Customer Reviews

Prisoner of the Heart

5 star:		(4)
4 star:		(1)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

This woman has a great voice that is strong, soulful and bluesy. The cd is a mix of originals and covers. It reminds me of my old soul records, with that same kind of raw emotion. This isn't retro soul, this is the real thing. The sound is sharp, clear and unaltered, and you feel the intimacy of singer and musicians. She does a heartfelt rendition of McDonald's I Can Let go Now, with just voice and piano. She takes old chestnuts like Cooke's You Send Me, and Cliff's Many Rivers to Cross and gives them a fresh workout. Her own compositions are also strong. She gets inside a song, words drop to a whisper,and then she can cut belt it out. This cd is a cross between soul, jazz, blues and rock. But most of all it is great music. I would like to think we will all soon know who this lady is, but I know real talent does not always equal recognition. In this soulless, packaged music industry she has a long, hard climb. Thank God Aretha came along when she did. In this age of video, and blatant packaged consumerism, she might have languished in obscurity. Get the word out, Mary Ann Redmond is a diamond in a sea of baubles.

It shouldn't make any difference that Mary Ann Redmond looks like a young Joni Mitchell. You'll get over it the first song you hear. She is a great R&B singer, one who sounds much older and Black. Her voice has huge power, considerable passion, and a great blues feeling. A friend, who is a professional blues and folk singer and guitarist, played one of her CDs for me. I bought all three as soon as I could. On this one, I was surprised that she could could pull off "Many Rivers to Cross," That reggae standard is so badly and lightly covered by others. She can do Motown, McCartney, and old blues with appropriate skill for each. She makes you believe every song. If you like Aretha Franklin at her best, Mary Ann Redmond will please you.

I don't write reviews. Let me just say that you will not be disappointed, this lady can sing. Buy all 4 of her albums if you can find them. Mary Ann belongs in the national and world spotlight. This from an average guy who just enjoys great music. The eastern USA and Washington DC / Virginia areas are blessed because they've had her for 10 years or so, the rest of the world has no idea what they're missing. I recently came across Mary Ann's music as I was collecting Eva Cassidy's music. A few previews of her music on Amazon and then getting a hold of her albums hooked me into a true admirer of this great performer and her music. If you like the strength of Aretha Franklin's voice then you'll love Mary Ann, and if you like Eva Cassidy you have to love Mary Ann as well. This is a woman with a strong and passionate voice that you'll just fall in love with regardless of the style of music you enjoy. And by the way, the band is outstanding !! Like I said, this lady can sing !!!!

Is it R&B? Is it Blues? Is it Jazz? No, it's all this and more. Mary Ann Redmond is a Washington, D.C. treasure who isn't well known outside the area, much like Eva Cassidy was until her untimely death. While Eva's voice was clear and clean, Mary Ann's voice is much more husky and smokey but her emotional expression is similar to Eva's. I got this CD when it was first released in the Washington area (a friend of mine was involved in the recording and distribution of the disc) and fell in love with it immediately. I purchased this reissue because of the addition of one track. Mary Ann is the perfect example of a great talent that is not, but should be, widely known. If you are looking for some good, solid singing over a well-played bed of smooth and smokey blues/R&B, check this out. Excellent covers of songs like Michael McDonald's "I Can Let Go Now" and equally excellent originals make this a "must-have".

I just picked this CD up by accident. As a classically trained professional singer and voice teacher - when I heard it I was stunned... Here is a woman who sings from the bottom of her soles to the top of her head and it is all heart! Her vocal range is incredible, rich contralto to full soprano and beyond! Her technique is sound, but even more impressive is her connection to every word and nuance. She makes even old "standards" such as YOU SEND ME seem brand new. Her own songwriting is good, and comes from the heart with creative language and melodies coupled with raw feelings. It doesn't get any better than this. WHY has no one heard of her much outside of DC? And why doesn't she have a major career? This kind of singer comes along only once in a lifetime! Move Over Aretha, Mary Ann Redmond has arrived!