I've long held a penchant for American Pop standards. Credit it to what some may say my "old soul"; the standards remain the music of my dreams. See, I'm a daydreamer, dreamer, lost in my thoughts, or imagination kind of girl. Ever in my own world, and most of the time American standards play. Dinah Washington, Nancy Wilson, Carmen McRae, Ella Fitzgerald. They inspire me with their musical style and swagger. They illustrate feeling with words, something I may spend my entire life trying to write down. Not to mention, they possess an air of womanhood and power. Although, they often sing about the broken down effects of romance. You can't help but gain the notion they never really lost control. And it's something about the reflection of their song. The other side to me that likes to sit in a lonely room as the record plays, glass in hand, and smoke escaping from my lips. It's a tormented kind of pleasure only a standard fulfills.
My favorite, among the countless list of tunes that tap into my airy reflections of fresh love or pitiful heartbreak, is "Misty" by Johnny Mathis. It seems to me Mathis's voice transforms into the mistiness, often helpless emotions of love. But , that's the beauty of Pop Standards. It captures the beginnings of love...well before "we" set in.
I'm thrilled to share that the language of music allows me to connect with present-day artist like Mara Hruby. The native Oakland, California creative is everything I need. Vintage loving, standard swinging, spacey futuristic GODDESS. With her recent release "Archaic Rapture, I won't have to go without the classic sounds of a bygone era. She fascinates me with her minimal interpretations of songs passed through many lips like a melodic folktale. Phasing, composition, a subtle blend of genres. Not to mention, it's difficult to push a classic sound in an ever-changing world. Mara Hruby holds her own, and that's the magic of standards. It's solely there to take you on a personal journey. Wherever you heart leads you, the music provides an escape.
MISTY
Mara Hruby
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