Mia Vermillion

Mia Vermillion - Alone Together With The Blues - 2009 - Vermillion Music Studio

Mia Vermillion has a big vocal presence. She sings with the wild abandon of Janis Joplin controlled by the fluid precision of Bonnie Bramlett, the gusto of Big Mama Thornton, and the blues foundation of Bessie Smith. She infuses her singing with more humidity than Ma Rainey and more sex than Lena Horn. Tacitly a blues singer, Vermillion's repertoire on Alone Together With The Blues is more diverse than the straight 12-bar variety. Joined by master slide guitarist Orville Johnson, Vermillion weaves a tapestry of folk music that extrapolates the similar attempts of Cassandra Wilson to their logical pinnacle. Johnson provides an earthy, organic bottom to this collection of nine songs with his dobro, guitar, and mandolin, directly impacting Vermillion's approach to the songs. On Lil Green's "In the Dark," Johnson flat-picks the guitar while Vermillion expounds on pheromones with the lights out. Vermillon's original, "Love's Lost and Found," couples Johnson on electric rhythm and dobro, supporting a languid Vermillion singing, "Come on boys, I'm one of those girls everybody knows, where my dreams are like paper, boy how I'm shuffled around..." The recording turns on two obscure classic blues, Leroy Carr's "In The Evening," and "When I've Been Drinkin'" by Big Bill Broonzy. "In The Evening" was a staple of the Carr-Blackwell songbook in the 1930s, and 80 years later, Johnson and Vermillion freshen it up to the point it can be compared to its cousin composition, "St. Louis Blues." "When I've Been Drinkin'" hosts Johnson's best dobro playing of the disc as Vermillion, subdued, sings with the reticence of the inebriated. Vermillion is a fresh and welcome arrival on the blues (and jazz) scene. The full depth of her talent has yet to be seen. © C. Michael Bailey © AllAboutJazz.com

SEATTLE - Mia Vermillion, emerging Pacific Northwest blues singer, songwriter and musician, has released her debut CD titled Alone Together With the Blues. The record features dobro and slide guitar great Orville Johnson. Orville has recorded several of his own albums, including the critically acclaimed "Slide and Joy." Their music together highlights a well-matched styling between Mia's sultry, earthy vocal sway and Johnson's emotive guitar mastery. An independent artist, Mia has put together a truly unmarked sound. As Mia will characterize her style, it's all about experiences and the path one walks. "My songs and song choices come from my personal knowledge and life's experiences: the inner and outer workings of relationships, the joy of music and life, and the huge satisfaction of recognizing and providing feminine value and perspective in it all." Recorded at Garey Shelton Productions in Seattle, the album is a collection of acoustic traditional blues with song stylings shaped by country blues, folk and early jazz. "The record has an ageless quality to it," says Garey Shelton who engineered the album. "I'm really excited to be part of the project." Mia's sensuous, down-to-earth vocals on Alone Together With the Blues are a blues attitude sculpted with sensitive inner rhythms, facilitating the feel of the genre. Core artists for the album include bassist Chuck Deardorf, and percussionists Ben Smith and Mark Ivester. Other contributing artists are Hans Teuber, Garey Shelton and Cary Black. Two of the nine tracks, "Little Bit of Love" and "Love's Lost and Found" are Mia's own compositions. Mia produced the record except for the songs "Little Bit of Love" and "In The Dark," which were co-produced with Seattle pianist and composer Tom Kellock. Mia is on the roster of Hip Chick Music, an innovative new independent music label. CEO of Hip Chick Music, Elise Lebec, describes what drew her into having Mia on the label. "I wanted to sign her from the very first time I heard her because I realized that not only was she an amazing artist, but she was an amazing person with many badges and accomplishments outside of being a talent. That is what HCM does; we support and promote amazing artists." JazzTrenzz columnist Karl Stober speaks to Mia's style and palette of musical design writing, "Her blues charm evokes the fragility of the emotion within blues. Ms Vermillion echoes the bluesy ardors which audiences embrace and seek to spin with frequency." A native of Washington State, Mia grew up in the Capitol City of Olympia. Throughout her childhood and as a young woman, she researched and listened to the musical statements of Ann Wilson (Heart), Lil Green, Billie Holiday, Sarah Vaughan, Ray Charles, and Bonnie Raitt. Mia is energetic and passionate about scope and direction with her music in women's causes. She currently serves as Vice President of Skagit Habitat for Humanity Women's' Build. She has been able to use her talents in aiding to raise funds for those women who are 'heads of households' and qualify for Habitat home construction. Alone Together With the Blues is available at iTunes, Amazon, hipchickmusic.com, and Rhapsody. [from Mia Vermillion Releases Debut CD "Alone Together With the Blues" Featuring Orville Johnson by & © Todd Harrison in Entertainment (submitted 2009-03-29) © GoArticles.com © 2011, All Rights Reserved © http://goarticles.com/article/Mia-Vermillion-Releases-Debut-CD-Alone-Together-With-the-Blues-Featuring-Orville-Johnson/1502795/

A good classy album of acoustic traditional blues with elements of early jazz, folk, and country blues. Karl Stober of Jazz Trenzz wrote that Mia's "blues charm evokes the fragility of the emotion within blues. Ms Vermillion echoes the bluesy ardors which audiences embrace and seek to spin with frequency.” Garey Shelton who engineered the album noted that “The record has an ageless quality to it." Mia Vermillion is a very talented vocalist, musician and songwriter. If you like Jim Kweskin, Samoa Wilson, early Bonnie Raitt or Linda Ronstadt, you may like this album which is HR by A.O.O.F.C. Watch out for future releases

TRACKS / COMPOSERS

1. Little Bit of Love - Mia Vermillion
2. In The Dark - Lil Green
3. Love's Lost and Found - Mia Vermillion
4. In The Evening - Leroy Carr
5. When I've Been Drinkin' - William Lee Conley (“Big Bill”) Broonzy
6. I'm Going To Copyright Your Kisses - William Lee Conley (“Big Bill”) Broonzy
7. I Wonder - Raymond Leveen, Cecil Gant
8. Walkin' - Mary Lou Williams, Lindsay Steele
9. Two Cigarettes In The Dark - Lew Pollack, Paul Francis Webster

MUSICIANS

Mia Vermillion - vocals
Orville Johnson - guitar, dobro, mandolin, washboard
Chuck Deardorf - bass
Garey Shelton - bass on "Love's Lost and Found"
Cary Black - bass on "In The Dark"
Ben Smith - drums & percussion
Mark Ivester - drums & percussion on "In The Dark" and "Little Bit of Love"
Hans Teuber - clarinet on "Two Cigarettes In The Dark"

BIO

Mia Vermillion’s emergence onto the blues scene caught the immediate attention of critics and others in the blues world. “Vermillion is a fresh and welcome arrival on the blues (and jazz) scene. The full depth of her talent has yet to be seen,” according to AllAboutJazz.com’s Michael Bailey. “She infuses her singing with more humidity than Ma Rainey and more sex than Lena Horn.” After taking a hiatus to recover from an injury last year, Mia is back in full force. Earlier this year she performed at Seattle’s premier blues and jazz venue Jazz Alley opening for Grammy nominee, Blues Music Award winner, and Blues Hall of Fame inductee John Hammond. Mia and her band will be playing on the main stage at this year’s Safeway Waterfront Blues festival – the largest blues festival on the west coast and one of the top 10 festivals in the country. Mia has been influenced by the musical statements of Ann Wilson of Heart, Lil Green, Billie Holiday, Rickie Lee Jones and the like. After playing and writing her own music on the outskirts of the evolving Seattle music scene during her youth, she moved to California as a young adult to further pursue her music. Life choices brought her to pursuing an undergraduate degree in Vocal Performance from the University of Idaho, home to the Lionel Hampton School of Music. Mia devoted time to raising children and running her own music and recording studio, all the while continuing to write music and refine her own unique style of sensuous, earthy blues and jazz. In 2009, Mia entered the studio to create the album she had always envisioned: Alone Together With the Blues. While performing primarily as a solo act with her guitar, Mia sought out and began to work with some of the Seattle’s best musicians. She focused on working with musicians who matched her own acoustic style and rhythms: a sensuous melded blend of acoustic blues, folk and jazz. Mia and guitar/dobro master Orville Johnson won the Washington Blues Society’s blues challenge in the Solo/Duo category allowing them to represent the Society at the Blues Foundation’s 26th International Blues Challenge in Memphis, Tennessee. Her music choices feature songs from blues and early jazz artists such as Ma Rainy, Lil Green, Mary Ann Williams, Big Bill Broonzy, Cecil Gant, Billy Holiday to list just a few. Mia adds her own compositions to musical sets in a perfect balance to the blend and style of music. Mia released her self-produced, debut album Alone Together With the Blues in June 2009. The record gained national attention making the Roots Music Report blues radio chart top 50 for two weeks at #45 and #46, as well as reaching #2 on XM Radio B.B. King’s Bluesville’s ‘Picks to Click’ with her recording of ‘I’m Going to Copyright Your Kisses.’ “This album is a well-thought, well-planned, economical, and astronomical first release for this artist… She’s got a magnificent voice that is on par with any ladies I’ve heard today,” stated blues critic Ben Cox in Blues Blast Magazine. Mia has been recognized for her vocals and works in composition and songwriting and is a showcased singer/songwriter of the blues. She has performed for audiences throughout the Northwest at different venues and festivals as well as in Beijing, China as part of a cultural exchange with musicians from around the globe. She has been very active with her music in women’s causes and served as Vice President of Skagit Habitat for Humanity Women’s’ Build. Mia has been able to use her talents in aiding to raise funds for those women who are ‘heads of households’ and that qualify for Habitat home construction. The following is a quote of Mia’s regarding her music: “My songs and song choices come from my personal knowledge and life’s experiences, the joy of music and life, and the huge satisfaction of recognizing and providing feminine value and perspective in it all. I approached making my first album as a way for me to open myself up to possibilities.” © 2011 Mia Vermillion. All Rights Reserved http://www.miavermillion.com/bio/