[SACD-R][OF] Vanessa Fernandez - When The Levee Breaks - 2016 (Jazz, Rock, Blues)

Vanessa Fernandez, vocals
Tim Pierce, guitars
Jim Keltner, drums
Chris Chaney, bass
Jim Cox, keyboards
Charlie Bisharat, violin
Luis Conte, percussion

Vanessa Mary Fernandez (born 17 October 1982) is a singer and radio presenter from Singapore. She released several albums with the now defunct hip-hop groups, Urban Xchange and Parking Lot Pimp and is now more popularly known by her moniker, Vandetta, (sometimes Miss Vandetta) on Mediacorp Radio’s 987fm.
Fernandez started singing in the church choir at the age of 12 and at 16, while studying at CHIJ St. Joseph’s Convent, scored a leading role in her secondary school musical directed by Wendy Ng, then the Artistic Director of the Singapore Repertory Theatre Young Company. Ng asked her to join the established theatre group and she went on to perform in several musicals including Re:Mix, penned by Singapore Idol judge and music veteran, Dick Lee, as well as 24 Hours, penned by Haresh Sharma for The Necessary Stage in 1998.
In 2000, Fernandez was asked by rapper and producer, Terry Lee, to join a group that later became known as Urban Xchange. Lee had initiated the group in order to audition for a Coca-Cola commercial. The group also comprised Munir Alsagoff, Trisno Ishak, Firdaus Bahri, Michaela Therese, Humaa and Kimberly Olsen. Urban Xchange fronted Coca-Cola’s “Life Tastes Good” campaign and released two albums after being signed to Universal Music Singapore/Malaysia. Following the high profile campaign the group received limited success in the region, contributing “When I Grow Up I Wanna Be Like Jackie Chan” to the Asian edition of the Rush Hour 2 soundtrack, featured on a remix of Brian McKnight’s “When You Wanna Come” on the Asian repack of Superhero, and performing alongside American pop singer, Stacie Orrico as well as Malaysian rap group, Too Phat, at the 2003 MTV Asia Music Awards.
In 2004, Urban Xchange regrouped as Parking Lot Pimp and signed with EMI Music Southeast Asia who released their album, Welcome To Our Frequency. After a year, Fernandez, along with Munir Alsagoff and Trisno Ishak, left Parking Lot Pimp.
At the end of 2010, Fernandez became part of audio-visual collective, Syndicate, performing with veteran hip-hop producer/DJ, Kiat, at the opening day of the infamous Gilles Peterson Worldwide Festival 2011 in Sete, France. In September that same year, she performed with veteran producer Jason Tan at the Singapore leg of the Worldwide Festival. The duo, known as Octover, released their album on the Syndicate imprint in January 2013.
In 2014, Fernandez released the album Use Me on the Groove Note record label that has also released albums of another Singapore singer, Jacintha Abisheganaden. Recorded in Los Angeles at the famous Ocean Way recording studio, Use Me consists of covers of songs by Curtis Mayfield, Bill Withers and Al Green, among others. Fernandez also performed at the Singapore leg of the St Jerome's Laneway Festival, alongside James Blake, Syndicate's Gema and The Observatory.
In 2015, Fernandez plans to release a new EP under her Vandetta moniker.[

Vanessa Fernandez covers Led Zeppelin tunes in “unplugged” acoustic arrangements.

"Much of the album, spread onto three 180g 45rpm records, is acoustic, but songs like "Kashmir" with Jim Keltner on drums, rocks out big time. These are fresh arrangements by guitarist Tim Pierce whose playing credits include session work with Bruce Springsteen, Bon Jovi, Johnny Van Zant, Meat Loaf, Patty Smith, Joe Cocker, Michael Jackson, Joan Armatrading, Madonna, Tina Turner, Rod Stewart, Roger Waters, Eric Clapton, The Doobie Brothers, Elton John, Alice Cooper and others. The instrumental performances add new luster to the old chestnuts. Old fans will enjoy the new musical environment and some non-Led Zep fans will be won over."

"The result is a spectacularly natural and ultra-dynamic drum sound similar to what Glyn Johns achieved on the latest Eric Clapton album. Tim Pierce’s guitars are equally well-served in a recording by Michael C. Ross that’s nothing short of stupendously transparent, dynamic and natural... I’ll put it to you this way: if you play this record really loud and you don’t enjoy what you hear, blame your system!" - Michael Fremer, www.analogplanet, 9/11 Music, 11/11 Sound

"Most importantly, Ms. Fernandez, a long time Led Zep fan, has the vocal chops and the sensibility to wrap her cords tightly around the lyrics and wring new meaning from them. From what I got to hear later on a lacquer, the performances and the sonics will drop your jaws and maybe even your pants!" - Michael Fremer, analogplanet.com

Brilliant rhythm guitar and solos from arranger-guitarist Tim Pierce including an extended electric guitar solo on the rock version of "Whole Lotta Love" as well as killer vintage slide work on "When The Levee Breaks;" awesome drumming and majestic kick drum work from Jim Keltner on "Kashmir," "Babe" and "Immigrant Song;" driving electric bass lines from Chris Chaney on many of the tracks; memorable B3 and Wurlitzer fills and runs from keyboardist Jim Cox; audacious violin solos and fills from Charlie Bisharat on "Kashmir" and "Immigrant Song;" and, last but in no way least, stirring percussion backing from the great Luis Conte on "When The Levee Breaks," "Black Dog" and "Whole Lotta Love" (acoustic). And throughout every song the magnificent incomparable vocals of Vanessa. Yes - the album was recorded all analogue multi track but several of the vocal tracks are the complete original live track used without any overdubs or fixes. The vocal performance on "Babe I'm Gonna Leave You" is gonna leave some listeners breathless!!

Engineered by Michael C. Ross, mixing of the all analogue album, "When the Levee Breaks" by Vanessa Fernandez, was completed at United Recordings (formerly known as Oceanway Recordings). The mixing was done in the legendary studio A with it's great sounding custom built mixing board. The album was mixed down to 1/4 inch 30 ips tape and delivered to Bernie Grundman Mastering where the mastering and lacquer cutting was done.

All the above elements combined to create memorable and immensely satisfying versions of several well known Led Zeppelin songs and the results are in - an album of epic musical and spectacular sonic quality!!