Snowocalypse is coming! And Steal This Track has the snowed-in soundtrack this week with piano jazz from , the classic voice of , and a soul cover from .
“Tourist” by Jon Wirtz, to be released on iTunes on April 16, is a collection of contemporary jazz piano songs. Now, we know what you’re thinking: Contemporary jazz is uncool schmaltz, but we beg you to listen with an open ear. Wirtz’s brand of jazz begs for a new name, like nu-jazz or indie-jazz. What Wirtz does with the piano is brilliant, a genius that has helped him perform on “The Late Show with David Letterman” and share the stage with Justin Timberlake. More than just pleasantly tinkling the ivory, he crafts melodies so timeless they feel familiar. If you’ll pardon the abstraction — the music is mostly instrumental, which begs for abstraction — these songs conjure images without pictures, building emotional forms not easily expressed otherwise. From track to track, the listener travels with Wirtz through landscapes of the heart like, well, a tourist. Here, we offer you “Gratitude,” an ultra-cool counter to what you might think jazz is. What starts as a simple riff and soulful harmonies builds with the momentum of ‘ Brer Rabbit vocals. Check Jon Wirtz’s website for more info on the album. He will be performing on April 13 at the .
Last week, Desirae Garcia of Pueblo’s Americana troubadours quietly released a 7-inch EP, “Ill Fitting.” We are so excited to hear her voice at the forefront, and from what we’ve heard the songs are gorgeous. There is a classic quality to these songs that resists giving in to nostalgia, as so many old-timey musicians do. And her voice has a quiet restraint that thinly veils a strong emotional current below. Below, steal “Bed of Roses,” a track that’s only failure is ending abruptly. Purchase the vinyl at and download the MP3s that retain the vinyl sound. Currently, she is on tour with The Haunted Windchimes and has no solo dates scheduled.
Over a week in January, rock group The Congress hunkered down in the Masonic Temple in Berthoud with a reel-to-reel recorder and laid down seven covers of classic soul songs. There are recognizable hits like Roberta Flack’s “Killing Me Softly” and Marvin Gaye’s “What’s Going On” as well as a surprise version of James Taylor’s “You’ve Got a Friend” that we personally think rivals the original. Knowing the talent of this band, this should come as no surprise, but it is alarming the life this band breathes into these classics. This is not an album of B-side novelties performed half-assed as a ploy to get noticed. Each of these tracks is performed with as much heart and soul as if The Congress wrote them. And each track will leave you in awe of how masterfully they pull it off. Below, we offer you a forgotten classic, The Impressions’ “Fool for You.” For most listeners, this will be an introduction to the song, never having heard the Curtis Mayfield original, and while it would be sacrilege to say you need not dig the song up on , The Congress’ version stands firmly on its own. Here is Colorado’s answer to the Black Keys (the EP is mixed by Brian Lucey, who’s worked with the Black Keys). Preorder the EP, “The Loft Tapes,” now before the April 16 release at the band’s . The Congress will be at on April 13 supporting .
Please note that downloads offered via Steal This Track are intended to whet your appetite, and are NOT CD-quality recordings. If you want those, please support the artists by buying their music and/or seeing them live.
If you’re a band or musician ready to expose your fresh sounds to the readers of Reverb, email your tracks — along with any interesting facts about them, as well as a photo or album art — to Steal This Track for consideration.
Josh Johnson is a Denver freelance writer and Reverb contributor. He is also a co-host/co-producer of the Denver podcast . He’s also studying to be a butcher. Seriously.
