MUSIC

Ember Swift appear at Creole

By Tony Conley

Whatever you do, don't call Ember Swift an artsy, woman-empowerment folk-singer.

Swift is an awesome singer song-writing musician who is a great acoustic guitar player and has a killer band on the road with her.

Swift, a 26-year-old Canadian, will be performing live at Lansing's Creole Gallery in Old Town.

"Ember Swift is best described as a brilliant jazz vocalist inhabiting the body of an alternative punk-folk singer song-writer," says Canadian writer Gerry Lipnowski.

"Much has been made about Ember's unconventional approach to songwriting, such as her sudden shifts in tempo in mid-song," Lipnowski says.

"While journeying thought the unexpected twists and turns that characterize her work, the listener is treated to a wider range of the human experience than one might expect from the 'angry young woman' label so stereotypically associated with Ember's contemporary fellow travelers," Lipnowski adds.

Swift's music is energetic, bass-driven and uptempo. Even the ballads are uplifting. Her songs are sensual and personal stories of real life and real people.

"Elbows" is a fun blusy, but very uptempo story-telling song.

"$5" is a hilarious song about a cocky rich guy who lusts for a sexy singer, yet refuses to pay the $5 cover charge to see her perform.

Swift's "Corporate Daddy" pokes fun at "jobs that suck" with lines like, "You have collided with my morality, my sanity, my artistic vision. "Lynched by economic obligation, we are trapped into jobs that suck motivation."

"Goldilox" is 2001 version of the fairy tale. It's a fiddle driven song Swift calls "cowpunk Ember style" and has a tempo similar to Charlie Daniels' "The Devil went down to Georgia."

"(Freestylin') Porpoise" features the explosive self-taught acoustic guitar prowess of Swift that would make Dave Matthews proud.

Swift's band members are accomplished musicians who can really jam.

Lyndell Montgomery plays a funk-driven bass and electric violin and sings, too. Montgomery has composed music for film, performed live music for dance and has written a book. The bassist's early childhood included classical piano and violin music lessons.

Michelle Josef is an award-winning drummer who studied jazz and orchestral percussion and has played with dozens of world-renowned performers including Etta James.

Ember Swift's music style is fun, eclectic, raw and very real. She deserves to be heard by the masses. Music lovers deserve to experience Ember Swift live.

Ember Swift, 8 p.m. Sept. 14, Creole Gallery, 1218 Turner St., Lansing, 487-9549. Tickets are $13.