The official blurb?
"Jodi Arlyn's songs feature personal yet universally recognizable themes; stories you've heard before, but told in refreshing new ways.
The unofficial stuff:
I grew up in Massachusetts. While in Boston, I did the music thing, but spent more time behind the scenes early on, booking local bands and learning about the music business. After graduating college, I enrolled at Berklee College of Music to work on basic skills, but had more fun singing in the Gospel Choir and doing studio sessions. As I also needed to pay my rent, I started working as a singing waitress on the Spirit of Boston, belting out patriotic anthems and show tunes while serving lobsters and baked potatoes. Glamorous work. There was an occasional wedding gig here and there and another cruise ship in between, but, I wasn't sure how much longer I could sing "Celebration" or "Saving All My Love for You" with a straight face.
So, I got a day job.
I started thinking about writing my own songs instead of singing someone else's.
Before I left Massachusetts, I sang with a couple of Boston bands; Adventure Set, Meta Terra, and Blistersoul, with whom I also had my first opportunity to write.
I started seriously writing in 1994. I demo-ed up a bunch of songs, but didn't quite find my voice until I moved to NYC in 1995.
I started playing out live around NYC in early 1998. Since then, I've been fortunate enough to have the opportunity to work with many of NYC's most versatile players - On keyboards: John Deley (Dido, Citizen), Andrew Sherman. On guitar: John Caban (Lavabox, Organic), Thad DeBrock, Steve Walsh. On bass, Jeff Allen (Duncan Sheik), Richard Hammond (Angelique Kidjo, House of Red), Tony Tino. On drums, Bill Dobrow (Teddy Thompson, Martha Wainwright), Ethan Eubanks (Redtime), Rich Kulsar, Rich Mercurio (Jonatha Brooke, Ben E. King).
I enjoy listening to artists who amaze me with clever word-play. I love hearing a chord change that drips with emotion and angst and, for lack of a better explanation, feels like a punch in the stomach!
As far as my songs go -- well -- although the subject matter often comes from personal experience, I like to think that I'm writing about things that everyone can relate to - unrequited love, anger, embarrassment, lust, happiness. My hope is that you'll hear something that speaks to you and that maybe you'll also "feel the punch"...
