Swingin' For The Ride

Although she has been playing piano since she was barely large enough to reach the pedals, Janice Friedman continues to seek out and conquer new musical challenges at every turn. On her new release, Swingin' for the Ride (on Janika Musik) the acclaimed pianist, songwriter and arranger has for the first time put lyrics to her music, performing as a vocalist as well as keyboardist on a collection that includes five originals interspersed with such timeless songs as I Didn't Know What Time It Was, Summertime, Don't Blame Me, and Is You Is. I have always been a closet vocalist, confesses Janice. To me, knowing the words was necessary to my understanding the phrasing, melody and mood of a song. In the privacy of my home I would not only sing the songs, but I would also sing along with my piano improvisations, believing it would help me be honest about what I was playing. Who knew that while I was working out at the piano, I was actually developing a vocal style? I really didn't realize this until my husband, David, heard me singing and playing. His enthusiasm was the encouragement I needed to allow me to hop out of the closet to do both. Coming out of vocal hiding seems to suit Janice. Swingin' for the Ride, is a lively, joyous effort, recorded in a one day session in primarily a trio setting. She's joined by Sean Conly (Ray Barretto, Marian McPartland, Michael Franks) on bass and Diego Voglino (Josh Roseman Unit, Marshall Crenshaw) on drums, with special guest percussionist Daniel Sadownick (Dewey Redman, Julian Coryell, Meshell Ndegeocello, Nelson Rangell) on several tracks. Janice's CD opens with it's title track, an optimistic original that sets the stage for the swingin' music ahead. This song captures my belief in the magic of this world that we too often take for granted. As a musician I believe it is my job to help people feel connected and to experience the fun, love and joy that is out there for all of us. She continues to spice it up with the familiar tune I Can't Give You Anything But Love done in an upbeat, swing groove before switching emotional lanes to the complex, melancholy A Fairytale. In an off-beat Brazilian mode, she composes a tune that captures the reality of coming to terms with the end of a relationship. Though it may share a similar theme you can feel that the drama is all tongue in cheek in the breezy version of Billy Austin and Louis Jordan's Is You Is. Recently married, Janice can't keep her good spirits at bay for long. I used to say that a solid heart aching break was the best impetus for composing a bunch of tunes. Now I see the other side, where this lovely relationship has borne at least as many tunes and I know there's many more to come. The lively You 'n' Me, is a prime example of that new partnership - the melody was composed by Janice while the lyrics were written by her husband, David. A last minute decision to record Don't Blame Me as a ballad captured a take that is pure, spontaneous emotion. It's followed by the easy, breezy A Day in the Life of a Fool which Janice performs frequently in her live shows. The casual vibe of that song is echoed in her cheerful yet passionate original The I Do Song, another tune dedicated to the surprise and joy of finding a wonderful partner. I hope this tune gets played for lots more happy couples, laughs Janice. In fact, I hope that joy is brought to everyone that listens to this CD. Janice proceeds to create a funky, Latin Summertime, made fresh by harmonic changes that give this ever-popular tune a completely different twist. Staying south of the border, she combines soft vocals with sparkling keyboard on Jobim's lovely, romantic Meditation. The atmosphere evolves from child-like wistfulness through foreboding to take-charge confidence on the Hart/Rogers standard I Didn't Know What Time It Was, before the CD draws to a close with her own Seems Like a Dream. I wrote the melody back in 1996, during a snowstorm that closed Manhattan to traffic. It was a day unlike any other I'd ever experienced in our ci