Melody Gardot...

I went to a friend's house one night this summer and within minutes he exclaimed he had a gift for me. Needless to say, I was immediately intrigued. Who doesn't like to receive a gift, especially when it is not expected? Those gifts are often the best ones much like adventures that are spontaneous. A bunch of us had gathered that night because a dear friend was visiting Toronto to get a second opinion on a recent diagnosis of breast cancer. You would think that the tone of the night would have been heavy but it was quite the opposite; we had great food, wine and music. We were celebrating being together. I had brought along a recent 80's playlist I had made and it was a big hit. All in attendance were teenagers in the 80's. Don't you just love how music transports you back to that moment in time? We danced and sang until the wee hours. It was at the end of the evening, as things were winding down, that my friend and host for the evening gave me a Melody Gardot CD. We listened to the title track "My One and Only Thrill" and I fell in love with her music instantly. I am not in love at the moment but when I listened to the CD in its entirety the next morning, I sure as hell wanted to be. It stirred up a whole lot of passion in me.

Ms. Gardot is a mere 23 years old and writes with the wisdom and romanticism of a much older soul. The music is stunningly orchestrated, beautifully produced and I think a gateway to some serious love making. She has risen above incredible odds: a terrible car accident at 19 that left her hospitalized for a year, dependent on a cane to walk, and with memory problems. Many of us would probably wallow in self-pity for a while, maybe she did, but despite the prevailing circumstances, she taught her self music and I believe will come to pen a few jazz standards. That is inspiring.....

http://www.myspace.com/melody