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Tess wrote all the songs and vocal arrangements on her first CD, Easy To Love. Her emotional voice is new to the soul scene, but with reviewers in the U.S. and Europe spreading the word, people are beginning to know her by name.

Jazz And Soul (EUR) calls the CD “An extremely fresh album”. The highly respected Soul And Jazz And Funk (UK) says “Tess shows remarkable maturity and focus, her music is draped in luscious harmonies; it’s truly infectious. The Henley approach to music is all about craftsmanship, commitment and an appreciation of what truly constitutes musicality.” The largest soul site in America, Soul Tracks, adds, “Henley as a vocalist doesn’t suffer from being compared to Alicia Keys. Both eschew the breathy little girl sound that is the rage these days. Henley, like Keys, opens her mouth and gives a full-throated vocal that sounds mature, passionate and believable.”

A tireless worker, Tess is soft-spoken, not one to openly share her innermost thoughts and feelings…yet she found music as a way to pour out these emotions. With Easy To Love, she lets the listener in, writing about her relationships won (Fool With You, Easy To Love), lost (Hitting Me Hard Now), or somewhere in between (Complicated). The heartache after a first love in Disguise is a story to which many of us can relate, while Pompi's Song grieves the loss of a loved one that had inspired her with humility and grace. This touching tribute to her grandfather crescendos with gospel singers’ soulful backups.

Tess may be new to fame, but she is definitely not new to music. Her mother was a very pregnant, struggling band singer who performed nightly shows next to thumping bass and drums, until the very week she gave birth to Tess. That innate rhythm and daily classical piano practice from age 3 helped to develop strong songwriting skills, setting her apart from the crowd. Tess now “strives to write addictive, musically rich songs that soothe the soul of young and old alike”. An admitted perfectionist, she adds with a humble smile, “Wow, that CD project was all about hard work and long hours. It definitely makes me proud, and seeing everybody have a good time at our live shows is an extra joy.”