Ava Lemert is a Sacramento siren of soul. She is both a powerful singer, songwriter and electrifying saxophonist. Her original songs range from the acclaimed "Kiss You" which feature her singing lead, harmonies and layers of her alto and tenor saxophones to the amped up "I Wanna Funk It Up" which is her own house-quaking nod to Zapp and Roger and the Isley Brothers. It has electrifying vocal and saxophone effects sure to get you moving to the sound! If seductive, passionate soul music move you, there is much to hear, from the lilting effortless sexy "Rhodelea" to the raw, urban feel of "Soft and Silky" there won't be anything but pure satisfaction. You can't listen just once. "From My Soul" is not just one genre of music —nor is Ms. Lemert just a 'vocalist' or a 'saxophonist' she is all that and much, much more. Catch a star on her rise.
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REVIEW - EXAMINER.COM - San Francisco - Nov. 29, 2009
by Matthew Wright - Sacramento's Indie Music Examiner
"If you dig soul jazz, if the saxophone makes you shake, if you swoon to a chanteuse, Ava Lemert is the indie musician to catch.
With a new CD available and a variety of videos and singles available online, independent music's rich tapestry in Sacramento is held together with the original threads of deep soul and jazz. She is a songwriter and vocalist who plays the alto and tenor sax with a soulful and uplifting finesse and has been releasing singles, recording videos and promoting her music online.
Although the new album, "From My Soul" is available now through her website, she will be having a CD Release Party at Simplie Indie in Rocklin on December 15. She recently played at Arco Arena, performing "The Star Spangled Banner" for the fans during the pre-game festivities. The video can be watched at Youtube.
Anyone who enjoys music that thrills, original lyrics, traditional soul and jazz, sultry saxophone and seductive vocals should catch Ava Lemert, one of Sacramento's rising stars."
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REVIEW - SOULCHOONZ.COM - U.K. - Jan. 3, 2010
by Barry Towler - The Vibe Scribe
http://soulchoonzreviews.blogspot.com/2010/01/ava-lemert-from-my-soul-2009-ava-lemert.html
"Hailing from Citrus Heights, California, the petite yet powerful Ava Lemert blows away the cobwebs from 2009 with her zingy sax prowess and funky vocals. This is no smooth jazz set, by no stretch of the imagination. The CD definitely has it's fair share of jazzy moments, but in equal measure do we find plenty of soul and funk vibes. A set, I would imagine, that encompasses everything we know and love about our music. There is something on here for everyone who visits these pages, and if you check out the sound samples on CD Baby then I think you'll agree that this is a worthwhile purchase to kick off your soulful squandering in 2010! As far as my feelings go, I was sold within moments of hearing the intro to "You Know You Got It". The real instrumentation, funky guitar, horns and flute are superb and very much in a mid '70s vibe. I wouldn't say that Ava has the vocal prowess of, say, JC Bentley or Regina Belle, but she is very much at home on this kind of groove.
The edgier "I Want To Funk It Up" reminds me of grittier moments from the latest U-Nam CD, and the vocals certainly work well on here with the strained and freaky sax touches. Fans of Boney James will find a home with the gorgeous "Rhodelea", a semi vocal cut with a nice haunting melody, backing vocals and loose rhythm that allows the sax to take centre stage. Strong, and extremely worthwhile is this track. A full-blown vocal cut complete with acoustic guitar can be found with "Won't Be Your Plaything" - this gives us a Hammond organ and therefore a different feel. I much prefer the sexy, saxy "That '70s Girl" complete with wah-wah guitar. This is definitely the sort of funky jazz that I like to hear. What surprised me was a soulful interpretation of George Michael's "Nothing Looks The Same In The Light". This is quite good actually, and I'm sure the Great Man - being a soulboy himself - would heartily approve. "You Got Something Coming To You" could be a great vehicle for someone of the stature of Joss Stone...this is a strong, rootsy soul track of real merit and is one that should do the business on radio. All in all a promising debut CD!"
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OWNER RATINGS/REVIEWS SO FAR:
5 out of 5 stars-- R&B/Jazz from the heart and soul of Ava Lemert - December 30, 2009
By Joseph T. Golden "Joe Golden" (Fredericksburg, VA USA) - Amazon.com
"This is a wonderful and great release from Ava Lemert! Her eclectic style of Rhythm and Blues coupled with Jazz have really provided some great sounds for these great genre of music. It is deeply from her heart and soul just as the title says "From My Soul". Truly American music form our deep roots of Jazz and R&B. My wife and I love the sultry singing and great Saxophone solos! Agreat mix and wonderful for the listening ear.
This is definitely a 5 star rating and I encourage any one wanting to listen to music especially Jazz and R&B it is great. I found to be uplifting in beat and great all around listening."
5 out of 5 stars - Up and coming artist - Jan, 2, 2010
by byranbu - iTunes.com
"I discovered Ava at her CD release party. It didn't take long to become a fan. She is the future of smooth jazz, my favorite song so far is nothing looks the same in the light. Check this CD out, you won't regret it."
5 out of 5 stars - Really impressed! - Jan. 2, 2010
by Drew Scott - iTunes.com
"I've been following Ava for a while on Facebook for a while now, and after listening to some of the samples of her music, I decided to take the plunge and buy the album. I was really impressed! This is an outstanding effort by a hot new artist! After several listens, I'd have to rank "That 70's Girl" as my favorite song. Close behind it is Rhodelea and I Wanna Funk it Up. There is a really interesting blend of saxophone based instrumental songs and some outstanding vocal work. Ms. Ava Lemert has a ton of talent, and I can't wait to hear what she comes up with next. If you are a fan of neo-soul and saxophone music, give this one a listen! You won't be disappointed."
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