Melissa James- Official Website
http://www.melissa-james.com/Melissa James - ReverbNation
http://www.reverbnation.com/melissajames
Melissa James - MySpace
http://www.myspace.com/melissajamesmusic
Melissa James - Facebook
http://www.facebook.com/MelissaJamesUK
Melissa James - Twitter
https://twitter.com/#!/MelissaJamesUK
Melissa James – Interview / News 2011 - 2012
http://us2.campaign-archive2.com/?u=30d124e7c33872d9427f93d8a&id=299c6aabe5
Melissa James – World United Music 2
http://worldunitedmusic.com/2011/12/07/melissa-james/
Videos!
Melissa James - YouTube
http://www.youtube.com/user/MelissaJamesUK
Melissa James - Vimeo
http://vimeo.com/melissajames
Buy Music!
Melissa James - Bandcamp
http://melissajames.bandcamp.com/
Melissa James - iTunes
http://itunes.apple.com/gb/album/day-dawns/id538781619
Melissa James - Amazon
http://www.amazon.co.uk/Day-Dawns-Melissa-James/dp/B0089PO1NK/
Melissa James – Last FM
http://www.last.fm/music/Melissa+James
Melissa James - Soundcloud
http://soundcloud.com/melissajames
BIO: Melissa James
Day Dawns is a truly exceptional debut album from Melissa James, a singer-songwriter who has already been causing a stir at her live shows and attracting a steady stream of followers, entranced by her earthy, soulful sound.
Fusing her love of blues, folk, jazz and soul, Melissa’s songs take the listener on mini detours, which often open up to reveal the sometimes raw elements of her innermost thoughts. Combined with the velvety power of her delivery, it makes for a spine tingling experience.
Melissa first began singing seriously whilst at university. In between lectures and seminars, she’d listen intently to recordings by Bessie Smith, Holiday and Simone and ponder the lyrics of singer-songwriter Joni Mitchell. Mentally, she’d take notes before putting into practice what she’d learned in her slot at a Sunday night jam.
Encouraged by her vocal coach to start songwriting, an advertisement put her in touch with her writing partner, Ross Lorraine. In very little time, they completed three songs, one of which – I Miss You – is one of their strongest collaborations. “I wrote it late at night and the lyrics, melody and some of the harmony ideas came quickly, says Melissa. It felt like this song had been waiting to be born. Once we’d finished working on it, I knew it was special. And that was when the penny dropped and I thought that Ross and I could actually make a great partnership.”
Three years on, the album Day Dawns has emerged. It embraces all of Melissa’s musical influences – Little Caged Bird is catchy soulful-pop and tells the metaphorical tale of a bird realising its dream. The soulful and gospel-tinged I Need You Here speaks of missing a lost love and the country and folk-influenced Long Road Travelled details a journey in self-discovery. Her gutsy version of Eric Bibb’s song Don’t Ever Let Nobody Drag Your Spirit Down is one of two covers featured on the album.
A number of live dates are currently being scheduled for the summer months and there will be a very special live launch of Day Dawns at The Green Note, Camden, London on Thursday 21st June – the summer solstice. Appropriate, as Day Dawns charts the story of a turning of time, a new chapter and another beginning.
“They don’t write ‘em like that anymore…. except they do…. Superb…singer in classic mould” - (Tom Robinson, BBC 6Music on I Need You Here from Day Dawns)
Influences:
Nina Simone, Ella Fitzgerald, Billie Holiday, Frank Sinatra, Cassandra Wilson, Tuck and Patti, Joni Mitchell, John Williams, Nathalie Merchant, Kurt Elling, Lizz Wright, Ray Lamontagne, Amos Lee, Bob Dylan, Miles Davis, John Coltrane, Rickie Lee Jones, Jonatha Brooke, Ray Charles, Aretha Franklin, Stevie Wonder,
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