Music
Press
"It's as good as anything I have ever played!"
Kenny Cortes / Morning Host
Denver's Smooth Jazz 104.3
Cayman Moon Reviewed
This album whisked me away to a place in my mind I have often fantasized about. And isn’t that the mark of a great artist? An artist who is capable of producing a vehicle for transport to the land of music, light and far away.
Ensenada is the embodiment of working class Mexico. Flavor, the lure of the sea and the exotic. There is a hook, like the fishing port that Ensenada is, that is irresistible.
Any Other Way is sensual, romantic and emotional. Does it light the fire of a waiting romance, or bring back memories of a love lost? As with any piece, the art is in the eye and the experience of the beholder.
Out of the Ashes – the antithesis to Any Other Way. Again, Siemion is able to capture the moment and give it a sense of eternity. There is guarded optimism in this track, but ultimately it is the hope we all long for – a love that will last.
Seaport Village. Ah, memories of the Harbor House in America’s Finest City. Where the omelets are as fresh as the Pacific breeze, and this track as light and airy as a Del Mar condo, exuding the freedom of spirit that so embodies Southern California.
The Hope springs eternal. It’s what buying a lottery ticket is all about – hope of life’s riches, but dosed with the reality that life also brings pain. Out of pain, we return a little wiser.
I really like Lodo Bop because it is what it is. Lodo is such a cool, retro place in the shadow of Coors Field. This is music that feels young and energetic…like a Rockies game on a perfect Friday evening in June. Life is good. Lodo Bop is pure Denver.
Dotsero, a musical thank you to Denver’s best band. How cool is that? In truth, there are many influences that inspire an artist’s work, but music is the medium that reaches the marrow. Dotsero is upbeat, positive and feels good. Steve Watts’ sax is a perfect complement, never overpowering Joel’s guitar.
Cayman Moon. Imagine being immersed by a full moon over a pristine Caribbean Sea, and having the skill and talent to create a sound that reflects a few precious moments in a magical, timeless place. Cayman Moon is the cornerstone of inspiration for this cd and its lush artwork. It flows like soothing waves along white, sandy beaches of a calm night in the tropics with a very special person at your side.
You Know I’ll Always Be in Love With You. The emotion pours from this track like vintage wine into a lonely glass that has been emptied far too many times. Joel Rodney Siemion, like the true artist he is, has revealed a side of himself that many artists reserve for only their most private and personal moments. But in showing us who he is, Joel Rodney Siemion also proves he is very real. And that’s what makes this cd so very special.
Kenny Noble Cortes
Morning host KJCD Denver
www.smoothjazzdenver.com
- Kenny Cortes
Cayman Moon Reviewed
My first exposure to the music of Colorado-based guitarist Joel Rodney Siemion was his first album, EPIPHANY, and I’ve been a big fan ever since. His second release, CAYMAN MOON, is another superb collection of originals, each song capable of transporting us, his listeners, to magical places, whether they be a Caribbean Island ("Cayman Moon"), a festive Mexican port ("Ensenada"), Denver’s hip and happening Lower Downtown ("LoDo Bop"), or deep inside ourselves ("The Hope"). Joel’s enlisted the support of an incredibly talented team for this project, including Dotsero’s Tom Capek (producer/keys) and Steve Watts (sax), Rippingtons bassist Kim Stone, Rob Rebholz of Images (saxes, flute, EWI), plus producer Darren Rahn and mixing engineer Steve Avedis. The result is an exceptional CD that shines brilliantly from start to finish. I like every song on this disc, from the gently sweet “Any Other Way” to the sassy “LoDo Bop,” but I must share with you the emotional welling up I experienced listening to Joel’s musical salute to Denver’s own “Dotsero,” which features Steve Watts on sax. Anyone who can elicit that kind of feeling with their melding of melody, performance, and passion has my vote. I have to say that listening to CAYMAN MOON on this sunny Seattle morning in May is one of those special moments, where Joel Rodney Siemion’s beautiful acoustic guitar voicing, the arrangements, and the whole feel of the music couldn’t be a more perfect fit. Life is good! ~SCOTT O'BRIEN
- SmoothJazz.com
Discography
Epiphany (2003), Cayman Moon (2007).
Photos
Bio
My name is Joel Rodney Siemion. I am a Smooth Jazz recording artist with an award winning debut CD release Epiphany and a new release titled Cayman Moon. Both have gotten national airplay. In a recent review by Kenny Cortes of Denver's Smooth 101.9 K-High, he says of Cayman Moon, "it's as good as anything I have ever played!"
I worked for Royal Caribbean for 6 months aboard the ship "The Monarch of the Sea’s" out of Los Angeles and am a member of the Club Med Guest Artist program. I have been a regular performer for Denver’s Smooth Jazz 104.3’s "Sunday Brunch" and three of my original songs were included on their recent Smooth Jazz 104.3 Volumes 5,6, and 7. My performance list includes the Vail Marriott sundays/mondays for the entire 2006-2007 ski season, The Broadmoor, The Brown Palace, Cool River Café, Jazz At Jack's, The Wellshire Inn, Simms Landing, AMTRAK’s Wine Tasting Trains 2004-present, Cherry Hills , Denver, Ptarmigan, Cherry Creek, Lakewood, Perry Park, Inverness, and Glenmoor Country Clubs, as well as the Cherry Creek Arts Festival 2004/2005.
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