Perpetual Change — Vicki Estrada CD Review and New Music

CD Review: Looking Forward, Looking Back — By Vicki Estrada

Last month in this column, Vicki Estrada from San Diego, CA, was introduced to TGForum readers. If you remember that column, I encountered Vicki on the TG Music Society’s page when she posted a comment regarding the recent passing of original Yes guitarist Peter Banks. I knew I’d found a fellow prog rock enthusiast and got in touch. Our brief on-line conversation lead to the interview as well as Vicki sharing with me the one CD she has recorded, called Looking Forward, Looking Back.

Vicki’s original intention for this project was that copies of Looking Forward, Looking Back were to be given as gifts to her fellow landscape architecture classmates during a reunion. In fact, the text portion of the CD jacket talks specifically about celebration 35 years in that profession and how alumni could continue to get in touch with each other and various community related campaigns they could be involved with.

Other than the song titles listed on the back cover, Vicki downplays the role of the actual music. That’s entirely unfortunate because this is excellent, world-class material. If you’re a fan of keyboard masters such as Rick Wakeman (The Strawbs, Yes) or Keith Emerson (The Nice, Emerson, Lake, and Palmer), then the music on Looking Forward, Looking Back is something you should include in your collection, provided you can even find a copy.

Vicki Estrada

Vicki said that she recorded most of the music for the project very quickly and didn’t take time for many studio frills. Nonetheless, she moves effortlessly from classically themed acoustic piano pieces to more progressive synth sounds. She even includes some blues on the project.

The album starts with a very short piano piece called A Quick Tour of Poly Canyon. The title is actually longer than the song. This is followed by a very ambient, New Age sounding electron keyboard piece called Site Synthesis. The other electronic/synth pieces are Seven Sisters Watching (sort of dark sounding), New Age Landscape (also dark sounding, but classical in a High Church sort of way), and Graduation Day (very classical in style; it would be easy to envision this played on a harpsichord; one of the more dynamic moments on the CD and very, very reminiscent of Emerson, Lake & Palmer.)

Vicki’s classical piano playing is evident on The Halls of DexterCuesta Grade and No Natives Remain which is also dark sounding, but perhaps the most dynamic piece on the project.

The aforementioned blues is a piece called The Third All Nighter In a Row. Definitely a title any college student can relate to. This is a very standard boogie blues style, very well done, and sort of a show piece for Vicki in that she effortlessly can move from classical, to New Age, to a very rock solid blues piano style with complete ease. She’s not just “playing at”  these various genre’s… she nail ‘em every time.

There is one vocal piece, Endangered Species in which Vicki gets a chance to sing. Her voice is very feminine, in the alto range. The song kind of reminds me of 1970s, early ‘80s English prog rock.

All in all, for a project that was originally intended for a very minimal distribution, Vicki Estrada has accomplished something she probably didn’t set out to do, she’s shown herself to be a master keyboard player.

But her ability as an accomplished musician doesn’t stop there. When I first encountered Vicki Estrada’s music, it was through a series of self-produced YouTube videos. Granted, these type of videos will vary in quality from presentation to presentation, but she moves effortlessly from guitar and voice to keyboards. There’s one called G2 which is very British prog, even Celtic in feel. Another, called Reasons is more of an Irish folk ballad. Another blues moment, called Wrong Gender Blues pretty much hits home for our community and once again is played in a boogie style. One very unique moment is called LD Live Community Piano. It’s Vicki playing a piano parked in a public square, put there for anyone willing to be an impromptu street performer. She’s at ease there as well as she is in a studio setting.

Other videos are some of her live performance moments for “Day Of Remembrance” events. There’s quite a few videos that have been posted, and it might take some time to sort through all of them, but it’s worth it.

Vicki Estrada is a rare find for a reviewer such as myself. Where as I love reviewing music in general, it’s not often I get to sample the type of material that I listen to for my own enjoyment. If you can actually find a copy of Looking Forward, Looking Back that too is worth the effort.

As stated above, I don’t know how many copies of Looking Forward, Looking Back are out there, but perhaps, if you’re nice, Vicki might set you up with a copy. She can be contacted through her company website.

ALSO THIS MONTH

Speaking of YouTube (nice segue, huh?), both Calpernia Addams and Beth Isbell have posted new YouTube videos. In Calpernia’s case, she’s doing a cheer with Cheri Oteri. Oteri, you’ll remember, was, along with Will Ferrell, one of the two outcast Spartan Cheerleaders from the Saturday Night Live skit made popular in the 1990s. Calpernia’s in full cheerleader dress, which actually looks quite good on her. The Beth Isbell video post is actually a compilation of videos from other artists that Beth must really enjoy.

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NEW MUSIC

Kinky Boots Original Broadway Cast Recording

Last year, press releases started coming out about the upcoming musical called Kinky Boots with music and lyrics written by Cyndi Lauper. An 11 tune remix disc of one of the show’s tunes, Sex Is In The Heel, was released last year as well. Now, the cast album has just been released and it compliments the show in an incredible manner.

The story line of Kinky Boots as taken from the CD liner notes: “Charlie Price (Stark Sands) has suddenly inherited his father’s shoe factory, which is on the verge of bankruptcy. Trying to live up to his father’s legacy and save his family business, Charlie finds inspiration in the form of Lola, (Billy Porter). A fabulous entertainer in need of some sturdy stilettos, Lola turns out to be the one person who can help Charlie become the man he’s meant to be. As they work to turn the factory around, this unlikely pair finds that they have more in common than they ever dreamed possible … and discover that when you change your mind about someone, you can change your whole world.”

Musically, the cast album covers several genres: rock, retro rock, R&B, funk, dance, and even disco. While it would take too long to discuss every song in the musical, some of the best moments are found in the rock tunes. Land Of Lola (good rock, and almost a disco throwback); Step One; The History Of Wrong Guys and In This Corner.

The aforementioned Sex Is In The Heel is probably one of the real highlights of the show. It’s got a funky feeling in the beginning, but swells with a full cast chorus. There’s a rather oddly placed spoken part towards the end (but, what the hey, this is a musical after all), but then it gets back to the main hook at the end. One of the outstanding tracks and it must be incredible to hear live.

Lauper

There are two songs that really do have a retro rock feel. Everybody Say Yeah, kind of a 1970s rock/R&B groove, and Soul Of A Man which I swear, reminded me of 1970s Badfinger when I first heard it. It actually doesn’t feel out of place at all. Very well done and true to that time period.

The album ends with Raise You Up/Just Be. This brings the full cast together with a very full sounding chorus, over a sort of dance/disco type groove. A very “in-your-face” kind of ending.

Whether or not you’re a Cyndi Lauper fan, it can’t be denied that the lady is an amazing musical talent. In 2010, she released an all blues project called Memphis Blues which we reviewed here. She’s also become something of an icon for the entire LGBT community. Along with Lauper’s music and lyrics, the Kinky Boots book was written by Harvey Fierstein, directed and choreographed by Jerry Mitchell, music supervision, arrangement and orchestrations by Stephen Oremus. Album production by Cyndi Lauper, Stephen Oremus, William Wittman, and Sammy James, Jr. (For more information, check out the album insert, or visit the Kinky Boots website.

To Win Your Love by Dominique Pruitt

Since we seem to be on a “retro” thread for this column, this would be a good time to introduce Dominique Pruitt. In a press release concerning her just released 5 song EP, she’s described as having a musical style that has “…major nods to the sounds of bygone eras where beach blanket bingo, drive in theaters, and lover’s lanes were what summers were made of … she was madly in love with all things 1950s, especially the music.”

All it takes is one listen to this EP and it’s Dick Dale surf music/guitar tone/sound and you’ll hear that’s no exaggeration. All the tunes have either a retro rock feel, or a rockabilly groove such as in the tune He’s got It Bad. Another tune,Victimhas a definite retro R&B feel, which her voice is perfect for. Granted, there’s nothing TG about this music or artist, but it’s still very fun material that deserves a listen. Hey, for us older folk, it does bring back some memories.

Produced by Dave Darling. Drums – Denny Fongheiser; bass – Carl Sealove; keys, vibes – Arlan Oscar; guitar – Dave Darling, Larry “L.A.” Brown; sax –  Jeff Turmes; percussion – Brie Darlilng; backing vocals – Anne-Marie Brown; drums on He’s Got It Bad – Rodger Carter. For more information, check out the website, also on Twitter and Facebook.

Tags: Calpernia, featured, Kinky Boots, music, Musician, Vicki Estrada

Category: Music