Album Review: Blue Journal from Ester Wiesnerová

Album:  Blue Journal
Artist:  Ester Wiesnerová
Website:  www.esterwiesnerova.com

Slovakia-born vocalist Ester Wiesnerová fuses multiple elements in her music, coalescing the flamenco rhythm of the Mediterranean's Andalusia region with the intimacy of American blues and the contemplative mood of coffeehouse folk.  Her debut CD, Blue Journal, contains thought-provoking lyrics shrouded in silky instrumentation, linking a flowing stream of wispy silhouettes and scintillating chimes.  Supported by a band of international musicians from the East and the West, the recording is comprised of 11 introspective tunes, composed, sung and produced by Wiesnerová.

She shows a sensitivity of the human heart that audiences can relate to, creating an intimacy that personalizes the listening experience.  Sam Knight's swirling saxophone toots elevate the melodic progressions along "Who Are You Now," as the twinkling chords of Charles Overton's harp produce waves of sparkling shimmers across "Nightingales and Maple Trees."  Singing in her native Slovakian, her nimble vocalizations along "Citlivli" are entrancing.  From torch songs like "Dripping" to the delicate rustling of "Feet Are Screaming," Wiesnerová's blend of folk, acoustic pop, and blues are reminiscent of the artistic ambiences nurtured in Parisian coffeehouses.

Wiesnerová fell in love with jazz, listening to her mother’s record collection and wound up attending Berklee College of Music and the New England Conservatory.  She has taught and performed at festivals and clubs around the world, honing her voice and musical style.  Her sensitivity is unlike the singers before her, marking a new age of vocalists going into the 21st century.

Musicians:
Esther Wiesnerová -vocals
Sam Knight - saxophone
Charles Overton - harp
Kan Yanabe - percussion
Michal Šelep - bass