What I Want

Nora York is not the first singer to have proceeded in her career from New York City's vanguard performance art venues to performing on international internet webcasts. However, the vocalist and songwriter has made the web her oyster when it comes to the creation of new and exciting forms of art, multimedia and collaborations with artists from different field and genres. On What I Want, Nora York has invented an aural conceptual platform that expresses how she feels and what she thinks about the world she lives in. Her third studio CD, it is comprised of 13 songs that touch on themes of desire and redemption. Opening with "What I Want" — a statement about the insatiability that is at the core of the American Dream — York expresses this concept in an up-tempo irresistible melody that also showcases her inimitable phrasing. "Donna" is a heartbreaking duet with vocalist Sherryl Marshall and speaks to the real need and poverty in America. Like the symbolism inherit in the phrase "the haves and the have nots" the duo tugs at the person straddling lives between the two worlds in one heartfelt voice that blends seamlessly with the sympathetic accompaniment of Steve Tarshis' guitar riffs. "Hard Times Come Again No More" is a strong ballad sung with simplicity and is a prayer for America and a reminder that we are a wonderful experiment and can be a force for good once again. Every song on the recording is hot, with special notice going to covers "Stand By Your Man" and the Mick Jagger/Keith Richard classic "Ruby Tuesday," because of their great new arrangements. The improvising chanteuse fuses her versatile sound with traditional folk, pop and jazz elements, bringing passion for her art to every note. That's why experiencing Nora York is such a delight, because there is such a great range of expression here — always something new and different, as well as the classics — every time you listen.