Alexa Weber Morales - Vagabundeo/Wanderings

[GARussell]

Forgive me if I've ranted about this before, but I think America needs a concerted effort by the record companies to promote what used to be called adult pop. Tony Bennett wins the Grammy for it every year with little competition. I travel a good deal throughout North Carolina, and I haven't found a station yet that is devoted to it. Sirius has a channel called Seriusly Sinatra that is devoted to adult pop of the fifties and sixties, but nothing current.

I have a new album by a San Francisco singer named Alexa (nee Alexandra) Weber Morales entitled Vagabundeo/Wanderings. Scott Yanow calls her a jazz singer, but she's not one here. There is no improvisation anywhere by either her or the band. The CD says, "File under World/Latin". But adult pop is more like it.

There are eleven songs, all of which have a latin beat of one sort or another, but the band is not as heavy handed as, say, Tito Puente or Poncho Sanchez. Half the songs are in Spanish. Her accent is convincing, so I'm guessing she's bilingual.

There are a number of tracks good enough for radio airplay. She has a fine voice and a sophisticated style. But presently I don't think she has a market in the US.

You can listen to the album at this link, and see what you think. I expect that those of you who like latin music will like it.

http://cdbaby.com/cd/alexawm2

[mikeweil]

I find her singing a little too sweet. I prefer them with more guts and rhythmical drive. Plus the band plays pretty much Hollywood/Brazilian pop style. There are others I like better.

[awebermorales]

There is no improvisation anywhere by either her or the band. The CD says, "File under World/Latin". But adult pop is more like it.

Thank you so much for listening to Vagabundeo, which is distributed worldwide by KOCH and recently hit #13 on the JazzWeek World Music radio chart. I love the varied opinions I have encountered about my music, and I realize that I am a difficult artist to pigeonhole. I appreciate your post here so much! If I may correct one factual aspect, however, I would like to note that there is indeed improvisation on every track of this album. Not just two or three bars, but entire choruses with guitar, piano, trombone and other improvised solos. Kenny Washington takes a gorgeous scat solo on Calling You. And I improvise during all the salsa call-and-response pieces. The only thing I didn't do on this album as compared to my first is scat, and that just ended up being a decision about what best fit these particular songs. You are free to call this album pop, and you make a great argument for resuscitating adult popular music, but I don't want someone who hasn't listened to come away with the impression that that there is no improvisation. For more info about me and the languages I speak, see http://www.alexawebermorales.com.

Viva la musica!