self-released 
I’ve been thinking a lot lately about the concept of “music without barriers.” As such, I’ve been keeping my eyes and ears open for recordings from musicians that best represent this approach. “Eat,” an intelligent and vibrant CD by singer-songwriter Jen Kearney and her remarkable band The Lost Onion, is such a recording. The band seamlessly blends elements of soul and Latin with a touch of jazz influence, all in a very natural way.

The music on “Eat” sounds like a meeting between Stevie Wonder and Lydia Pense/Cold Blood at the junction of Santana and Eddie Palmieri, but without being blatantly derivative. Kearney pulls it off by being an exceptionally able songwriter. Her tunes blend sophisticated melodies and harmonies with sharp, story-like lyrics that offer snapshots of her world. You hear all of these elements come together on tunes like the laid-back “Grandpa,” the burning samba “Warm Bath Eyes,” the straight up Latin-rock of “Patience Child,” which features a burning synth solo from guest Nate Wilson, and the deep reggae groove on the tune “Amity.”

Kearney is also a powerful singer, with a full and clear vocal style that weaves naturally in and around all of the tunes, and a fine keyboard player who utilizes a variety of colorful textures throughout the music. The musicians who make up The Lost Onion are some of the best players on the Boston scene. Anchored by the subtly powerful percussion work of Yahuba Garcia, the band includes a powerhouse horn section that includes the superb saxophonist Henley Douglas Jr. (Boston Horns) and the remarkable trombonist Corey Blanchette. Drummer Pete McLean (Boston Horns and Organism) guests on several cuts, adding his incisive playing and deep-pocket groove to Yahuba’s percussion work to give several tunes a high level of energy, especially on “Warm Bath Eyes” and “Patience Child.”

Kearney’s eclectic approach was nurtured in her youth. A self-taught musician, her formal training included a few piano lessons as a child (she says on her Web site that she was told not to return after playing the R&B tune “Kansas City” in a lesson) followed by a brief stint at the University of Lowell’s music program, where she met many of the musicians on the CD. But her best training came via the local hoot nights in the Lowell area and varied band experiences, all of which helped her to develop her writing style.

You can sample Kearney’s work online at www.jenkearney.com. Better yet, Kearney is November’s featured artist for the Wednesday Residency series at the Barley Pub in Dover. While she’s working with a stripped down version of her band, the show will provide you with the chance to hear a wonderful new talent on the Northeast music scene. As for “Eat,” this is one of the best CD’s I’ve heard this year.