Album Notes

Barbara McAfee is a Twin Cities-based singer/songwriter whose songs are flavored with jazz, blues, gospel, and Celtic influences. What they have in common is her clear-eyed reflections on the human experience, exquisite lyrics, sassy wit, and piano-infused arrangements. When Barbara serves them up in her clear, strong voice, they go straight to the heart.

She got her start as a jazz singer in nightclubs in the mid-80s, then started writing her own songs during her father’s final illness in 1991. Through a long series of self-produced concerts, Barbara discovered her own voice, both as a singer and a songwriter.

Blending her interest in organizational and individual transformation, Barbara has brought her music to such corporate clients as Best Buy, YMCA, Wells Fargo as well as numerous wellness events, colleges, and private functions.

She has produced 4 CDs as a (fiercely) independent producer working with the finest musicians in the Twin Cities.

Her mission is:
I sing with the sweet breath of God
And I dance on a living planet
My body is holy water
And I dream a world made new

You can hear her sing it on her website: www.barbaramcafee.com.

The CD is a rich mix of songs including:
While You’re Alive -- a centuries-old poem by Sufi mystic, Hafiz set to smooth piano, voice & flute
Taste of Midnight -- a sultry blues tribute to dark chocolate and other dusky foods
Heart of a Warrior -- a jamming percussion/voice duet about a fierce woman
Bite the Lightning -- a dreamy jazz flavored celebration of storms
Brain Rats -- a rollicking outlandish song that irreverently reveals the junk in our heads
Where Do All the Tears Go? -- a strong r&b ballad about finding redemption
Who You Gonna Be? -- a jazzy question about being more than doing
Healing All Generations -- a haunting chant honoring the generations of women accompanied by a women's chorus
Among others......

Many of the songs feature clean voice and piano arrangements. A few add in bass, percussion, tenor & baritone saxophone, and flute.