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I think we've found Joni Mitchell 2004! Hmmmm, on second thought, it's nearly impossible to attempt to classify New York City-based regional artist Nadine Goellner's style. Her jazz and folk influences can't be overlooked. Take Mitchell, Carole King, Steely Dan, Ella Fitzgerald, Gayle Moran, David Sanborn, Mike Mainieri, just a dab of Cab Calloway and George Benson, and any of your favorite scat artists. Throw 'em all in a blender, wait a few minutes to listen what evolves, and yeah, that's Nadine Goellner. Clear as mud?

Okay. Don't forget to add some of your favorite love and relationship songs with lyrics that tickle and touch your senses, too! But back to the music for a second. Goellner plays acoustic and electric guitar, and her voice plays all over the music--not the other way around. Goellner has the full-length Remember My Name and Christmas single, "It Must Be Christmas Time" (both from 2002) under her belt; I didn't think she could outdo these recordings, but she has done a lot of fine-tuning for a very pleasing project called Sing It To Me Anyway. The results are nearly flawless.

Like fast-paced guitar jazz? Here are the ones to hear: "Emotional," "Wherever I Go," and "Sometimes" ("So Lost"). Like slow-paced guitar/sax/drums jazz? There's "Three Days," "So What," and "I Know." Like guitar folk? Answers: "Close to Me," "Running," and "Sarah." Can't overlook the brilliant title track, including viola, violin and cello that add to the beauty of the slight intricacy of Goellner's lyrics.

Back to this "love and relationship lyrics"? Along with two really touching songs for her best friend, with jazz-oriented folk, you'd expect broken and/or strained relationship songs, eh? Not here. What I like about Nadine Goellner is that there's always a tinge of possibility that after the rain, everything's going to work out--albeit perhaps not perfectly. Two quick examples: from the title track, Goellner's refrain is "Falling down like rain / If I hear that line one more time again, I won't make it through / But sing it to me anyway." And from "Emotional": "Have you ever been so emotional that you cried like a baby child over nothing at all? / But every time I shed those tears / I know that I'm alive and that only makes me smile inside."

That's just touching a little of Goellner's ingredients of this project. There's also a dash of humor here, with "Please Shut Up" (including the "harshest" lyrics, but you have to hear it to get the essence) and sheer unbridled energy with the final track, "Sometimes" ("So Lost"). The closing track, about the homeless of New York City, seems reminiscent of Marvin Gaye's "What's Going On" in its lyrical urgency.

I'd like to hear more of songs like "Emotional" and "Sometimes," where Goellner seems to allow herself to cut loose and rear her head back and let it rip! The more I listen to Sing It To Me Anyway, the more I enjoy it. One final point of clarity: many of these songs do indeed include a full band of guitar, bass, sax, keyboards and drums.

Extra points department: Goellner's web site is always up-to-date, and she often appears in concert with recording mate Natalia Zukerman (featured on this project) and is closing out a summer tour with Zukerman and Abi Tapia.

Olin Jenkins    July 12, 2004