Album Notes

Every night, like two dancers, a man and a woman meet eyes, form an embrace, and let the music carry them wherever it may. As the dance moves from passion to stillness, from depth to levity, riding the wave between intense longing and bliss, the musical exchange between Lisa Shawley (accordion, flute) and Michael Shay (cello, voice) is as palpably intimate, sensual, and playful as that of the dancers moving to their music on the dance floor.
Blending old and new styles, The Just Desserts’ second CD, “Love or Die!” features the accordion and cello in contexts spanning multiple world music traditions, including tango, classical, international folk, jazz, and other passionate, mystery-invoking soundscapes. With guests on clarinet, tuba, piano, trumpet, doumbek, zills, and fellow Austinite Cyril Neville on congas, “Love or Die” is a novel and danceable exploration of the human diaspora through music.
Having gathered songs from all over the globe, The Just Desserts artfully infuse each leaf with the memory of the tree that it fell from. Whether it be a re-interpretation of a classic Argentinian milonga, a Serbian tune put to a swing beat, an American jazz tune turned tango, or a traditional Catalan song given an African rhythm via New Orleans, the essence is the same: go deeper, and find the source. It’s in your bones.
To listen to the music, buy the CD, watch videos, or see The Just Desserts’ tour schedule, visit www.thejustdesserts.com.