Managing Director of EMI Music
Singapore Mohan Mahapatra, "I'm extremely excited about this release. In my
personal opinion, I would rate it as her best work by far. This is a significant
release in the jazz arena this year."
Claressa whose name means
brilliant is luminous on her latest release. Her delightfully impish performance
on her self penned “Tourmaline Dreams”, the stunningly intimate “Fascination”
featuring violinists Ng Yu Ying and Ang Chek Meng from the T’ang Quartet and her
infectious joie de vie on “Isn’t It Romantic” showcase a vibrant palette of
versatility.
Returning to the sound that
first gained her the notice of record executives and fans alike, half the tracks
on ’Tourmaline Dreams’ were recorded with the omission of a drummer.
In addition, the album includes
the lush upper structure harmonies that have become synonymous with her sound.
The musicianship is impeccable as is Claressa’s effortless rhythmic poise
through 7/4, 5/4, 3/4 time signatures on the second line inspired “Ole Devil
Moon” and 7/4, 4/4 Latin inspired sensibility on “Baubles, Bangles and Beads”
and “Tourmaline Dreams”.
‘Tourmaline Dreams’ was produced
by Claressa with arrangements by Brian Benson. Chief Engineer John Herbert
recorded and mixed at Lion Studios, Singapore. Lion Studios is a world class
analog studio built by PolyGram Records in 1980 where Claressa honed her studio
art, first as a session singer and later as a PolyGram artiste herself. The
album was mastered at the legendary Capitol Records Mastering Division in Los
Angeles, California by Grammy® award winning mastering engineer Ron McMaster.
Musicians Andrew Lim (guitar),
Brian Benson (bass), Tony Zee (drums), Kelvin Kew (percussions) and Mohd Nor
(percussions) make up the band behind Michael Veerapen (piano) and Nicholas Lim
(piano).
Claressa’s second release for
EMI coming nearly three years after the immensely successful “Word’s Can’t
Describe” was inspired by the tourmaline also known as the muses' stone. It is
believed that the tourmaline’s imaginative colors contain inspirational powers
which enable the mind of its beholder to bring forth illimitable vision and
creativity.
“I’ve been wearing one since my
last birthday and have been beguiled by its myths. When we started to
conceptualize the CD I felt so charged with ideas and exuberance that I honestly
felt it had to be my tourmaline. I wrote the song to honor the muse and it
became the title track because it so perfectly defined everyone’s energy and
passion on the sessions,” Claressa.
Beautifully visual music
deserves a beautiful cover for which EMI assembled a team which includes some of
the finest in their respective fields. To faithfully capture the spirit of the
music on the album, cover photography by cutting edge star photographer Geoff
Ang with cover design by Grid Pte Ltd. Makeup by Lo’real Paris, hair by J’s
Salon and styling support by FJ Benjamin’s Ines and Cedric Tan for Missoni.
But perhaps what radiates
through ‘Tourmaline Dreams’ is not virtuosity or musical ingenuity but
Claressa’s precious restraint in her definition of time, space and feel. Andrew
Lim, guitarist on “Isn’t It Romantic” and “Baubles, Bangles and Beads” on being
asked about his experience recording on this CD sums it up best. “I felt really
privileged to have worked on this project. I learnt from Claressa and her
arranger Brian to distill musical expression into a pure and poignant statement
that speaks volumes by its sheer beauty.”
