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“She's
very talented. The music is good...an original sound and voice.”
-
Bruce Hornsby, on "Wine and Poetry" June 20, 2005
“Anne Harris' songs frequently sound born of a spiritual awakening.
... Many of her lyrics read like intensely personal diary entries.
... On "Wine and Poetry" songs reference mountains, rivers and
deep-rooted trees, the singer viewing the natural world almost as an
open-air cathedral.”
- Chicago Tribune, Andy Downing April 20, 2007
[read full review]
“I spent a good part of the afternoon listening to [Wine and Poetry] and
one of the things that struck me is that the music & the lyrics, are
just very 'up.' It's positive, it's hopeful. ...a soulful voice
and a unique songwriting style.”
-
WTTW11 Chicago Tonight, Phil Ponce April 18, 2007
“Anne
Harris is the connoisseur of combining 'Wine
and Poetry' with exquisite lyrical songs that
showcase her talent for beautiful vocal melodies laced with breathtaking
lyrics. After a suspenseful, instrumental beginning in the first song
“Connected”, Anne’s voice soothes powerfully across the tracks giving
the listener a sneak preview of the vineyard of songs forthcoming on the
menu of 'Wine and Poetry'.
There is not one throwaway track on this release. Each song is memorably
attractive and dazzling, I absolutely love this album. The diversity
that flows from it makes it nearly impossible to tag it with just one
genre category. Think Americana, soul, folk, Celtic, gospel and pop all
on a glorious joyride…it’s that damn good! Experience the aroma of
'Wine and Poetry'
for yourself. You’ll be glad you did!”
-
CoffeeHouseTour.com, Heather
Corcoran
Feb.
2006
Besides
being one of the most cleverly packaged CDs to come out in the past
year, Anne Harris' Wine and Poetry makes for a delightfully diverse
listen. Like a fine wine, the vocalist/songwriter/fiddler gets better
with time as she unleashes rock, pop, soul, and the occasional sliver of
Americana. Cuts like "Fly" and "Connected" bounce with brisk acoustics,
while "Desperate Day" unfolds with orchestrated urgency. Harris further
connects with her experimental tendencies on the percussion peppered
instrumental finale and remains tasty until the last drop.”
- Illinois
Entertainer, Andy
Argyrakis
Feb.
2006
I love this.
This is brilliant. I loved the last album. This is just superb stuff.”
-
Steve
King, WGN Radio,
on "Wine and Poetry" Jan. 2005
“...every
once in a while a breath of fresh air comes along, and that breath is
Anne Harris' 'Open Your Doors.' This is Americana; roots music at its
finest! I can not remember the last CD
that I was as impressed with from start to finish. Anne is a voice and
writer who we will hear more from in the future. Her vocals are at times
sultry, at times pure Americana, and always right on target for the song
she is playing. And she can handle a fiddle with great adeptness as
well.” Rating: A+
- BestFemaleMusicians.com, Dennis Halsey
Sept. 2003
[read full
review]
“Throughout [Open Your Doors]
Harris never misses a moment to tell the listener the cup is more than
half-full if not brimming over. And it never sounds forced, which only
adds to its luster... The album may not be an easy
finder, but it's certainly a keeper!”
-
PopMatters, June 24
2003
[read full
review]
“Fiery fiddler Anne Harris is a free spirit… [On Open
Your Doors] her soulful voice continues to assert a world of
influences, from Celtic to African to American folk/rock. Catch one of
her live shows…”
- Chicago
magazine, March 2003
“Anne Harris’ latest release, Open Your Doors, is
bright and buoyant. The lyrics are hopeful and celebratory. The
instrumentations are infectiously danceable. … A first-class vocalist
and performer who just happens to be a soulful fiddle player, Harris has
that rare ability to press her charisma into the grooves of the disc so
it can pour out of the stereo. If there is any justice, this is the
music that will be blaring out of every boom box on the beach this
summer.” Rating:
4 Stars
- Chicago Arts &
Entertainment,
Paul Barile
“It is remarkable that Anne Harris has
remained one of Chicago's best-kept secrets for as long as she has, but
the trend can't hold up for much longer. The hardworking violinist has
built a strong reputation in the city for her pure instrumental talent,
both on her own and with other bands... More and more she's carving out
a niche for herself as a songwriter... Her stage presence is
overpowering. ...could
Chicago's Next Big Thing be the petite fiddle player with huge talent?”
-
The Depaulia,
May 2003, Bryan Miller
[Open Your Doors]
is an exciting album, and Anne Harris is an
exciting performer...The only way I could
improve on this album would be to hear Anne Harris live.”
-
The Woodstock
Independent,
6/4/03, John Daab
[read full
review]
Buckle yourselves in, kids. This is a great ride. … She
never sits still. She’s too passionate for that. There is not a quiet
moment on this CD. It bursts with life in every note. … Each song wants
to explore. She has a knack for layering slinking, sliding, sensually
writhing notes just beneath the surface, whether they’re played on the
fiddle or carried by her voice. … It’ll make your toes wiggle.”
- Indie-Music.com,
Jennifer Layton
“Kicking off with a song that could easily mesh with Dave
Matthews or even Led Zeppelin's ‘That's the Way,’ this musician can find
a good melody and evolve it over five to six minutes. …Harris
definitely is onto something special.” AMG Rating:
4 Stars
-
All Music Guide Expert Review, Jason MacNeil
“Ever feel like taking a cross-country road trip? Listen
to Anne Harris' eponymous album and grab your keys. Harris lets an
eclectic mix of percussion and her own fiddling guide her soulful
voice… …this album is a shout out to anyone who likes earthy tones and
vibrant lyrics, an artist who in many ways resembles folk goddess Ani
DiFranco.”
- Illinois
Entertainer,
Jill Chickedantz
“Debut disc by vocalist/fiddler is seductive & sweet…This is as good as
anything on any radio station or concert stage today…If this is her
debut disc, one can only imagine what’s next for this talented artist. 4 Stars
”
- Chicago Arts &
Entertainment,
Paul Barile
“…kind of
an Afro-Celt Americana, a great sound. Great fiddler, great
singer-songwriter, you’re gonna be hearing more from Anne Harris.”
- Laney Goodman, host/producer, "Women
in Music" radio program
“Anne has achieved what most artists strive for for an
entire career, and that’s a personal vision. [She’s] very spiritual, a
great stage presence, just engaging. The eye is drawn to her…”
- Richard Milne of WXRT Chicago
“The Coolest Vibe of 2001 …belong[s] in every
collection. Harris’ self-titled debut has an incredibly relaxed vibe.
The songwriting and arranging is exciting…”
“Top Releases for 2001” - Chicago Arts &
Entertainment
Reviews -
full text
CHICAGO TRIBUNE 4.20.2007
'On The Town' section 7
Fresh off 'Wine and Poetry,' Harris gets into the spirit
Anne Harris' songs frequently sound born of a spiritual awakening.
"Desperate Day," off the singer/violinist's most recent album, "Wine and
poetry," finds Harris railing at the heavens, singing of "spirits washed
upon this forsaken rock" before throwing her hands in the air and crying
out: "Give me an answer!"
The true nature of the song is far more utilitarian than the
almost-biblical wordplay suggests. "Desperate Day," written around the
time of the 2004 election, is Harris' attempt to write a political tune.
"I was pretty worked up when I wrote that [song]," explains Harris. "I
really felt like things were coming apart at the seams."
Harris, whose songs veer from folk-rock to Afrobeat (and everywhere in
between), has a knack for absorbing external events and then expressing
them in the most intimate terms.
Many of her lyrics read like intensely personal diary entries, which is
appropriate, since Harris has been keeping a journal since her childhood
in Yellow Springs, Ohio, a setting that the singer describes as "more
like a West Coast town than a typical Midwest city...it's a very
progressive place."
The community, home to Antioch College, was populated with liberal
thinkers and free spirits, and the earthy vibe of her hometown is a
continuing influence on Harris' songwriting.
On "Wine and Poetry" songs reference mountains, rivers and deep-rooted
trees, the singer viewing the natural world almost as an open-air
cathedral ("I feel a deep connection to nature," says Harris).
It was also in Yellow Springs where, at age 8, Harris first began taking
violin lessons.
While her parents were both music fans, spinning everything from Mahalia
Jackson to Ray Charles to the "Hair" Soundtrack around the house,
neither had the inclination to learn an instrument, a hands-off attitude
that wasn't inherited by their daughter.
"My parents tell me that the first time I talked about wanting to play
the violin I was 3 years old," says Harris, who moved to Chicago more
than a decade ago.
"I have absolutely no memory of that, but my mom tells me I was watching
the opening sequence of 'Fiddler on the Roof,' where Issac (sic) Stern
is ... playing his fiddle, and I was pointing at the screen saying,
'That's what I want to do!' It's like it was already ingrained in me."
- Andy Downing
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BESTFEMALEMUSICIANS.COM
9.7.2003
New CD reviews
Anne Harris, Open Your Doors
(Rugged Road Records)
As you can imagine, each week I listen to nearly 100 CDs searching
through submissions to the web site. Many of these CDs are good, at
best, but every once in a while a breath of fresh air comes along, and
that breath is Anne Harris' "Open Your Doors." This is Americana; roots
music at its finest!
I can not remember the last CD that I was as impressed with from start
to finish. Anne is a voice and writer who we will hear more from in the
future. Her vocals are at times sultry, at times pure Americana, and
always right on target for the song she is playing. And she can handle a
fiddle with great adeptness as well.
She opens the disc with the toe tapping, hand clapping "In My Dream"
which has a Gospel feel to it. her songs celebrate life, love, and joy.
On "Vauban" we get the chance to hear her play the fiddle. This music is
infectious and bound to perk up the listener's ears. her fiddle playing
at times takes on a Celtic feel reminiscent of Natalie MacMaster. The
third track "Love Song" starts off with a nice fiddle prelude, again
giving Anne the chance to show off her chops. Harris uses a unique, fast
paced vocal technique on the chorus lending a double time feel to the
song.
"Map To Your Heart" uses a great acoustic guitar part to drive the song.
"Never The Same" is the most beautiful song on the release and gives the
listener a glimpse of Anne's ability to tell a big story in a period of
five minutes. "Falling Off The Page" changes the pace, speeding things
up for the story of a lover pondering over whether they will ever catch
their beloved.
Interestingly, Anne uses her voice as a percussion instrument on "Love
Is The Light" The intro is strong and fast and again allows Anne to
shine on the violin.
Harris doesn't work alone here. She surrounds herself with an array of
fine musicians including Bob Garrett, Chris Siebold, Shawn Sommer, and
Kalyan Pathak on "Love Is The Light." All that is left to say is that if
you are a fan of Americana
BUY THIS CD! - Dennis
Halsey
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our brief reviews of new releases
Anne Harris, Open Your Doors
(Rugged Road Records)
This Chicago area musician and singer has created another eclectic mix
of pop, acoustic soul, funk, gospel and generally upbeat, uplifting
music. From the handclaps and backing harmonies of "In My Dream" to the
tribal meets Celtic "Vauban", Harris isn't constrained by any one idea,
taking the best of what each style has to offer and fusing them rather
easily a la Paul Simon. Showing her classical side with "Prelude" and
the rousing "Searching", Harris finds a fine balance between the
highbrow and the toe-tapper. "Love Song" tends to move into the funky
acoustic coffeehouse folk but has some fine fiddling in its background.
Throughout the album though, Harris never misses a moment to tell the
listener the cup is more than half-full if not brimming over. And it
never sounds forced, which only adds to its luster. "Never The Same" is
probably the only down-tempo track, but has a lovely melody and
narrative. And if there was ever something that could be termed
"flamenco hillbilly", then the opening of "Falling Off The Page" might
come close to it. Perhaps the high point comes on "Love Is the Light", a
song which could draw comparisons to Dave Matthews in some respects. "I
Believe" and its relaxing reggae groove is another breath of fresh air
which winds a pleasing road. "I know Oprah well enough to know she
wouldn't lie/And I've been doing random acts of kindness," she sings.
The album may not be an easy finder, but it's certainly a keeper!
- Jason MacNeil
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THE WOODSTOCK INDEPENDENT 6.4.2003
Out on the Town - by John Daab
Open
Your Doors to Some Great New Music
I rarely write while listening to music. But as I write this, I have
Anne
Harris' "Open Your Doors" in the CD-ROM drive of my computer, and my
headphones are plugged into the the speaker's headphone jack. I figured
I
had better sit down and write before I did myself damage from jumping around and cheering. This is an exciting album, and Anne Harris is an
exciting performer.
I was wary when Michael Levitan of the Waverly Gold Note Lounge handed
me
the album and asked me to listen to it. I am always ready to promote the
Gold Note because I love the place, but my experience of locally
produced
albums from small labels, even some of my favorite performers, has been
grim.
My apprehension increased when I saw her picture on the compact disc
cover. She's a doll. I figured it could be another instance of a young
woman using looks, rather than musical talent, to get a recording
contract. I put off listening to the album. Let me go on the record
here.
I was an idiot.
If she wowed her recording company's boss with looks, she did it with a
mirror - she started her own company. She can sing. She can write. She
wrote all of the songs on "Open Your Doors," and I like them all. She
plays a fine fiddle. She produced this album, and it is beautifully
produced. With talents like that she could look like Tonto and still
steal
my heart. Let's face facts, she could look like Trigger.
If I had been given fair warning, I would have been wary of "Open Your
Doors" for a more practical reason. The last time I liked an album this
much on the first hearing, it cost me a bundle.
Years ago, probably before Anne Harris was born, a friend told me I had
to
hear Stevie Wonder's new album, "Inner Visions." He played it for me on
his own excellent stereo system and, in the vernacular of the time, I
freaked out.
I bought the record the next day, brought it home and put it on the
Sears
Roebuck stereo that had gotten me through high school and college. I
played two songs, maybe. I put the album back in its sleeve, picked up
my
checkbook and got into my Volkswagen. I came back with my checking
account
empty and my VW Bug full of stereo components. Stevie Wonder drove me
broke. I wish I could thank him personally.
My current audio system is up to the task, thank goodness. It is not
state
of the art, but neither are my ears. It will do. The only way I could
improve on this album would be to hear Anne Harris live.
Lucky me. Lucky you. Anne Harris will be at the Waverly Goldnote Lounge,
on Main Street in Woodstock, Friday, June 13.
"Inner Visions" drove me broke but Anne Harris, with "Open Your Doors,"
steals my heart. This time, I intend to thank someone personally.
- John Daab
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