TVocalizers — Year End Music and Gift Guide

Seems like I woke up the other day and realized it was December. How’d that happen? Well, no matter. That only means that it’s time for what has become a year end review of sorts for this column and also for our companion Perpetual Change column. Think of this as quick re-cap of some of the music by trans artists who have been featured in TGForum throughout the year. A gift-giving suggestion service if you will.

Transvocalizers was started in 2008 and we ran a column entitled Christmas Music Plus that year. By last year, it was decided to use the year end column to present a list of short reviews of CDs and artists, basically to show support for our own during this season.

Sherry Vine

This year is no different. However, we did feature some drag artists who are new to many of TGForum’s readers. I know that several of them were new to me. Drag performers such as Sherry Vine, Ephiphanyt, and Heklina are all well known entertainers who been around for some time, but new to TGForum. From the U.K., we introduced you to Shirley Temple Bar and Mary Harness.

Artists such as Joey Arias and Peppermint were also featured here. Both of these artists have been working for some time, and in Arias’s case, there are albums out there from when Joey was part of bands such as Purlie and Strange Party. Peppermint will be working on a full length album soon, and does have tunes available on iTunes and MySpace.

One artist who is a real gem of a find is rapper Foxxjazell. In March, a review of her newest release, Boy, Girl, Whateva… was featured. This project is her second and was produced by Foxxjazell and Ashley Breathe. The tune Split Enz was the first single from the project that managed to get some decent rotation in clubs and on urban stations. In the world of rap and hip/hop, a MtF transsexual rapper is a rarity. But Foxxjazell more than holds her own with all the macho-swagger crowd — and she’s gorgeous. Musically, Boy, Girl, Whateva… has the edginess and street cred you’d expect, but it also has a definite R&B flavor at times.

Later, in August, we reviewed Introducing Foxxjazell, (produced by Foxxjazell and Davide Laffe) her 2008 debut project. I said at the time that I felt the project was much better than most debut albums, from any artist in any genré. I still feel that way. Granted, it’s rap and it has it’s edge, but what caught my ear was the interesting instrumentation I wasn’t expecting to hear, along with the R&B feel. Foxxjazell shows no sign of ever slowing down, or even wanting too. Both albums by this remarkable lady are great gift ideas for anyone you might know who loves hip/hop. (You can find her music and videos on MySpace, Facebook, Reverbnation, and YouTube).

In September of 2008, Transvocalizers introduced Isreali singer Aderet. Her debut album, The Answer was released in 2001, followed by Tenth Floor in 2006. Both of these projects were sung in the Hebrew language. Aderet’s next album, 2008’s Jewish Girl was sung in English and introduced her to a world-wide audience, with her music even being played on what amounts to an “underground” station in Beirut, Lebanon. For this year’s release, a single entitled Extraordinaire, Aderet choose to sing in French. She said at the time that she welcomed the challenge, and even took diction lessons in order to get the accent right. The song is inspired by the music that is coming out of European dance clubs. It’s hit the charts all over Europe and even in Lebanon. This is an excellent achievement by a very beautiful, talented, and gutsy performer. For anyone collecting great dance tunes, no matter what language they’re sung in, this is a true find. And it wouldn’t be a bad idea to include some of Aderet’s other releases along with the new single. Aderet’s music, along with several videos, is available on MySpace, Facebook, and YouTube. For more information, contact her agency at Hit_rec@netvision.net.il.

Another chance for a unique gift giving opportunity that also supports a performer featured here would be to buy a ticket to the Hedda Lettuce holiday review called LETTUCE REJOICE! Hedda is famous for her . . . er, sometimes raunchy . . . song parodies. So, for the holidays, you can expect to hear such tunes as Here Comes Tranny Clause, and something she calls Do You Think That He’s Queer. ( Shows are Dec. 17, 18, 21, 23, and 28, 7:30 PM, at The Metropolitan Room, 34 West 22nd Street, between 5th and 6th Ave., NYC. Tickets are $22. Call 212-206-0440 for reservations or purchase online. Oh, and by the way, Hedda will be giving away a gift basket of Boy Butter Lubricant to one luck patron. Visit her website for more Hedda.

One of the more unexpected holiday releases I’ve come across is the A Very Gaga Holiday EP. Yeah, that’s right, Lady Gaga has released holiday music. It’s a four song EP only available as a download from iTunes. It can be previewed on SoundCloud. What’s interesting about it is Gaga’s choice of tunes. White Christmas and Orange Colored Sky are delivered in very traditional jazz style — complete with trumpet and a small club combo feel. The other two tunes on the collection are You And I and The Edge of Glory, both recorded with only piano and voice. While Gaga sounds like an old delta blues singers from the 1930s on the first two songs, she manages to sound completely different on the last two when it’s only her piano accompanying her voice.

I’m not one for predictions, prognostications, fortune telling or even purchasing lottery tickets for that matter, but, I’m going to hazard a forecast regarding Lady Gaga: eventually she’ll run out of theatrical shtick, and maybe even costume changes. If she hasn’t blown all the money she’s making, or even if she does, she’ll still have a career as an actual MUSICIAN if she wants it. He piano playing is usually overlooked. Strip away the show and theatrics, and you still have a very talented singer, songwriter, and musician who can function in more than one musical style without sounding like she’s faking it. A Very Gaga Holiday EP is more than proof of that.

And speaking of Lady Gaga, I received an early Christmas gift in the form of her The Monster Ball Tour At Madison Square Garden DVD. This includes all the best material she’s released in the last year, with bonus cuts of Born This Way a cappella, and backstage stuff. The photo book with project is great as well. A remix disc of various versions of Born This Way is also now available. This song by itself has made her something of an icon in the GLBT community.

Memphis Blues

And last, but most definitely not least by a long shot, is Cyndi Lauper’s To Memphis With Love DVD. This is her blues concert footage featuring some of the best musicians of that genré. Of course it contains her signature Girls Just Wanna Have Fun, but done with a blues feel. This is the companion project to her 2010 Memphis Blues CD release. Both packages are excellent and while it’s not Christmas music, it’s still one of the better choices available for that blues fan on your gift list this year. Besides, Cyndi Lauper is another icon of our community, and true supporter of trans people.

Okay, that’s it for our 2011 music gift ideas. Hope you find something for that hard-to-please music fan on your list, or treat yourself for that matter. We need to support our own as well as say thank you to those who support us.

Merry Christmas to everyone and thank you for making 2011 a good year for drag, trans musicians, and all our supporters and friends. Remember the reason for the season and May God Bless you.

Tags: featured, music, Musician

Category: Music