Chicago
singer-songwriter Joanie Pallatto is completely unknown here. However,
this is already her thirteenth album, which will be released on May 19.
Joanie has been a part of the Chicago music scene for over 44 years. She is also co-owner of Southport Records. For this new project she could count on the support of her husband, pianist Bradley Parker-Sparrow, jazz guitarist Fareed Haque, bassist John Christensen, and percussionists Eric Hines and Juan Pastor.
Joanie composed all the songs herself, and Fareed Haque produced them. Those songs come in all kinds of styles. The opener 'Surrender' is about surrendering to life, after which the bossa nova/salsa takes over in the title track.
'Apart' was composed just before the pandemic, and 'You Think You Know' with relief after that lockdown. 'A Shooting Star' feels like a tango, and was composed especially for Haque's guitar playing. ‘The Melody of You’ is a romantic love song, a duet with her husband Parker-Sparrow.
'Don't Ever Look for Love' dedicates Joanie to her friend Tania, followed by 'The Cuckoo Clock' about a cuckoo clock in her mother's house. Then comes the soft Latin sound of 'In the Middle of Life', while 'Sound' is completely improvised. ‘Lafayette’ is a travelogue on the way to Chicago, and ‘Keeping Track of Time’ is a pop ballad. Joanie closes with 'The Lost Year', a song about the end of the Covid lockdown.
Joanie, who comes from a musical family, thus mixed elements of pop, jazz and Latin. Most enjoyable!
Tracks:
Accidental Melody
Apart
You Think You Know
A Shooting Star
The Melody of You
Don’t Ever Look for Love
The Cuckoo Clock
In the Middle of Life
Sound
Lafayette
Keeping Track of Time
The Lost Year
Joanie Pallatto