After seven critically acclaimed records and a recent second poetry book/audiobook with original music, singer-poet Lisa B (Lisa Bernstein) releases her eighth album ’60s Magic Now!: The Y-Verse with stunning soul-jazz covers of newly relevant 1960s classics. All but one of the re-visions, Bob Dylan’s “The Times They Are A-Changin’,” first appeared in 1967. ’60s Magic Now!: The Y-Verse is inspired by Lisa’s ardent response to the repressive Trump administration and by her love for these songs. Lisa B’s and Ben Flint’s arrangements resonate with the originals’ innocent calls for love and peace while infusing them with cutting-edge flavors. The tracks reflect the ’60s’ frequent merging of soul, jazz, rock, and folk, along with global accents.
Official Video For “Spooky” https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S9va1CRhBsQ&t=1s
The seven tracks include songs spotlighting four magical characters, each a distinct figure of freedom: Spooky, Mr. Fantasy, Ruby Tuesday, and Windy. Lisa frames these with two anthems of the decade, originally from Bob Dylan and the Youngbloods, that passionately call for action in response to changing times. A rap-drum duet by Lisa B and Jeff Marrs opens the record. Five songs include new poetic raps or spoken word composed by Lisa B. She’s joined on “Dear Mr. Fantasy” by the iconic hip-hop artist, Lyrics Born, who personifies the title character. His articulate rap swagger expands here into a commitment to “helping to repair the human tapestry.” It was a full-circle moment for Lyrics Born to return to Oakland’s Pajama Studios, where he recorded most of his debut record, The Album by Latyrx, with engineer Jim (James) Gardiner. Why the Y-Verse? Y exists just a step outside our regular universe. Y asks why. Y is a peace symbol. And each reimagined song has the letter Y in it.
Lisa B (Lisa Bernstein): Producer (all), sung and spoken vocals (all), arranger (1, 3, 5, 6), co-arranger (4, 7), Ben Flint: Keyboards (all), background vocals (4), arrangements (2, 4, 7), Lyrics Born: Rap (3), Sandy Cressman: Background vocals (6), Julian Caipo: Guitar (4, 7), Garth Webber: Guitar (3), Dr. J.E. Rose (Jarolím Emmanuel Ruzicka): Violin (7), Curtis Ohlson: Bass (2, 3, 5), Aaron Germain: Bass (4, 6, 7), Jeff Marrs: Drums (all), Brent Sunderland: Percussion (6).
