On My Own Beady Belle

• 1Marbles05:24
• 2On My Own04:25
• 3Castle04:35
• 4Bury04:55
• 5Almost05:14
• 6Incompatible (44.1kHz)03:54
• 7Lost Face04:10
• 8Dear Hope03:43
• 9The Clouds05:33
• 10Traffic in Mumbai04:25
• Total Runtime46:18

Info for On My Own

The artist, lead singer and song writer Beady Belle will release her first album as a solo artist in May 2016. The Beady Belle band split up in 2015. The Beady Belle artist will from now on continue the journey on her own. The new album is symbolically entitled "On my own".

On this new album (as also on all the previous Beady Belle albums) she has written all the music and lyrics. The famous jazz pianist, Bugge Wesseltoft is the producer of this new album and he also plays all the keyboards (Grand piano and Fender Rhodes).

Beady Belle followed her dream. The "On my own" album was recorded in New York City, with world class American jazz musicians; Gregory Hutchinson (drums), Reuben Rogers (bass) and Joshua Redman (saxophone). The atmosphere from the pulsating city was successfully captured into the intimate recording studio on Manhattan. All songs live recorded.

The sound of the album gives associations to the 70s. Recorded at Eastside Sound Studio (established in 1972) - with acoustic drums, double bass, grand piano and Fender Rhodes.

There's a feeling of excellence. All the way from the sublime lyrics, the strong songs, the virtuoso musicians in the band and the featuring soloist to the intimately soft lead vocal. It's playful yet under control. Smooth yet with friction that bites.

The songs are: melodic, groovy, powerful and alive! Each song is a mixture treat of genres - jazz, pop, soul and R&B - simply Beady Belle.

Recorded at Eastside Sound Studio in New York City, the album features a strong – but not overpowering – undercurrent of 70s soul and vocal jazz, mixtures of intimacy and exuberance, and pulsations both urban and urbane. The musicians include Bugge Wessletoft (who is also the album's producer) on keys, Gregory Hutchinson on drums, Reuben Rogers on bass and Joshua Redman on saxophone. While primarily an album of superb songs highlighting Beady's honey-smooth-yet-gutsy voice, the musicians are given plenty of room to shine, with high-end solos and great chops on display. Beady's compositional and lyrical skills are also showcased here as never before, offering us further dimensions only hinted at on previous releases. Melodically gripping, harmonically intricate, lyrically intelligent (without pretentiousness), and underpinned by solid grooves, the songs mine rich seams to bring many treasures for fans and newcomers alike. Whether warm and easygoing like a smoky late evening bar, or bright and sunny (with your iced coffee of choice), the album moves through a huge variety of moods, hues and colors, tones and shades.

Further backline support comes from Mathias Eick, whose plaintive trumpet lines weave gracefully with Beady Bell's vocals, while Audun Sandvik's cello on "Almost" adds a unique resonance that lends the song a cinematic quality. Torun Eriksen and Anja Martine Mørk accompany on backing vocals with a high level of perfection, sounding as one. The album's guitar chops are provided by Fran Cathcart, and round out the diverse palette that constitutes a jewel in the Beady Belle crown.

However, the true glint of that jewel is, as always, the stunning voice of Beady Belle herself, plaintive, seductive, exuberant, moody, evocative and unique. With each new release, Beady Belle's voice has become richer, more capable, and laced with nuance and subtle expressiveness. Simply put, there is no-one else like her.

Beady Belle, lead vocal, background vocals
Bugge Wesseltoft, grand piano, Fender Rhodes, percussion
Fran Cathcart, guitar
Gregory Hutchinson, drums
Reuben Rogers, acoustic bass
Joshua Redman, saxophone
Mathias Eick, trumpet
Audun Sandvik, cello
Torun Eriksen, background vocals
Anja Martine Mørk, background vocals

Recorded by Fran Cathcart at Eastside Sound Studio (New York City), Buggesroom (Oslo) and at Beady Belle's studio (Oslo)
Produced by Bugge Wesseltoft

Beady Belle
is one of the freshest new sounds to come out of the left-of-field music underground of Norway. A collaboration between singer Beate Lech and bassist Marius Reksjo, Beady Belle's debut album *Home* is a sensuous mosaic of sound that draws on the vast libraries of jazz, pop, techno, drums n' bass and ambient to reveal the essence of Beate's stunning live performances yet manages to combine it with the deliberate strategies of her creative musicianship.

In 1999 Beate was asked by Bugge Wesseltoft to make a record for Jazzland rec. The company gave her the artistic freedom to make the recording she wanted. As the project progressed, Marius began to help out. He took care of the groove elements while Beate composed the melodies, harmonies and lyrics, with some exceptions both ways. The product of this work, done in their private surroundings, would be entitled 'Home'. The original project title 'Beate S. Lech' was abandoned. 'Beady Belle' was formed and the duo worked concretely for one and a half years producing their new record.

'Home' was released all over Europe and also in Japan, Korea and Canada during the summer 2001. Later it was also released in Australia. Beady Belle was given 'European Priority' by Universal International. After the release of the 'Home' album, Beady Belle travelled around the world performing their music.

The work with cd number 2 started the spring 2002 and was named 'CEWBEAGAPPIC' – the title was an attempt at describing Beady Belle’s music (Complex + Easy, White + Black, Electronic + Acoustic, Groovy + Ambient, Played + Programmed, Improvised + Composed).

Beady Belle’s third album, 'Closer', was released in 2005. Beate and Marius set off to fine-tune their creative output. Beate says, "We've tried to make an album that’s closer to the listener, for the most part taking away embellishments and emphasizing the essence of the music. The strings don’t have the purpose of being lushly arranged harmonies, but serve to bring the musical theme into the foreground. Even the sound of the strings are sharper, clearer. And one can hear the breath of the musicians."

In the three years since the 'Closer' release, the members of the band went through a number of changes. Perhaps the most personal being Beate becoming a mother, which influenced the direction of the newest album. Another big change was the addition of new band member, drummer Erik Holm.

Beady Belle have enjoyed the support and encouragement of some big international artists. In 2005 they performed as Jamie Cullum’s supporting act on a tour, and in 2006 they collaborated with India Arie on the funky duet 'Self-fulfilling' to be found on Beady Belle’s fourth album 'Belvedere'. The first single from that album was 'Intermission music' featuring Jamie Cullum.

After the release of this album, the band has toured many places in Europe and America, but the new thing is that thay also played all over Norway! Finally Beady Belle got a big Norwegian audience as well.

Beady Belle’s fifth album 'At Welding Bridge' was released September 2010. This album is a synthesis - or a welding - between the first three albums - on the one hand - and the fourth album - on the other. The majority of 'At Welding Bridge' takes many of the musical conventions of country music, sets up expectation of the predictable country course, only to jump sideways into a purely urban cool jazz style, or have that vibe dissipate in a smoky haze of smooth soul cool.

Beady Belle’s approach has been one of steadfast commitment to their sound, gradually evolving, coaxing new elements to blossom that had previously only been hinted at, augmenting it with new elements, creating a consistently strong body of music, each step more confident than the last. To compare this album with 'Home', it is easy to hear just how much ground they have covered in just 9 years. Just like its predecessors, 'At Welding Bridge' is shot through with genuine warmth, heart, and - yes! - soul. Pure soul! (Source: scandinaviansoul.com)

This album contains no booklet.