to Los Angeles in 2009. Two years later and many musical experiments behind her, Zana created "The Balkan Soul Orchestra".
Featured CD: ZANA MESSIA: BALKAN SOUL(2012)
BALKAN SOUL (2012)
Tracks: 1. My Invention Of You
2. This Is How I Get
3. Radio
4. Red Shoes
5. Never Loved This Way
6. Palm Tree Leaves
7. I've Seen Him Before
8. Round Midnight
9. Djelem djelem
10. If You're Wondering
Musicians:
Zana Messia: Vocals
James Brandon Lewis: Tenor
Almer Imamovic: Acoustic Guitar
Jessica Pierce: Flute
David Marcus: Guitar
Theo Saunders: Piano
Ben Shepherd: Upright Bass
Nick Arriondo: Accordion
Dan Weinstein: Tuba, Trombone, Viola, Violin, Trumpet
Harvey Masson: Drums, Percussion, Marimba, Vibes
Danny Frankel: Drums, Percussion
Greg Lower: Percussion
Laura Geier: Violin
Doug Webb: Clarinet
REVIEW
Although the name of the album suggests Zana Messia's spiritual ties with her musical heritage of the Balkans where she grew up, "Balkan Soul" she is using her songwriting skills and sensibility to integrate the folk music of her homeland into an original mixture that fuses together overtones of jazz, pop, blues, Latin, yet without losing the cohesive thread that gives the album its own color.
This music-without-borders fiesta made of ten short stories about life's aches, regrets and mistakes, passion and joy is impregnated by a genuine "saudade" specific to the Balkan traditional music without any overdo or exageration.
There is a pleasant harmony between lyrics and music, between the singer's voice and the creative collective of thirteen musicians, that bring all their energy and prowess to
the arrangements. They play like a Balkan brass band, acoustic jazz combo and mariachi ensemble with fine transitions and delicate
solos, everything crafted with a great taste matching singer's vocal nuances.
She moves smoothly from dramatic to joyful with a sort of bluesiness that comes from the heart and doesn't sound pretentious, a quality transferred organically to all the songs she
performs.
The lyrics of the opening track reveal her source of inspiration: " Every ache, every mistake/How can it be
wrong?/Things I regret,/I've done or not / Each has become a song" - and this is precisely why this album is delightful: the sublimation of emotions into catchy melodies you'll find yourself humming. Worthy to mention the Romani/Gipsy music accents on "This Is How I Get" enriched by the glissando of the violin, the sunny Latin beat on "Palm Tree Leaves", or the jazzy "I've Seen Him Before" with nice
sax and guitar solos.
Besides the eight originals, the album features a Balkan flavored rendition of the "Round Midnight" and the
anthemic "Djelem Djelem" Zana Messia sings with unbridled passion in Romani language.
An etertaining and moving album in the same time, "Balkan Soul" will please those who are looking to hear a voice and a music beyond cliches and deja vu.
Zana Messia and The Balkan Soul Orchestra
Balkan Soul
(2012 USA)
Although the name of the album suggests Zana Messia's spiritual ties with her musical heritage of the Balkans where she grew up, "Balkan Soul" she is using her songwriting skills and sensibility to integrate the folk music of her homeland into an original mixture that fuses together overtones of jazz, pop, blues, Latin, yet without losing the cohesive thread that gives the album its own color.
This music-without-borders fiesta made of ten short stories about life's aches, regrets and mistakes, passion and joy is impregnated by a genuine "saudade" specific to the Balkan traditional music without any overdo or exageration.
There is a pleasant harmony between lyrics and music, between the singer's voice and the creative collective of thirteen musicians, that bring all their energy and prowess to
the arrangements. They play like a Balkan brass band, acoustic jazz combo and mariachi ensemble with fine transitions and delicate solos, everything crafted with a great taste matching singer's vocal nuances.
She moves smoothly from dramatic to joyful with a sort of bluesiness that comes from the heart and doesn't sound pretentious, a quality transferred organically to all the songs she performs.
The lyrics of the opening track reveal her source of inspiration: " Every ache, every mistake/How can it be
wrong?/Things I regret,/I've done or not / Each has become a song" - and this is precisely why this album is delightful: the sublimation of emotions into catchy melodies you'll find yourself humming. Worthy to mention the Romani/Gipsy music accents on "This Is How I Get" enriched by the glissando of the violin, the sunny Latin beat on "Palm Tree Leaves", or the jazzy "I've Seen Him Before" with nice
sax and guitar solos.
Besides the eight originals, the album features a Balkan flavored rendition of the "Round Midnight" and the anthemic "Djelem Djelem" Zana Messia sings with unbridled passion in Romani language.
An etertaining and moving album in the same time, "Balkan Soul" will please those who are looking to hear a voice and a music beyond cliches and deja vu.
