The Land of Make Believe, an album filled with some of the most wonderfully uplifting and playful sounds I heard in a long while, comes to us thanks to a special collaboration between an accomplished musician, BJ Block, and Dawn Pemberton, one of Vancouver’s most powerful voices. And with all the masterfully crafted lyrics and an amazingly refreshing combination of soul, RnB, jazz, and funk, the album might turn to be exactly what most of us were looking for to fill those lovely April days.
With the strong belief that good music is meant to be heard in all corners of the world, Bj and Dawn decided to distribute the album under CC license and with a little help of FrostWire we hope that those delightful sounds will find their way across the oceans.
When in the spring of 2010, BJ Block started thinking about putting together his second album he never imagined it could turn into anything like The Land of Make Believe is today. The reason was simple; the album was meant to be yet another instrumental masterpiece with the occasional addition of background vocals for added ambience. However, after several performances with a staple of Vancouver RnB, Funk, and Jazz scene – Dawn Pemberton and a number of highly successful musical experiments, the two soon-to-be recording partners decided that what the album needed was lying somewhere in the middle; what it needed was an equal contribution of mesmerizing vocals and an amazing instrumental depth.
It took only one writing session and one whole week for Just Be to emerge as the first single of new album. Soon after, the remaining seven songs with its funky/soulful overtones and Block’s distinctive guitar work were included and the tracks released to the fans.
And although all of the tracks bring with it its own character and individuality, You Happy?, featuring a little kid’s voice sample appearing throughout the song (and certainly fitting the main take on the album, which explores the challenges that adults face through the eyes of the child), will definitely be the one I will singing in my head for the rest of the week.
BJ Block’s love affair with music started at a age of 15 when after seven years of studying classical piano he went across his very first electric guitar. During his time at Berklee College of Music and several years with The Ernest Goodlife Band, which would soon record its album and tour expensively throughout the East coast, this love soon turned into a life long passion. But even though the eventful times with the band had to come to an end, BJ’s musical adventures where just catching a momentum of its own. Now residing in Vancouver, BC, CA, BJ is actively performing at various venues around the city while composing and recording his very own music. His debut album, Glitterball – an instrumental blend of dance grooves and ambient songs highly reminiscent of the 60s and the early 70s, paved a way for second release and what was soon to be a wonderful collaboration between a great musician and an amazing vocalist, Dawn Pemberton.
Similarly to BJ Block, Dawn Pemberton started playing piano at a very young age but unlike her future recording partner she found herself following a slightly different musical path. The vibrant and soulful vocalist soon took her powerful voice on a unforgettable journey through gospel, soul, jazz, world, and funk becoming a prominent figure in the Vancouver music scene. Already appearing in over 30 recordings, Dawn is constantly on a move sharing her experience and expertise as a teacher, facilitator, choir director, and a hired professional for live and studio performances. A passionate songwriter and performer Dawn crafts her music with a sense of adventure, quirkiness, and serious groove and shapes it into her own unique and dynamic package.
Related Links:
BJ Block on Facebook
BJ Block on Myspace
BJ Block on YouTube
BJ Block on Twitter
Dawn Pemberton official website
Dawn Pemberton on Facebook
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NoDerivs 3.0 Unported License.