Once in a blue moon there comes a gem whose luster is so reminiscent of pearls of the past, it gives great hope for a brilliant future ...
Straight up, low down, burning and churning soul best describes Shari Pine. Her handling of rich R&B flavors as well as Pop and Soul material on top of American Roots Music distinguishes her as an artist at the crossroads of the Blues and Jazz: firmly anchored in the tradition, but having one foot clearly stepping into the future. And, a singer and songwriter, this New Yorker isn't the first to hearken back to the bygone, less-is-more days of Stax Soul with its deep and steady pockets and mantra like rhythm sections .. she's just phenomenal at it. (Hear her composition Got Your Number.) Her cover of the Aretha classic Ain't No Way , features Richie Canatta (Billy Joel) ripping on Saxophone and Shari soaring, with joyful vocals, smart phrasing, and Hammond Leslie waves on which she rides to the finish line. And that's just the music! She knows how to tell a story: originals Weatherman and Superman are two examples of the diversity and range she has as a songwriter. Sometimes her lyrics are sweet, sometimes sardonic -giving it to us straight or burying her point deep into the melody - still and all heralding the arrival of an artist with real staying power. In a sea of one-hit-wonders Ms. Pine stands out as something rare and real, a victory for everyone searching for a rock & roll oasis in an arid teen-pop wasteland.