MacKenzie’s Skylark clearly demonstrates that not only is she an outstanding musician and singer but she possesses great instincts as a producer. Her creative touch is evident on many songs including the tenth track “Blue Moon” which rolls out with a lighter, dreamier interpretation than you have likely previously heard.  As MacKenzie breathes new life into the lyrics, she is backed by the gorgeous vocals of Carmen Carter, Angie Jareé, Carlos Rios and Terry Wood while flautist Robert Kyle adds an airy accompaniment.  

George and Ira Gershwin’s “Embraceable You” finds a comfortable home in MacKenzie’s smooth romantic vocals, as they are silhouetted beautifully by Carter, Jareé, Rios and Wood. The music is set to Steve Lawrence’s arrangement.

Sax man Robert Kyle’s tear soaked notes communicate sadness and despair as MacKenzie laments the words to “Good Morning Heartache”, “I’ve got those Monday blues/Straight to Sunday blues/Good morning heartache/Here we go again.” She says, “The moment he started to play it was exactly what I had been hearing in my head.”

MacKenzie is a gifted instrumentalist having mastered the drums, percussion and guitar while being proficient on the mandolin and keys. “I think my knowledge of drums and percussion as well as what they can do for a song as far as changing the flavor was a (big help). I could hear the drum groove and piano going on in my head as far as taking “Embraceable You” from the way that it had been done before to making it sexy and mysterious. It was the same thing with “The Shadow Of Your Smile” and “Come Rain Or Come Shine”.  The groove is everything and being a drummer, I start from there. I feel these great grooves and that is where the ideas came from,” says MacKenzie before adding as she laughs, “And the horse of course. We can’t forget the horse.” 

The freedom to bring her own readings and creativity to songs like “Blue Moon” and “Embraceable You” motivated her to sign with Morpheus Music and spurn previous offers where the label and or producers wanted to change her approach to music. Singing R&B flavored tunes with big soulful notes comes easily to MacKenzie and often producers wanted to turn her into a Mariah Carey clone. MacKenzie pushed back and resisted the temptation to sign on with other labels. Her current record deal gave the singer the ability to put her stamp on the music we hear on Skylark.

Gigi MacKenzie has received high marks as a musician and singer from those she has toured with including, David Crosby, Kenny Loggins, Michael McDonald, Karla Bonoff and Christopher Cross.  Cross appears on Skylark singing the duet “That’s All” with MacKenzie.

“Your ear, the way you can sing, the way that you phrase and get the romance out of the tune is a very sophisticated thing with jazz,” says MacKenzie.  Sophisticated is probably the best word to use in describing the music found on Skylark. MacKenzie built upon on a foundation of music composed by the likes of Stephen Sondheim, Harold Arlen, Hoagy Carmichael, George and Ira Gershwin, mixed in an original co-write (“Let’s Make A Go Of It”) and then added a fabulous group of musicians. If Skylark were a girl, I would take her out on a second date! In speaking with Gigi MacKenzie and listening to this album, you get the impression she is thinking, ‘Just wait until you see what is coming next baby!’

By Joe Montague

November 2006

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