About this user
Very few artist are credited with creating their own musical style, Swing-a-Billy™. Definition: Swing bassline in lefthand + gyrating piano poundin' rock-a-billy leads in her right = Swing-a-Billy™.
She was tagged the Queen of Swing™ by R&B legend, Carl "Blue Suede Shoes" Perkins and Mercury Rock-a-Billy artist, "Mr. Action" Roy Moss due her unique yet awesome piano style.
She is an award winning Singer / Songwriter and a Texas State Musician Nominee: Will Rogers Award - Female Artist of the Year; Honorable Mention - BILLBOARD, R&B Artist of the Year Nominee - Roots Music Awards(only female nominated); National Endowment for the Arts touring roster -Washington, D.C.; World Who's Who Jazz Cabaret Singers, New York, NY -Federation of American Musicians; Heritage Registry of Who's Who - Library of Congress, Washington, D.C.; Will Rogers Award Nominee -- Female Vocalist of the Year; Mid-America Arts Alliance Touring Roster; Texas Touring Roster; Isle of Capri Casino - Blue Book, BEST SHOWS
Kelli Grant's new Neo -- Swing CD kicks off "swinging" with the title cut, an autobiography of her musical career. With original lyrics, 4 verses long (included) Kelli gives praise to her Mother's influence and gift of a signature piano style. Kelli plays a walking 4/4 or "swing" bass line with her left hand, a testament to her title, "the Queen of Swing" given to her by Mr. Action, Roy Moss & Carl "Blue Suede Shoes" Perkins". However; the fun has just begun as a charismatic Swing version of "Goody, Goody" rivaling "The King of Swing" Benny Goodman's hit and Frankie Lymon's 50's chart topper, starts the ball rolling. No disappoints so far as the Swing Queen ascends you to the CD's magnificent original, and what should be a show stopper,"The Queen of Swing".
If your foot is not tapping by now friends and neighbors,
then call the family in cause you must be "DEAD." ;o)
With a couple of R&B covers by musical legends, "The Drifters" and R&B megastar, Ray Charles; "Drip Drop" & "Hallelujah, I Love Him So" Kelli takes you to another groove on an even higher level. Which I didn't think was possible. Complimenting Ray Charles cover with the exact opposite meaning, Kelli wrote a very enjoyable R&B story song that could truly catapult the CD into a Platinum arena. "Don't Mess With Me" (side note: Kelli wrote / recorded "Don't Mess With Texas" for the state of Texas, thus the song/title).
With a "Zing" in my heart I enjoyed the vocals of this amazing singer on the Judy Garland cover, "Zing, Went the Strings of my Heart". A rather strange but mesmerizing arrangement I found captivating as well as exciting.
Grab your girdle's girls and strut your stuff to two more of Kelli's penned genius: "Boogie Woogie Stroll" & "Strut My Stuff". The later is a sassy little, I've had enough declaration. Although written from the woman's point of view, the song can easily support either gender.
"Sometimes I Wonder" set in a classic DooWop style for a nice slow or "stroll" dance, takes you back to the wonder of a lost love. Back to a walk down the beach holding hands or a ride down a country road with the top down, to a time when love was innocent as hearts were racing with excitement and ragin' with anticipation.
But, just as you relax with the memories of "The Way Love Use to Be" (Kelli won an "Honorable Mention from Billboard in R&B for a same titled song), the whole thing explodes into a magnificent revamp of Louie Prima's "5 Months, 2 Weeks, 2 Days". Prima's original consisted of the title line followed with a "Hurry, home home baby" vamp that Prima was known for. Kelli wrote 3 verses giving the song a beginning and end. But the thing that "will get you up and off your seat" (a line from title cut) is the arrangement ... ALL Kelli. The music graduate not only wrote the arrangement but plays each and every note on ALL of the instruments: her signature style of piano -- bass (right / left hand) but also; drums, bari, 2 tenor sax parts and 2 trumpet parts. It's a 4 minute swing revolution that will leave you "swinging" from a chandelier and hanging in anxious anticipation for the next number.
But unfortunately friends, that's the final cut. But WOW! What a ride!!!
