AlyssA's new album "within" credits.....
Deron Johnson - Producer, arrangements,
Pianos, wurlitzer, B3 organ, synths, guitar on "Pure
and Holy", programming -
AlyssA Cooper - Songwriter, Producer, arrangements -
All songs written by AlyssA Cooper except "Just To Be
With You" written by AlyssA Cooper and Robby
Baier-produced by Robby Baier -
James Sklar executive producer, special arrangements
on "Firefly" and "Earth Child" -
Acoustic and electric Guitars, Bass Chris Bruce -
Drums, percussion Jimmy Paxson -
Electric Bass on "Pure and Holy" Bakithi Kumalo -
Double Bass on "Feel The Softness" and "Warm Day"
James Genus -
Guitar on "It Gets Better When I Breathe" Dave
Lavita -
Backing vocals on "Subway Gospel" Monica Behan, Chris
Pierce, Nailah Porter , AlyssA Cooper -
Backing Vocals on "And I..." AlyssA Cooper, Monica Behan -
All programming Deron Johnson, except "Pure and Holy"
and "Subway Gospel", Deron Johnson and Seth Atkins Horan -
Recorded at Phantom Vox Studios -Hollywood, CA and
Chateau Du Shack -Los Feliz, CA and Maze Studios, NYC -
Mixing/engineering-Seth Atkins Horan -
Mastering - Lurssen Mastering
Influences
Donny Hathaway, Otis Redding, Cat Stevens, Sarah Vaughan, The Staple Singers, Mavis Staples, Van Morrison, Roxy Music, Bob Marley, Zap Mamma, Paul Simon, Simon and Garfunkle, Peter Gabriel, Aretha Franklin, PM Dawn, Diggable Planets, Run DMC, CSN&Y, Chaka Kahn, The English Beat, Jimmy Cliff, Sinead O'Connor, Eryka Badu's Baduism, Mahailiah Jackson, Lionel Ritchie, The Commodores, Fumbling Towards Ecstasy, Soul II Soul, Sade, Ismyel Lo, Lady Blacksmith Mambazzo, Teena Marie, Morcheeba, Stan Getz, Deron Johnson on piano, Remy Shand, Lauryn Hill, Gospel Choirs, Richard Pryor, Mother Nature
My new album “within” was written over many years. Melodies and lyrics would come over time in pieces-some of the songs were born as poems like "Firefly" and "Feel The Softness" and later I found that they would rhythmically fit a melody in my head perfectly. In 1999 I was in LA at a party and heard pianist Deron Johnson play-I sat next to him and closed my eyes-I went with the chords finding words and a melody to fit what he was playing-his sound got into me and I knew in those moments we would do an album together. The chemistry was there. It took years of visualizing it, writing the songs, of calling him, emailing him, finding the time to make it happen and so it came to be. In 2007 in a small apartment in NYC we would create tracks and Deron would find the voicing in his style to my songs and it just all fit. To me these songs have a bittersweet sound that breaks my heart a bittersweet chocolate sound so full and rich it, breaks your heart. I love this music. It takes me away. It is my meditation in song.
My determination to keep the music candid and authentic is manifest throughout “within”. The album opens with “Earth Child”, inspired by chanting of OM in a yoga class one night -and by my love of nature. “Subway Gospel" draws its inspiration from a reaction I had to a homeless man trying to survive on a New York City subway, he was filthy, had bare feet and tattered clothes – he sat right in front of me and I watched him pick up a cigarette butt from the floor, light it, and then put it in his mouth and swallow it in defiance of his life giving body. I was deeply saddened by this and wrote this song that night.
Hey AlyssA, My mother found your album, "Within" at a spirital store or something and it was going out of business at the time so she bought and thought that I would listen to your album. I've listen to it and it was very inspirational and the music was uplifting especially for "Gospel Subway". My favorite song in the album appears to be "Firefly". The song was soothing and the sound was meaningful. I enjoyed the album and thank you for being a Good Artist. God Bless. =)
gorgeous music- i love the direction you went- i feel like going into the trees and just healing...thank you for sharing~ we are both def on some new level of womanhood and it's clear in the music...
