WHERE Y’AT? Nov. 2011
Olga Whatever You Want 219records
New Orleans-based blues singer Olga is back with an album that seems anything but the genre she usually sings. Teaming up with North Mississippi Allstars drummer Cody Dickinson, the duo has crafted a purely pop album that fits more with contemporary adult listening, teeming with smoothly produced guitar licks and melodic, slight bass.
Often compared to Bonnie Raitt in vocal stylings, the comparison proves even more apt with Whatever You Want, as the album is eerily reminiscent of Raitt’s early ‘90s work. Though not necessarily musically revolutionary, as far as a commercially successful album goes, Olga and Dickinson are solid gold in their partnership, with songs like the title track and “Better in Some Way” creating a sweet soundscape of layered harmonies and driving drums. Those wanting a truly bluesy Olga may have to wait but Whatever You Want makes for some easy listening in the meantime.—April Siese
http://npaper-wehaa.com/whereyat/2011/11/?g=print#?article=1421831&page=27
Showing posts with label New Orleans. Show all posts
Showing posts with label New Orleans. Show all posts
Monday, January 16, 2012
Wednesday, July 13, 2011
Album release shindig
Tonight!
Album release and music video debut cocktail party at Le Bon Temp on Magazine and Bordeaux from 7-10pm. Free! and pick the album dropcard FREE!
On WWOZ 90.7fm at 3pm-ish in NEW ORLEAAAANS!
Album release and music video debut cocktail party at Le Bon Temp on Magazine and Bordeaux from 7-10pm. Free! and pick the album dropcard FREE!
On WWOZ 90.7fm at 3pm-ish in NEW ORLEAAAANS!
Monday, April 13, 2009
Love and Music
I haven't blogged in forever it seems, and though I have often thought about it, just could not bring myself to, as there was nothing I felt I could really talk about at the time publicly. See I have been making a lot of big changes in my life in recent months, life changing decisions and have not been in a place to be able to talk about it, so I have been keeping it close to home and the heart.
The last several years have been very emotionally difficult for me, for reasons I cannot get into. But I can say that I really lost sight of who I was and where I was going. In essence, I was turning into another person and it wasn't someone who I liked or who made me happy. It was not until last summer when I began recording my songs and working on my album, that I slowly started my ascension out of the deep hole I was in. In fact, I didn't know how lost I was! Now I am at the surface, and for the first time in a long time, I feel like I am back on track to where I should be and should have been all this time. I cannot look back with regrets and as they say, everything happens for a reason. Truthfully though, I have had some days filled with regret of past decisions I made that ultimately lead me down the wrong path. With the recording of my new songs, I began to feel important again like I was rediscovering my soul and I realized that I do have something special to offer after all. I don't know how or when I became so low, I suppose it was little by little with each passing day. But all that is behind me now, I have moved back to my true home, New Orleans, to start over and I also made the heartbreaking decision to leave my marriage. What is left after all was said and done is only love and music. This is who I am and this is where I will be from now on.
As for my album, it will be finished very soon. I am so incredibly amazed and proud of what we have done. Yes I said we, as without my two talented and lovely friends Winn McElroy and Cody Dickinson, it would not have become the beautiful work that is is. And without the experience I would not have been able to find my soul again and climb out of the dark.
More news soon...
Happy Easter!
The last several years have been very emotionally difficult for me, for reasons I cannot get into. But I can say that I really lost sight of who I was and where I was going. In essence, I was turning into another person and it wasn't someone who I liked or who made me happy. It was not until last summer when I began recording my songs and working on my album, that I slowly started my ascension out of the deep hole I was in. In fact, I didn't know how lost I was! Now I am at the surface, and for the first time in a long time, I feel like I am back on track to where I should be and should have been all this time. I cannot look back with regrets and as they say, everything happens for a reason. Truthfully though, I have had some days filled with regret of past decisions I made that ultimately lead me down the wrong path. With the recording of my new songs, I began to feel important again like I was rediscovering my soul and I realized that I do have something special to offer after all. I don't know how or when I became so low, I suppose it was little by little with each passing day. But all that is behind me now, I have moved back to my true home, New Orleans, to start over and I also made the heartbreaking decision to leave my marriage. What is left after all was said and done is only love and music. This is who I am and this is where I will be from now on.
As for my album, it will be finished very soon. I am so incredibly amazed and proud of what we have done. Yes I said we, as without my two talented and lovely friends Winn McElroy and Cody Dickinson, it would not have become the beautiful work that is is. And without the experience I would not have been able to find my soul again and climb out of the dark.
More news soon...
Happy Easter!
Monday, September 01, 2008
NOLA meets Gustav
24 hours ago, all the citizens of New Orleans were facing their worst nightmare ever since surviving Katrina: another major hurricane making landfall in our city. This time, it was a he and he was called Gustav. On Saturday night, major Ray Nagin gave a press conference announcing the mandatory evacuation. It scared the crap out of me and I could feel my stomach falling. At the time, Gustav was a category 4 hurricane, killed over 90 people in Cuba and decimated it. He said Gustav was about 900 miles in diameter and was the "storm of the century". I know I was not alone thinking that New Orleans was going to be under water again and totally creamed. It was a horrible, horrible thought that I thought maybe I was dreaming.
I had heard from most of my friends in some way about where they were and if they left. Two friends of ours stayed in town. One was holed up with what he said was "a month worth of food and loads of ammo" with his buddy a few blocks from our house, and the other in Harahan with his family who owns a hardware store out there. They stayed to be part of the first reponse team. Knowing that, I felt a little bit of comfort.
All day yesterday I was glued to my laptop. We are in Memphis and here we do not have fast internet nor cable tv, so finding information was incredibly slow and tedious, especially since there were many people online trying to do the same thing as me. Last night was a long night and restless one. Though I slept, my thoughts were on the storm, on our house and on our city and my dreams reflected my worries.
This morning I awoke and still bleary eyed, opened up my laptop to find out the latest. To my relief, Gustav had weakened to a Category 2 when it hit Cocodrie and quickly went to a category 1 not long after. If it was not for this, we would have likely seem more widespread flooding, more damage and more problems no doubt. By some miracle, the levees held together for the most part in the city and wind damage was reported to be minimal. Power was even on in parts of the city! It was even reported that Houma was spared on the most part so the good news continued. The state and city-wide response and preparation to Gustav has been remarkable. I am wholly blown away by how organized everything has been and I'm sure I am not alone in feeling real elation and pride in our state, state officials, city leaders and police department, national guards and citizens for it.
As far as specific details about our house, I do not know yet, but I do know that our neighborhood for the most part held together, so I feel really good about it. Hey, what's another roof? We've only done it 4 times since Katrina we practically have a routine!
My prayers and thoughts are with Grand Isle, Lafourche and Terrebonne Parish who took a big hit. Plaquemines Parish is having a hard time right now too. Information is still coming in from other towns and Parishes who took a beating and my heart goes out. Somehow, going through this together not only as a city but as a state makes me feel closer to the citizens of Louisiana.
I had heard from most of my friends in some way about where they were and if they left. Two friends of ours stayed in town. One was holed up with what he said was "a month worth of food and loads of ammo" with his buddy a few blocks from our house, and the other in Harahan with his family who owns a hardware store out there. They stayed to be part of the first reponse team. Knowing that, I felt a little bit of comfort.
All day yesterday I was glued to my laptop. We are in Memphis and here we do not have fast internet nor cable tv, so finding information was incredibly slow and tedious, especially since there were many people online trying to do the same thing as me. Last night was a long night and restless one. Though I slept, my thoughts were on the storm, on our house and on our city and my dreams reflected my worries.
This morning I awoke and still bleary eyed, opened up my laptop to find out the latest. To my relief, Gustav had weakened to a Category 2 when it hit Cocodrie and quickly went to a category 1 not long after. If it was not for this, we would have likely seem more widespread flooding, more damage and more problems no doubt. By some miracle, the levees held together for the most part in the city and wind damage was reported to be minimal. Power was even on in parts of the city! It was even reported that Houma was spared on the most part so the good news continued. The state and city-wide response and preparation to Gustav has been remarkable. I am wholly blown away by how organized everything has been and I'm sure I am not alone in feeling real elation and pride in our state, state officials, city leaders and police department, national guards and citizens for it.
As far as specific details about our house, I do not know yet, but I do know that our neighborhood for the most part held together, so I feel really good about it. Hey, what's another roof? We've only done it 4 times since Katrina we practically have a routine!
My prayers and thoughts are with Grand Isle, Lafourche and Terrebonne Parish who took a big hit. Plaquemines Parish is having a hard time right now too. Information is still coming in from other towns and Parishes who took a beating and my heart goes out. Somehow, going through this together not only as a city but as a state makes me feel closer to the citizens of Louisiana.
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