Mary Ellen Bernard
"Coney Island Mojo"
Triple Z Records

Highlights: The Big Idea, Coney Island Mojo,
The Diaper Rag, Who Do the Voodoo

Mary Ellen Bernard is a native Northeast PA singer songwriter who now resides in Brooklyn, NY. The first time I met Mary Ellen Bernard was during the 1996 Northeast Folk Conference held by the Folk Alliance at Split Rock resorts in Pennsylvania. I noticed her stage performance immediately, and the humor and all around fun presentation still stands as one of the best acts I saw while I was there. Mary Ellen interacts well with an audience and shares the stage well with husband and guitarist Paul Guzzone. We've kept in touch via email since the conference, and I've been dying to get this review together, so here we are.

What I liked in general about the debut "Coney Island Mojo", was the production, which from what I understand is to Paul's credit. The songs fit together just right, the instrumentation is solid and well conceived. "Coney Island Mojo" shows tasteful, fun music in clean clear manner which makes the listening pleasurable. The energy is high throughout most of the album, only slowing down for a few songs. The journey is never rocky, but smooth. Also, the album has enough of a traditional blues-rock, swing and jazz sound - even at times old time sounding - combined with modern country-rock rhythms to keep you listening. A brief look at some of the songs follows.

The Big Idea is an upbeat tune that talks about how everybody is just out to come up with an idea that will make them a million. Delivered in her sassy, energetic tone which is characteristic of most of the album, the album is a great opener that pulls the listener into her world.

This n' That is a "schmaltzy" song carried well by the arrangement of violin, bass drums and piano. With a little This and That Mary Ellen is telling us that she can do anything anyone else can do, from any generation.

The title track has a Caribbean feel to it, again with a very nice violin solo. "Only a Good Woman" was probably my favorite. This clever song is a father/son discussion about what it takes to be a man. You may be surprised. The Diaper Rag is a riot about the joys of having (or rather not having) children.

Mary Ellen is to be congratulated for making fun, positive, powerful music. Her vocal style takes a little getting used to, but the songs are so interesting that you soon find yourself humming the melodies and tapping the rhythms.

Mary Ellen has been performing with Paul throughout New York, Pennsylvania and Massachusetts. They've opened for some major acts in the past including John Prine, sharing stages with he likes of Richie Havens and Tom Paxton. With the strength of "Coney Island Mojo" they've received airplay from Hazleton, PA to Berlin, Germany. You may find Mary Ellen Bernard and Paul Guzzone in your backyard at a local coffee house. Keep your eyes peeled... these guys are moving fast.

You can contact Mary...
Web: http://www.hidwater.com/mebernard/
Email: mebernard@aol.com

Kevin Ray Jones
5-Song Demo

Highlights: Richard Reilly, Run to the Sun,
Waltz With Me Charlie, Straight & Narrow

From our backyard of Harvey's Lake, PA we have singer songwriter Kevin Ray Jones. The demo Kevin offered was recorded during slow periods at Plymouth Rocks, the studio where he works. It is a compact presentation of five songs, but immediately caught my ears. Really, Kevin is worthy of attention for several reasons: a) he's dedicated to his art; b) he writes good songs; and c) he returns phone calls.

I met Kevin while looking for talent for a Valentine's Day celebration at our local Village Pastimes Emporium. When Kevin sent me his tape for consideration, he warned me that it was only a guitar/vocal demo, and that it wasn't great. Of course I was weary, since I've heard some pretty bad guitar/vocal presentations. But to the contrary, I thought his demo was very well executed with little to be criticized technically. Maybe this was because his songs were so good.

To be fair, I should mention that this review comes not only from listening to his demo, but also from hearing Kevin live a couple times. I found him to be the mild mannered quiet type, immediately likable as a person as well as a performer. It is evident Kevin likes people, since he is able to pick up on their moods and write about them so well. He is also very funny as a storyteller, and includes entertaining anecdotes between songs when he performs live.

His bio tells us that Leaving on a Jetplane by John Denver swept Kevin away at the age of seven. At 23 he's come a long way, having written some songs that his influences would be proud of. He performs in Northeast, PA at the Rainforest Cafe in Tunkhannock, Village Pastimes Emporium in Drums, and other coffee shops and benefits. Chair in the Moon, a project band which Kevin formed, recently won "Best College Band 1996".

Many of Kevin's songs come directly from experience. We find ballads and story songs about life in Northeast PA; lost loves, aspirations and many songs about his family. While Kevin's guitar playing is confident and competent, what impressed me were his lyrics. Kevin has the ability to tell a story very well in the few minutes it takes to play a song. He makes good use of words to communicate the imagery he needs for his characters.

The song Richard Reilly is typical of Kevin's heartfelt insight into human nature. At times it is a little repetitious, but in a way this works to his favor, since you're remembering the title later. Dynamically, Kevin has learned what many singer-songwriters overlook for years. Some of Kevin's songs have a bit of twang, but it's Kevin's twang, not a fabricated accent. Some of his songs are fun, based on strange experiences. Of the tape, I can say that at times the vocal drops out or becomes hard to make out at times, which could be corrected by better annunciation when recording.

Kevin is pursuing the country-rock singer-songwriter path, and while he is still spreading the word about his music, he is doing rather well. For the past two years Kevin has been trying to muster enough studio time during the wee hours and burn enough midnight oil to produce a 10-song debut recording. Slowly but surely this seems to be coming together, so we may see something by early May or Summer '97.

From my conversations with Kevin, I know he has an interest in Nashville. While it's a tough town, I'm sure he would easily fit in and make friends. Until then, Kevin is performing anywhere he can in NE Pennsylvania. The best of luck to this budding fellow songwriter.

Attila Kovacs
"Never Say Forever"
Attila Kovacs Productions

Highlights: Sunshine in the Rain, Little Bird,
What a Night, It's a Holiday

Attila Kovacs, a pop singer songwriter and performer has the honor of being our first international submission. Denmark was the last place I thought I'd get a tape from (no... perhaps Guam), but it has turned out to be a fun and exciting listen. It all started with the Internet. Attila found me somewhere out here and offered to send a tape for critique before his album is pressed on CD. He really wasn't looking for a review to be published. I eventually got his stuff and decided it was worthy of a review.

"Never Say Forever", Attila's debut production, is a collection of 10 songs with a pop feel. Attila bills it as romantic pop-rock, but to classify it as only pop would not be fair. There's much more substance here, and I think that may be due to the difference in perception between what America calls pop, and what Europe calls pop. Attila's music is full of positive messages that are relevant for our age.

A self-published artist, Attila creates his music in his own studio which includes Roland samplers, a Macintosh IIsi computer with Opcode Studio Vision sequencer software, a Digidesign Audiom II harddisk recorder and a host of compressors, effects, instruments and speakers. This guy means business! In this domain, Attila creates solid arrangements that are a combination of vocals, flute, guitar, MIDI synths and drum machines. "Never Say Forever" is an example of competent producing skills honed in the privacy of Attila's own musical wonderland.

Since the age of five, Attila has been involved with music, studying Hungarian, Czechoslovakian and German folk music. Later in 1970 he took up classical flute and piano at Budapest Conservatory in Hungary for five years. After graduating, he took up guitar instead of classical music, forming various bands. Still performing Bartok, Strauss and Gershwin on flute, he later passed an exam at a school for Entertaining on Piano.

After 10 years of road work as a keyboardist in Western Europe playing rock, country, R&B and pop, Attila settled down in Denmark where in 1989 he and his wife had a daughter. He now makes a living playing private parties and composing music.

"Never Say Forever" starts off slow with the title track and takes a little while to get into. To solve this I suggest a change in song order. The title track, while presenting a positive message and lyrically interesting, doesn't have enough "oomph" to keep you interested. As a result, you could miss a lot of good music.

Oh What a Night would have been a much better choice for an opener. I think this was my favorite. It has a completely danceable groove, tasteful brass accompaniment and infectious harmonies that made my head turn when I first heard them.... it's still going in my head (those that know me know that is a good sign.)

Also a good candidate for an opener would be the energized Wouldn't It Be So Good. I liked the lyrics here. Just a sample:

Working all day or all the nights
Your boss decides
You're on the production line

Apparatus, generator
Giant Machines
Computer tells you who you are

The song proceeds to dream about getting above the humdrum of life and work and looking at the positive side. It's a song about getting away from it all, but in a way it's also about coming home. I thought this song had elements of The Cure in it.

Sunshine in the Rain has solid bass groove that moves you into some melancholy textures. I absolutely loved the Hammond organ solo. Shine Your Love, a slow ballad, wasn't my favorite song, but the flute solo was very appropriate. In fact, Attila's flute playing is reminiscent of some of the mellow music to come out of Jethro Tull, one of my favorite groups.

Little Bird is a very fun song. I would absolutely love to see this song covered by Gloria Estefan. Lotte Therkildsen, the female vocalist on Attila's tape, does a superb job and carries the song well. However, I think there is tremendous commercial potential for this song in the right market, with the right artist. Little Bird could be a feather in the cap for Attila if he could get it recorded by an international. multi-platinum act.

Even though some songs are different stylistically and hold the listener's interest, there is a signature sound present here. Attila's vocal style is a little different and may lack mainstream appeal, but overall I enjoyed his singing.

In many ways Attila's music is reminiscent of some of the better stuff to come out of the 80s. I'm personally a fan of the 80s, and had a good time with these songs. Others might feel the same way. This album has had airplay in Denmark and abroad. The challenge for Attila will be to find the segment of the population - in whatever country he chooses - who is taking part in the surge of interest in 80s music or has a liking for melodic, intelligent pop.

And if they don't like his pop, Attila has a backup plan. "Hungarian Dawn" is a new-age, modern classical collection of songs that has already been released on CD. While I haven't heard this album, based on "Never Say Forever" I'm sure it is very interesting and well produced. You can find both of his albums via his web site below. Of his next endeavor, Attila says, "For the third album, I try to make my music more simple." Simple or complex, I wish him luck.

To learn more about Attila Kovacs:
Web: http://inet.uni-c.dk/~attila
Email: attila@inet.uni-c.dk