Each Measure Feature: Jill Desiree

FEATURE

Finding good jazz today can be a difficult task. Most artists are too scared to try anything new so they stick to safe melodies and solos, others try to vary too far from the norm and create a musical mess that doesn’t make any sense. But, if you keep on searching, you will find those hidden gems like Jill Desiree. Her song “Broken” is a gem amongst many broken shards in the modern jazz scene. 

I’ve talked about it before, but when musicians have fun with a song, it can be heard. This song is evidence of that. While the main melody is groovy and catchy, the musicians play around with it for the whole track, continually weaving in complex little musical moments that give the piece a stellar vibrancy. I’d recommend listening to this one a couple of times for, with each listen, you’ll discover a new background melody or tricky bass measure that you missed before. This all speaks to the musical skill that went into crafting this song! 

But if we are going to talk about the music, we have to talk about the fantastic vocal performance of Jill. She starts with a gentle, silky, whispery voice that builds as the song progresses into a huge, powerful presence. It's exciting and by the end of the song your jaw will be on the floor from Jill’s performance on this track. Of course, the other solos contribute to this reaction as well. Every artists’ skill on this track is showcased through incredible performances. I can see why Jill has won a few jazz awards over the years. 

Lyrically, I love what Jill is doing as well. She tells the story of a wasted love through a dinner metaphor that continues throughout the whole song. Her lyrics are clever as she talks about how she has wasted too much time on this love and while they did leave her “broken”, it's time to move on. After all, no use crying over spilled milk. 

If you are looking for a fresh, clever, and enticing new jazz song to listen to, you’ve got to give “Broken” by Jill Desiree a listen.

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