When I think about how long Zola Moon has been mesmerizing audiences not twenty miles from my front door, I feel like someone who has discovered a precious jewell right in his own back yard. Although I feel the loss of countless performances that I could have witnessed, I'm consoled by the body of work that Zola continues to produce. Zola's CD, DOWN TO MY BONES, is an interesting example of that body of work.

Zola Moon is like that precious stone, in that she is as multi-faceted as the Hope diamond. As a performer, she is in a league with Tina Turner, Mick Jagger and James Brown. As a singer, she can hold her own with any Diva that you'd care to name and as a songwriter, she knows the words that can make me laugh or cry and even shout for joy. She is one of a kind--flawless and precious as a jewell.

DOWN TO MY BONES is an accustic recording. With only a single guitar to accompany her, Zola performs some classic tunes, such as ST. JAMES INFIRMARY, NIGHT LIFE and LITTLE RED ROOSTER with poise and purpose. She sings them faithfully, but with her own postmodern touch that breaths life into these standards. How long has it been since you've listened to just one voice and an accustic guitar? I'ts hard to believe how rich and full this recording is.

Zola really shines with her own compositions, eleven of which appear on this CD. She is always the consumate storyteller, whether it is the soulful HELP ME, the tongue in cheek humor of STEEL BARS, to the dreamlike fantasy of MR. ALIGATOR, Zola can conjure a multitude of visions, a heart full of emotion and a world of optimism with surprising ease. She can soothe you, seduce you or dispose of you at her own discretion. She can raise your hackles with BAD DOG FIGHT, soothe your nerves with HUSH SWEET DADDY, or bathe you in the sweet sentiment of FERNANDO.

Despite the quality of each and every one of the sixteen tracks on this record, my hands down favorite has got to be the classic, TIME IS ON MY SIDE. There are several versions of this tune, most notably by The Rolling Stones, but Zola's rendition is so poignant, so heartfelt, that she turns the message of the song from one of stern admonishment into a heartbreaking torch song. Zola Moon can do that, folks, with just a single guitar and her own magnificent voice. 

This record is a rare and unique jewell that you can find for yourself simply by ordering it from http://http://www.cdbaby.com/zolamoon3. You don't need a magic lamp, just Internet access. 

Find out more about Zola Moon by clicking onto her website: http://www.zolamoon.com and be sure to read my in-depth interview with Zola in this month's issue of SOUTHBOUND BEAT Magazine.

    Review by Pat Benny