Center of the Rhyme

Editorial Reviews
Jonathan Widran, allmusic.com, 2/03
Lisa B's mix of spoken word poetry and passionate jazzy vocalizing is hard to resist.

Jonathan Takiff, Philadelphia Daily News, March 4, 2003,
Daring, dexterous, imaginative set of originals with appeal to both traditional and contemporary jazz tastes and even hip-hop hipsters.

Album Description
"Center of the Rhyme" is a swinging, sophisticated, original effort by singer-songwriter-poet Lisa B (Lisa Bernstein), accompanied by some of the Bay Area's best jazz musicians. On her second full-length record, Lisa B merges singing, songwriting, and poetry-rap in a way that’s both accessible and unique. Appreciators of excellent jazz voices, fans of evocative singer-songwriters, and sophisticated listeners to rap and spoken word all will find gems here. The first track is a spoken, poetic homage to the late, great Joe Williams segueing into a cover of his signature blues. Other tracks uniting a swinging jazz feel with Lisa B’s distinctive lyrics are "Keeps Me Up All Night" (a bluesy, sexy, witty original that could be an undiscovered standard); "A Place We Knew" (a driving, romantic waltz); "Slow" (a slow, shimmering, lyrical waltz); "Let Me Know It’s You" (a Norah-Jones-esque heartfelt, grooving ballad); and "The Bluejay Glide," a contemporary jazz, romantic fable. Adding some soul/jazz flavor, Lisa B interprets Bobby Caldwell’s hit "What You Won’t Do for Love," adding her own poetry-rap verses. The spoken word is both rhythmic and lyrical in the haunting title track, which lends a "Kind of Blue" feel. Rounding out the CD are Lisa B’s erotic, percussive "Be Electric," which boasts a hook-y chorus, and the dramatic, poignant, and timely "Captured by Time (the New War)." The great saxaphonist Jackie McLean calls the record "Fresh, very interesting, impressive: Lisa B is a brand-new Somebody here. Her music is both commercial and traditional. She has her own sound—a very nice voice. And the writing … gorgeous." Critic Ted Panken writes: "On "Center of the Rhyme," singer-poet Lisa B, like all rugged individualists of the jazz tribe, articulates her accomplished narrative with a tonal personality entirely her own. She spins tales of desire and obsession with precise, striking images. Ms. B is by no means alone in chronicling in song the torments and raptures of eros. What separates her from the pack is a consistent imperative to swing and a keen understanding of how to articulate many paths. Ms. B makes it sound easy. Her voice is a lovely instrument, her timbre warm, her phrasing fluid, her articulation pristine, and she possesses an emotional range that makes lyrics sound like truth. She sings like the dickens."

Center of the Rhyme

Center of the Rhyme, Music, Lisa B., "Daring, dexterous singer/songwriter/poet... imaginative originals with appeal to both traditional and contemporary jazz tastes and even, on occasion, hip-hop hipsters." (Philadelphia Daily News), Traditional Pop, Vocal Jazz, Vocal Pop

Average customer rating:
Center of the Rhyme
Lisa B.
Manufacturer: Piece of Pie Records
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

General | Jazz | Styles | Music
Traditional Jazz General | Traditional Jazz & Ragtime | Jazz | Styles | Music
Vocal Jazz General | Vocal Jazz | Jazz | Styles | Music
General | Pop | Styles | Music
General | Vocal Pop | Pop | Styles | Music
Classic | Vocal Pop | Pop | Styles | Music
Traditional Pop | Oldies | Pop | Styles | Music
Traditional Vocal Pop | Broadway & Vocalists | Styles | Music
General | Jazz | Indie Music | Stores | Music
Vocal Jazz | Jazz | Indie Music | Stores | Music
General | Pop | Indie Music | Stores | Music
ASIN: B00008UQSW
Release Date: 2003-03-18

Tracks:

Joe Williams Died Walking/Every Day I Have the Blues
Be Electric
Keeps Me Up All Night
What You Won't Do for Love
Captured by Time (the New War)
A Place We Knew
Center of the Rhyme
Slow
Let Me Know It's You
The Bluejay Glide

Album Description

"Center of the Rhyme" is a swinging, sophisticated, original effort by singer-songwriter-poet Lisa B (Lisa Bernstein), accompanied by some of the Bay Area's best jazz musicians. On her second full-length record, Lisa B merges singing, songwriting, and poetry-rap in a way that's both accessible and unique. Appreciators of excellent jazz voices, fans of evocative singer-songwriters, and sophisticated listeners to rap and spoken word all will find gems here. The first track is a spoken, poetic homage to the late, great Joe Williams segueing into a cover of his signature blues. Other tracks uniting a swinging jazz feel with Lisa B's distinctive lyrics are "Keeps Me Up All Night" (a bluesy, sexy, witty original that could be an undiscovered standard); "A Place We Knew" (a driving, romantic waltz); "Slow" (a slow, shimmering, lyrical waltz); "Let Me Know It's You" (a Norah-Jones-esque heartfelt, grooving ballad); and "The Bluejay Glide," a contemporary jazz, romantic fable. Adding some soul/jazz flavor, Lisa B interprets Bobby Caldwell's hit "What You Won't Do for Love," adding her own poetry-rap verses. The spoken word is both rhythmic and lyrical in the haunting title track, which lends a "Kind of Blue" feel. Rounding out the CD are Lisa B's erotic, percussive "Be Electric," which boasts a hook-y chorus, and the dramatic, poignant, and timely "Captured by Time (the New War)." The great saxaphonist Jackie McLean calls the record "Fresh, very interesting, impressive: Lisa B is a brand-new Somebody here. Her music is both commercial and traditional. She has her own sound—a very nice voice. And the writing … gorgeous." Critic Ted Panken writes: "On "Center of the Rhyme," singer-poet Lisa B, like all rugged individualists of the jazz tribe, articulates her accomplished narrative with a tonal personality entirely her own. She spins tales of desire and obsession with precise, striking images. Ms. B is by no means alone in chronicling in song the torments and raptures of eros. What separates her from the pack is a consistent imperative to swing and a keen understanding of how to articulate many paths. Ms. B makes it sound easy. Her voice is a lovely instrument, her timbre warm, her phrasing fluid, her articulation pristine, and she possesses an emotional range that makes lyrics sound like truth. She sings like the dickens."

Music: