CD Review - My Heart's Desire by Margo Rey (Margo Reymundo)

“Margo brought a lot to the table with provocative lyric ideas and a sophisticated melodic sense. I think we wrote three songs the first session and of the three, “Let The Rain” really stood out. I love the feminine perspective she brings to the verse imagery, and there was never a doubt that she would deliver vocally when it came time to record”
–John Oates



Release Date: 18 December 2008

Genre: Jazz/Pop Hybrid

Publisher: (C) 2008 Organicatunes.com

Label: Organicatunes.com

Time: 56m 41s

Review Date:31-March-2009

Format: CD

JivePK™: Currently not a Jivewired member


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Track Listing:

01. Organica 0:10
02. My Heart's Desire 5:03
03. Tell Me 5:16
04. Wrapped Around Your Finger 7:49
05. Andrew 0:18
06. Between Us 4:42
07. Picture This 4:46
08. You Belong To Me 4:56
09. Picture The Way Back 0:17
10. The Way Back 6:24
11. Strap In 0:04
12. I Saw You 4:58
13. Ain't No Sunshine 4:47
14. Chimes 0:23
15. Couldn't Be More Wrong 6:46
16. Thank You 0:34

Review:

She may not be household name yet, but soulful sultry seducer Margo Reymundo has perfected the art of the boudoir ballad. Chiefly, when she sings of love, passion and devotion, she actually sounds as if she means it. Her sentiments are not complex or tortuous, but rather humbly and simply about affairs of the heart. A great example is "Between Us" - as a listener I am buying everything she is selling here. That's what is so amazing about My Heart's Desire. It combines adventurous aspects of avant-garde jazz with pop sensibility. Anyone who has previously found vocal jazz music intimidating or lacking soul could find no better introduction.

The combination of elegant texture and soulful arrangements makes this CD a winner on all counts. The title track is the first single from My Heart's Desire and is a warm and catchy effort that is both extremely fluid and free-spirited.

Reymundo's scorching, bi-lingual version of Carly Simon's "You Belong To Me" is nothing short of inspirational and provides a perfect segue into the ethereal "Picture The Way Back/The Way Back". "I Saw You", possibly the second single from this CD, is a crossover blues/soul/pop hybrid that should garner a lot of critical and mainstream appeal and is the strongest track on the CD.

Reymundo's aching version of Bill Withers' "Ain't No Sunshine" is breathtakingly heart-stopping, and includes searing yet unexpected guitar solo and strong organ accompaniment.

"Picture This" is a summery, light-hearted number that plays well no matter the mood of the listener.

Reymundo has a full and powerful voice and has mastered the pitch-perfect landing: indeed, vocals are the emphasis of this release and though the instrumentation is not understated, the goal of this project was obviously to create an equal and balanced synergy between the two. In a direct quote taken from the artist's liner notes, My Heart's Desire "is an elegant reminder why the human voice is referred to as an 'instrument'. She's created nothing less than a ferociously nuanced and passionate sound that defies nomenclature".

My Heart's Desire is set for release on March 24, 2009 on Reymundo's own label, Organica Records. Fans of Norah Jones, Adele and Sade will find this effort equally on par.

~Brooke Horrocks Jivewired.com

About Margo Rey:



Ferociously nuanced and passionate sound that defies nomenclature. Margo Rey, cognizant of that inevitable realization, refers to it as “Organica” a kind of counterpoise to “Electronica.” In other words, she’s articulating a world constructed of unfettered vocals that rivals anything created with synthesized sound.

Margo Rey was born in Acapulco Mexico and laid her professional foundation with over a decade of classical music training under the exclusive tutelage of classical voice professor Dr. Luther Stripling. At the age of 16, Rey fronted an all female rock band Debutante (The Debs,) who toured the U.S. as well as overseas and also sang in a 3 piece power pop band called the Ritual before beginning a career in jazz. After becoming the band leader for the Latin/Jazz R&B Sextet Miss Margo and the Lost Souls, Rey was signed to an indie label (Exitos-Latinos) where she recorded a Tejano/Pop Spanish album. This release boasted one top five and two top twenty singles. She soon caught the attention of actor Edward James Olmos who recommended her for a principal role in the bound for Broadway musical Selena Forever . This led to a number of theatre credits including Saturday Night Fever, Latin Heat, Like Jazz, Senor Discretion Himself, Zorro and Canta Lunga. During this time period she began crafting and touring her own original music that she calls “Organica.”