ESSENCE: Mariposa

essence

Mariposa

© 2002 essence (714288115621)

CD IN STOCK. ORDER NOW. Will ship immediately.

Emotionally direct, storytelling music and lyrics, with winning humor and soul baring honesty, marrying lush acoustic soundscapes with modern technology, creating a distinctly timeless sonic identity with an aching passion.

tracks

1 Still Crying
2 Sleeping With the Driver
3 Dark Angel
4 Little Innocent
5 Beat Me Blue
6 The Worst Way
7 Drop of Sunshine
8 Breathless
9 You Move Me
10 High On You
11 Love Is the Price We Pay
12 Anything Is Possible
13 Artichoke
14 The Spirit of Bruce Lee
15 Bonus Track

notes

essence is a San Francisco based singer-songwriter who writes emotionally direct, storytelling, music and lyrics, with winning humor and soul baring honesty. She marries lush acoustic soundscapes with modern technology, creating a distinctly timeless sonic identity. She sings of intimacy and loss with a crystalline voice and an aching passion that has gained her a loyal West Coast following. Raw and visual songs like "Sleeping with the Driver" and "Glitter Gone" play with personal and universal experience, and like her name, reflect the core.

Her parents were flower children in San Francisco's Haight Ashbury, trailblazers of the 1960's cultural revolution. In true bohemian spirit, they named their daughter essence. Growing up in a creative and chaotic environment, essence felt compelled to express herself at a young age. While her parents practiced the fine arts of sculpture and painting, essence worshipped The Beatles and Bob Dylan. After studying theater briefly at The American Conservatory, essence decided to chase her own muse rather than bring to life the works of others. She began writing songs at fifteen, finding music to be the ultimate medium to articulate her inner thoughts, and has kept on writing. She worked her way through San Francisco State University as an artist model while developing and refining her songwriting, vocal and guitar skills. During this time, she received numerous scholarships from Blue Bear School of American Music. essence consistently recorded her original compositions with collaborator Garth May, producing an independent record with over 5,000 units sold, and an impressive body of material yet to be released. After paying dues playing at open mics and coffeehouses, her following has grown to where she now plays to capacity crowds at San Francisco's largest showcase venues such as the famous Fillmore Auditorium, The Great American Music Hall, and Slim's.

In June '98, essence entered the Levi/Lilith Fair National Talent Search. Against 5,000 other entries, she won! Her prize was to open the 1998 Lilith Fair in Portland. While there, VH-1 picked up her story and interviewed her for a 3-hour special called "Women First." Entertainment Weekly also featured the talent search win. essence continues to receive heavy press in the Bay Area with features in the San Francisco Chronicle and Examiner, The Bay Guardian, SF Weekly, The Oakland Tribune, and San Jose Mercury News. On the radio her music has received significant attention from radio ALICE, KFOG, KUSF, and KALX. Her song "Glitter Gone" was featured in the highest rated episode of CBS TV's "Nash Bridges." After playing out to support her first album "conception" for over a year, essence was invited back to play the 1999 Lilith Fair at the Rose Bowl in Pasadena. There, essence was summoned to sing on stage with Natalie Merchant, Sarah Mc Laughlin, Chrissie Hynde, The Indigo Girls, Sinead O' Connor, and Joan Baez, performing in front of over 80,000 people.

essence's writing and recording collaborators include Bill Bottrell, (producer of Sheryl Crow's breakthrough record "Tuesday Night Music Club" and Michael Jackson's Billboard #1 "Black or White," John Shanks, (producer for Melissa Etheridge and Stevie Nicks) London producer Martin Terefe, Bonnie Hayes, writer of hit songs on Bonnie Raitt's "Nick of Time" record), Bill Spooner of the Tubes, among others. She studied extensively with vocal coaches Raz Kennedy, Sandy Cressman, and Adam Levy, (guitarist for Tracy Chapman.) essence has opened sold out shows for Pat Benetar, Steve Miller, Tom Petty, Linda Perry of 4 Non Blondes, Sandra Bernhard, Colin Hay of Men at Work, Ani Di Franco, and Heather Nova. Special event appearances include the Webbie Awards, Border's Books Union Square, Passport Party, (an AIDS benefit in S.F. & L.A.), The Mountain Aire Festival, and the VH-1 "Route 97" concert Tour.

essence was contracted by Way Cool Music, a division of MCA Records, in 1997, for a nine-month development deal. Just as they were beginning to record her first record, Way Cool Music was closed, leaving essence without a label. Soon after, essence was discovered by RCA Records and offered a deal which she accepted just before Christmas 1998. Unfortunately, RCA and producer Bill Bottrell met irreconcilable creative differences in producing essence's major label debut, resulting in a mutual parting of ways between artist and label. With her creative enthusiasm untarnished, essence returned to the studio in 2001, to focus on her next release.

On Saturday, June 8, 2002, essence is celebrating the independent release her new record entitled "Mariposa," at the Great American Music Hall, in San Francisco. "Mariposa" is the result of years of prolific writing and recording. "I have been fortunate to have had such a great learning experiences, and now I want my music to speak for itself." The opening song on "Mariposa" is named "Still Crying." It recently won an international songwriting contest for the SIBL (Songs Inspired by Literature) Project and is found on the compilation alongside legendary artists Aimee Mann, Bruce Springsteen, Suzanne Vega, and Grace Slick. (Proceeds benefit literacy programs. For more info visit: www.siblproject.org) Four songs on "Mariposa" have already been prominently featured on Lifetime television's show "The Division." "Still Crying" has been featured on the ALICE Radio artist spotlight.

reviews

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  • music for lost souls
    author: rebecca free

    It's pretty amazing how she's taken one basic melody and used it as the theme for more than a dozen songs. Her very young sounding voice makes the confusion she's suffered extremely poignant. I could really identify with her. I laughed and cried in about equal measure. Anyone trying to find her way in life will get a boost from Essence's music.

  • the fruits of hard work
    author: fan-dango

    Essence has skipped everything else (a career, a family) to throw herself into her music...to achieve everything she has so far. It's obvious when you listen to her music that she cares about it more than most of the masses of independent artists out there. That dedication is obvious in every word.

  • she's wonderful
    author: minell benharchache

    this gurlie taught me how to sing!! she's so freakin awesome! and her voice is the sheer epitome of singing. her CD is wonderful and you can really hear her inner voice. rock on essence

  • Exactly what I wanted in a CD
    author: Trish Chitwood

    I was told about the CD from a friend. I listened to "sleeping with the driver" and was sold just from a small clip when checking it out online. So glad I bought the Mariposa CD and will be looking for more. It's sure to come.Excellent!

  • excellent, great songwriter
    author: tasha
  • You will love Essence
    author: R. Belyk

    I saw essence live at the Bitter End, when visiting NYC, not only is she incredibly sexy buy she has an outstanding vocal range. She started with a song, "these breasts are for squeezing, these lips are for teasing" (not on the cd), just to get the crowd in her hands. Definitely "Sleeping with the Driver" is the song which hopefully surges them mainstream. Essence is in charge, knows where her future is going and will make it big soon. When comparing the cd to the live performance it seems to be over produced; however, I get a positive upbeat energy when I play Essence. She is very similiar to Alanis Morissette without the bitterness. Buy it and enjoy.

  • Original and interesting view of female-male relationship dynamics
    author: John Colby

    She has an interesting and original style and her songs gave me an insight into why woman have doomed relationships. Definitely an artist whose career should followed. And I think the lead-off song "Still Crying" is a really great piece of work. And the other songs like "Breathless", "You Move Me and "Bruce Lee" are not far behind.

  • We can't stop playing this!
    author: pTerridactyl

    We've had this stunning CD for months now, and still are listening to it a couple times a week -the album really is that good. Lyrics & music are so absorbing & intricate, we can't get enough!

  • Great CD!
    author: Holger
  • Fun-filled thoughtfulness
    author: seth meiller

    after first hearing "Sleeping with the Driver", i bought this album in hopes that i might hear one or two other songs with as much depth and uniqueness, and instead, i found about eight other songs that made as much sense to me as did the initial one. really spectacular job mixing great lyrics with new and fun music. thanks.

  • this cd is outstanding
    author: mike

    this cd is diverse, lyrically sharp and musically polished. 14 songs on one cd is quite a bargain and this artist is gifted. it's a shame artists like this aren't in the mainstream but at the same time, finding jewels like this cd make the listening that much tastier.

  • Great music, great lyrics!
    author: Tina

    Heard Sleeping with the Driver on local radio and had to have this CD! Now I can't take it out of my CD player and I can't get the lyrics out of my head! Very rhythmic and strangely seductive.

  • Incredible
    author: Danielle

    This is an amazing cd. I bought this because my local public radio station was playing Sleeping With the Driver. Now that I've heard the rest I'll never be able to decide on a favorite song. I just wish I hadn't missed the Essence concert in Philly. Definately a must have cd for the eclectic music lover in all of us.

  • Excellent Writing & Musicianship
    author: Joe Walsh

    I've really enjoyed listening to this album! It was a impulse buy for me (suggested by CD Baby based on other stuff I was buying), and it's really paid off. essence's lyrics are clever & witty, catching me off-guard more than once with an emotional impact I wasn't expecting. As for the sound...well, I've never heard anything quite like this, but I like it a lot! Her vocal style changes from song to song, while the instrumentation is consistently great. I love this CD!!

  • Great song writing, Great voice, fabulous production
    author: Adrian

    Outstanding music on Mariposa. Evokes deep emotional feelings without a heavy dour aftertaste. In fact this album has an awsome light beat, and lots of depth.

  • Awesome.
    author: Crazy Uncle Al

    this essence record is a fine piece of musical craftsmanship. sexy, groovy, honest, sometimes dark and awe-inspiring, other times optimistic and eye-opening. A must have.

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