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about Anj's blog
Total posts: 5
First post: May 1 at 8:25 AM EDT
Most recent: Jul 30 at 1:20 PM EDT
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Anj's blog

WILDLY'S WORLD MAG REVIEWS "WHEN GREY BLUSHES"!!

WILDLY’S WORLD http://wildysworld.blogspot.com/2008/07/cd-review-anj-when-grey-blushes.html

Anj – When Grey Blushes, GIRASOLE RECORDS, 2007

Anj may be one of the more enigmatic singer/songwriters in popular music. A classically trained pianist, she writes songs in a style she calls “orchestrated jazz”. In essence she is using jazz scales and progressions couched in classical song composition to create an incredibly unique framework for her poetic muse. 2008 sees the release of Anj’s second album, When Grey Blushes. On When Grey Blushes Anj takes the step of adding instrumentation to her usual vocal/piano mix, with tremendous success.

The music on When Grey Blushes is stylistically similar to early Tori Amos material, in that it is piano driven and strongly based in classical composition with jazz and pop influences. From these you lose all comparisons, as Anj is truly unlike anyone else currently in the pop sphere. Her songs are deeply personal, musically intricate, and with a stark vocal style that keeps you on the edge of your seat.

Former Stranger opens the set with an unsettling piano progression, counter-punching violin, and eccentric vocals. There are also a couple of passages where the most disturbingly beautiful vocal harmonies chime in. It is truly a memorable opening and one that lets you know this won’t be your typical music experience. This musical distress resolves into the simple beauty of Bright Winter. I could run through every song here, because there isn’t a tune on When Grey Blushes that isn’t remarkable. For the sake of brevity I’ll just mention a few songs of note. View Of The Few is starkly beautiful, literate and real. This is currently my favorite track on the album, but this is one of those albums where the favorite rotates from day to day or sometimes listen to listen.

Be sure to check out Praise (Happy Birthday Father), a highly personal and beautiful paternal tribute. The Rest Of Me is also noteworthy, building from a dark, brooding piano opening into an impassioned plea from one who gave all to a relationship and ended up with nothing.

Take away the sunlight at the end of the day and we are all left in shadow. It is here in the emotional dusk that Anj crafts stories about the apparitions and wraiths that trouble her heart. The result is one of the most striking and darkly beautiful albums of 2007. When Grey Blushes is sublime. It is a certified Desert Island Disc, and it gets Wildy’s World’s highest recommendation.

Rating: 5 Stars (Out of 5)

GET A SNEEK PEAK AT MY INTERVIEW WITH TAXI A&R COMPANY!! :)

Hey Guys. My independent A&R company TAXI ( awesome company ) has intereviewed me for their website!! Yay exposure! So I thought I’d give you guys a sneek peak. And hey, if anybody is free next wednesday night – BIG GIG at the TIN ANGEL in Philly!!! 8:00 June 25th with Ben Caroll and Alexandra Day! Be there! :)

INTERVIEW WITH TAXI

Q: Where did you grow up?

A: I’m a born and raised Jersey Girl – born outside Atlantic City. I’ve always felt most comfortable with sand between my toes and the sun on my face. My father was the musical director of the Sands Casino in the 80’s, so I spent alot of time in A.C. just watching musicians and shows. I like to think back on all of that as my “programming” period. I was a blank canvas and I just took it all in. I have many beautiful memories of living at the Shore – and I’m pretty confident that even if the industry plucks me out of this little town, like the saying goes – you might take the girl from Jersey, but they won’t take the Jersey out of the girl.

Q: What made you realize that music was your path?

A: What an insanely complicated and simple question that is for me to answer. I was always an artist but it was unrealized for a long time. Growing up I had difficulty communicating with people and I got shredded to bits in grade school. Music became something I used to release energy with, and then it became a form of a voice, and then it became so much part of me, that without it I felt less. Incomplete. I tried my hand at so many things, and I even tried to convince myself that music wasn’t what I really wanted, but the simple answer is – beyond all the zig-zag’s and crooked lines I followed, beyond the speed bumps and pot-holes I fell into that all led me to this moment, it more or less boils down to this: I simply feel more at home behind a piano than anywhere else. That’s the simple answer. That’s what made me realize.

Q: How would you describe the music that you typically create?

A: I usually say my music is like a wine. It’s a unique blend of influences, much like a wine with many shades, colors and flavors. My songs can be bold, dark and intoxicating, or light and playful. They seek to nourish. There is one for ever mood and every occasion. You can enjoy my music casually, or if you dare, plunge the depths of its passionate core. It’s created to break down barriers, to bring people together much like wine does. Regardless of how you take it in, I believe my music is meant to be experienced.

Q: Who are your biggest musical influences?

A: Nat King Cole, Stevie Wonder, Tori Amos, Sade, Carole King, Ella Fitzgerald.

Q: What makes your music unique?

A: It’s very much like orchestral jazz. By that I mean, it’s all orchestrated like classical music, but when you listen to it – it’s laid out to sound like it’s being improvised. This is not a common thing. The bass plays like a lead instrument instead of a rythm instrument – and the drums don’t always lay down the beat. They are more like colors that weave in and out of different responsibilities, rather than the traditional roles they would fill. I think its cool, but it’s definitley not the status-quo approach to music these days.

Q: Has there been one particular moment in your musical career that you’re most proud of?

A: I went to Taxi Road Rally in 2007 and traveled 1,000 miles alone to get there. I really really really networked and worked my fanny off to meet and greet and make new friends. It went super well and I’m still reaping the benefits. Definitley a superb weekend and a huge feather in my cap for me

Q: What’s next for you?

A: Push. Push. Push. Write. Record. Tour. Repeat. Move up until I reach the top. Oh yea, and sleep when I’m dead :)

"The End of Love" wins #1!!! A whole heap of thanks to everyone who voted!!!

Hey guys. Thank you SO much for your overwhelming support last month. Because of your votes, my song “The End of Love” won in the solo instrumental channel and got to compete with the other 46 songs for the Grand Prize! I had around 14,000 plays in just one day! Woohoo :)

Also, my song “View of the Few” came in 3rd place for Singer/Songwriter/Female! So, in other words – I am a very happy girl.

This month I have several songs up in several categories…look for my songs in channels such as singer/songwriter female, indie rock, solo instrumental, cover songs (check out my rendition of DonMcLean’s “Vincent”), and a quirky, fusion tune in experimental!

Again, thanks so much for all the support last month. Let’s make June ROCK! :)

Much Love, Anj

COME SEE ANJ LIVE AT THE TIN ANGEL IN PHILADELPHIA!!!

Calling all Jersey/Philly/NY fans! I am playing at one of the top listening rooms in America… The Tin Angel!! I hope you all can make it out!!

Much love, Anj

Create your own banner at mybannermaker.com!

Hello, Hola, Ciao, ectera...ectera...

Hey All. The name is Anj Granieri. I’m new to our stage. I actually just joined last night. I came home from my crappy day job and I said to myself, “self”, well – i think you should do some work on your music. So I dragged myself to the computer and decided to check out this site I had been hearing about – Our Stage. And I took the next 3 hours and created my profile. I was so into it I hardly noticed it was midnight before I finished! Thus, I am now at my crappy day job again, feeling quite like a sleep-starved, groggy-headed monster.

So I guess I should tell you a little about me. Well, let’s see. Friends and fans refer to me as “the woman living a double life”. By day, I teach kiddies, or as I like to call them little hoodlems, math and science and all that jazz. Basically I spend most of my time trying to keep them from killing each other or killing me – and throw in a little reading and writing when I get the chance.

By night, I am a songstress, pushing forward for my dream. I am more at home behind a piano, or with a pen and paper in hand, than anywhere else. I have a passion for my work and am actively pursing it. I have produced two full-length albums, performed across the east coast, parts of the west and in Switzerland and Italy.

I love interesting people, people who make their mark on the world in a bold way. I dig the beach. I’m Italian and consequently, I am happiest when my belly is full.I like incense and records. I believe in taking chances, and I believe in fighting for your dreams. I love Gieco commercials, olives, the darkest, richest chocolate out there, classic movies in black and white, and a nice glass of Chianti.

I already entered a few songs in contests – my music stretches across a few genres so I am trying some channels out. This is all new to me, but I’m excited to see what happens! Hope you’ll check out my stuff. Thank you for being here as listeners and artists to show the world – that we still CARE about great music!

So that’s me. Hello :) To sum up, I believe that life is simply a daily choice between fear and love. And I love music because it is the beautiful vessel through which we express both. I feel blessed to be alive and to able to say that I know what I desire and how to achieve it. My heart is bursting daily with both gratitude and want, and I believe this is how it should be. I have love around me and within me. I am lucky. I am grateful. I am happy.

Thanks for listening…

Anj