Jessica Rhaye gives us Good Things
here Magazine
May 14, 2009
By Nelson Hansen - NB Beat

Perhaps the third time's the charm for Saint John's Jessica Rhaye. Having established herself as one of the province's more dedicated singer/songwriters, Rhaye released her third full length CD recently with a launch party for her new disc "Good Things" at the Blue Olive in Saint John.

Getting a disc ready for release is nothing short of a laborious and time-consuming task. For the multi-tasking Rhaye it's simply a part of a life immersed in the work of an artist. Her plate has been full with several projects, each of them defining her space as an artist. On top of making and recording music, Jessica Rhaye is an award-winning graphic designer. She is also working on a DVD project with the talented bunch at Hemmings House Pictures.

It's all parts of the whole for the talented and stunning young musician who has been toiling in the music and arts scene since leaving high school around 2000. Her third disc "Good Things" is something of a departure for Rhaye. The majority of the songs on the disc were collaborative efforts with a "who's who" of east coast talent and some high-profile help from Ron Sexsmith, the songwriters' songwriter. The disc also has a stripped down, organic feeling that is a natural fit for Jessica Rhaye's voice that now has a newfound quality and maturity. Having been blessed with a crystal clear voice, Rhaye's lower register now packs a bit more of a punch and her phrasing flirts with some jazzy runs that you wouldn't have heard on her previous two discs. It's something that she's heard a lot of lately and admits that the response has been surprising.

"Quite a few people have mentioned that actually and I didn't think there was a difference. I think it's because I'm more comfortable. This is my third record and I've been working at this for a while now, I'm very comfortable at where I am so maybe it shines through."

Good Things was born on a tour of England with New Brunswick blues powerhouse Matt Andersen and Nova Scotia all-around good guy, Dave Gunning. While on tour the seeds of collaboration were sown in terms of writing and building the base for what the record would eventually sound like." While I was touring with Dave and Matt things were going really well. We were getting great response and it was a really inspiring time. Since we were playing to a lot of folk crowds it was sounding very organic and I started thinking about making my next record with that kind of feeling. I wanted to use less loops and stuff." The list of co-writers on the disc packs a punch. Rhaye enlisted the talents of Saint John's Ken Tobias, Mir's Asif Ilyas, Dave Gunning and of course Ron Sexsmith. While Sexsmith may be the most recognizable name on the list, she indicates that everyone brought "good things" to the table.

"These were songs that I had been working on and these guys were a sort of 'song doctor' to them. They'd suggest some changes that I would never have thought of. Ron (Sexsmith) helped me with a bridge and Ken (Tobias) helped me find great hooks. He's the best at the hooks! I love writing with him. This has been the best songwriting experience of my life and it's not something that I wanted to do. Crazy, eh?"

The production on the record has a breezy feel. It doesn't sound overproduced, in fact it has a "live off the floor" quality that falls into Rhaye's plan of a more organic record. Two of the tracks are reprises from her earlier two discs, "Holding Out" from her "Short Stories" disc gets the stripped down treatment. Rhaye jokes that it's the reverse treatment of the dance remix, taking a track with drum loops and putting out a more organic version. Instrumentation on the record goes more organic also with tinkling mandolins and the odd touch of banjo in fitting with Rhaye's folk roots. The simplicity of the musical arrangements and production serve as the perfect background for both Rhaye's songs and voice.

After her release party at the Blue Olive she'll take the show on the road with a launch party on the May 16 at the Arena Complex Theatre in St. Andrews. Then on the 17th it's up the road to Fredericton for a CD launch at the Charlotte St. Art Centre. For both of those shows she'll bring along special guest Clinton Chartlon.

Rhaye has plans for more dates and hints at some travel over the summer months, she'll also continue running her graphic design business and plans a summer launch for her DVD.

For more on Jessica Rhaye check her website at www.jessicarhaye.com