Private Dreams is #1 in the North East on Indie Music Chart

"Private Dreams" has surpassed "Jazz Bad" on the North East and New York Top 10 charts on Broadjam! Now the two songs are in positions #1 and #2 back-to-back. Check out the current standings (the chart action moves in real time and might be different by the time you link up):

North East Broadjam Top 10
New York Broadjam Top 10

I can't thank you enough for all you've done to help me get there! Next, I hope to make it onto the US chart, and maybe even the Earth chart. I'll keep you posted!

Jazz Bad #1 North East on Indie Music Chart

A song which I collaborated with Fred Kimmel on called "Jazz Bad" is climbing the Broadjam Top 10 charts. It's a quirky little number: my jazz scat vocals stylishly time-compressed and put against a musical arrangement in Drum 'N Bass style. Here's the link if you wanna take a check: North East Broadjam Top 10

It's nice to see Jazz Bad is also #1 in our hometown, on the New York Broadjam Top 10

Thank you all for your support!! *High five*, Wuj.

Musical Musings: Dear Taxi (and anyone who cares)

Dear TAXI,

I just have one question today, and that is:

Why do some reviewers think that synths combined with heavy guitars reminiscent of the '80s is out of context and/or dated?

I don't understand the adamant push toward acoustic arrangements (unless these listings are pitches to Disney where Country Folk elements have been strong in recent years. And there's nothing like seasoned songwriters recreating The Killers in a corporate kid-friendly version, complete with bad music and pretentious lip sync by 4 handsome wanna-make-'em-American-idols). I also don't see "Roots Indie Rock" being "edgier" than Dance Rock. I know my stuff doesn't sound like a Duran Duran-Queen-Elvis-Beatles-retro U2-Depeche Mode-Blondie-1950's-early-60s-early-80s-(add favorite tortured and underappreciated musician you hear in their music right here) revival like The Killers do, but what it is is Synth Rock with other elements, and I think people want Synth Pop-Rock right now if my fans are any indication.

While I have you here, I don't like the rubato thing I hear in many songs lately--the very show tuney lull in time followed by a dramatic big musical moment which always sounds like Judy Garland or Meat Loaf to me. But one thing I can do is take it in and appreciate it for what it is because it's the sound of the time.

Sorry for the rant. Thank you for all you're doing for me in making me a better musician every day.

Sali Oguri

Pink Manhattan PURRFUME: Thanks To My Fans

I want to take this opportunity to thank all of the fans, not only of my music but of my perfume, Pink Manhattan PURRFUME. Today I logged onto one of my favorite hangouts and found a bunch of online pals saying all this good stuff about it, and I just had to share some inside info and my personal thoughts with you.

My concept for the bottle was inspired by our skyline which is still my beloved home. The Manhattan skyline bottle labels were designed by Tiffany Kimmel, a talented Virginia native and then-college student majoring in Design who's just now starting a promising new career at an architectural firm in New York City. For the font, Tiffany gave me a bunch of cool fonts to choose from based on the feeling I wanted to capture, and I chose the one that would give Pink Manhattan a fast-paced and modern look that would be far from traditional 'feminine' fonts and would appeal to everyone. I wanted the bottle to look like the view of the city looking through a high rise window which is why I kept the label clear. I hope the bottle gives the impression of a sculpture even though I work within very limited packaging cost. They are all handmade with loving care. The result of our collaboration is exactly what I wanted and I thank Tiffany for her fresh inspiration for the project.

I went all out for my first fragrance venture and got my favorite oils to make Pink Manhattan with. The composition is not trying to carve out a new genre but it's a bold take on a mainstream theme, the ever-popular Fruity Floral. It had to be Pop because my music for Pink Manhattan is Pop (Indie-Alternative but nonetheless Pop). The overall feeling of the scent is light and sweet but it has a full heart and bottom just like my music. The Sensorium of Song & Scent package (CD and PURRFUME) was first sold exclusively to Tokyo, Japan through an FM radio show, and later the perfume was distrubuted in the US by B-Glowing, Lucky Scent, a couple of other boutiques here in the NY area including Luilei, Brooklyn. I designed the fragrance in about a year, taking into consideration and balancing the tastes of both East and West. I hope that the dainty yet spunky fragrance I tried to capture comes through to my fans.

What am I trying to say with this scent if anything? One, it's good to have some fun, and two, petite doesn't have to mean vulnerable or helpless--it can have some attitude and still be sexy. Pink Manhattan is a sense of mind. May inner strength be with you all--stay encouraged and thank you from the bottom of my heart for your kind support over the past year since the launch of Pink Manhattan. I appreciate that there are so many people who love this scent and can see my vision through it.

Peace,
Sali

Music Reviews from TAXI (and what this perfumista really thinks of them)

Music Review From TAXI Listener ID # 213

Here's another good review in my opinion; the reviewer was pretty encouraging and I felt good about his vibe. I learned something new and that is that if two songs have different song structures (one has ABC (verse, pre-chorus, chorus) and another has AC (verse-chorus)), it could confuse the artist package. Live and learn! I need to make sure that all songs I submit have the exact same song structure.

I can't help but wonder if the same rule applies to the world of fragrance, where a perfumer is expected to whip out the same basic scent structure each time or people wouldn't understand their scent identity. If anyone knows about this, please comment. For now, I better stick to the traditional pyramid structure and stay away from creating soliflores and linear scents!

Overall Comments:
"Dear Sali, song # 1 (Infinite Tenderness) Some great original production ideas, some unique and clever ideas, but the guitar and drums sounds could be much better. The piano parts are very nice. An interesting direction here and a great voice to match. Very nice contrast between sections. I think with better production on this song, you might have something here. song # 2 (Before We Say Goodnight) Very pretty song here. Intimate vocal performance. Production too safe and predictable. Song melody is safe, so bring it somewhere up to the first songs direction. It sounds too AC and confuses your package. I wish you had another song in this package since the two songs you have submitted are too different from each other to define your artist identity. You have a great voice, some great moments here in each song, but stylistically they are worlds away from each other. The first song has qualities of Evanescence and the second song sounds like Vanessa Williams. It is obvious that you are versatile, but be more focused in your presentation.

Bio Comments:
"Informative and shows potential. I have a feeling we will be hearing more about Sali. Excellent artist photo.

The main reason you were or were not forwarded for this listing is:
"Although a great singer, some unique elements, stylistically different songs do not solidify the direction and genre of the artist. At this time, I can not forward to this listing"

(photo from http://www.kevinmonroephotography.com)

Sali Has New Songs On Broadjam

New songs have been added on Broadjam--check 'em out!!

Musical Musings - Genres and Uniforms

Do you feel that your favorite type of music defines who you are? It's OK if you do--there's something to be said about sticking to one path in life.


The reason I ask is, I've never even had a chance to identify with just one genre. I was supposed to grow up to become a Classical pianist if my mother had had her way with me. Unfortunately for her, I loved every other form of music too much. I've rocked with the best of the rockers when I was a metalhead (yes, I went through the "this music is me" phase and no one can hear me belt out a song and tell me I'm not a real rocker). At the same time, I was gigging in a jazz band singing Thelonious Monk tunes and in an R&B band backing up Robin S. I've had to learn all styles as a freelance singer in NY, and it's been an enriching experience for me but it's also made me feel different in contrast to people around me who could say "Well, I'm into this so I'm that" and take the advice of peers or fashion magazines that tell them just what to wear because they're exactly that. Example: "You're a Punk! Black and white stripes with combat boots and pink hair are so YOU.". But in growing up I knew other musicians who felt as I did who, even if they closely identified with one type of music, at least would never put down or ignore the rest because we loved to play. I suppose we dressed a bit weird, too.

Having a favorite style is fine as long as society doesn't get polarized as a result. But as we can witness from how segregated the radio stations are in the US (where unlike in other countries where you hear a plethora of genres on one station, you have different stations for different genres which are marketed to particular demographics--listen to their sponsored ads and you can "see" the images they're pushing), it always ends up dividing people in the real world. If people were more accustomed to hearing different types of music or if they could just know that there are other types of music out there than what's on their radio or TV, would it make a difference in our world? What would happen if we stopped catering to this system and just started making music for ourselves which might be more fusion-y than what people are comfortable with? If we put variety to the forefront instead of the same few types of music packaged with the same images all the time, all the time, all the time, feeding dangerous and ignorant generalizations about people to the young, would we be one step closer to promoting peace?

I would defend the existence of Rock, Soul, Jazz, pretty much all genres of music that I love. I also wouldn't try to stop their evolution by controlling how a new generation of musicians interpret our world in sound. We all must grow. I am Music, not a stereotype.