Sera Cahoone

With her self-titled debut album, Seattle based Sera Cahoone (www.myspace.com/seracahoone) has stepped out from behind the scenes and into the limelight. Having spent her career as a drummer, most notably for popular Seattle bands  “Carissa’s Weird” and “Band of Horses,” Cahoone has emerged as a singer-songwriter of considerable talent. In fact, NPR’s Stephen Thompson has her on his top 10 releases of 2006. It’s hard to argue the point once you hear this collection of sweet country songs. From the relatively up-tempo “Last Time,” to the plaintive “Couch Song,” Cahoone’s traditional arrangements, direct lyrics and gorgeous melodies create an atmosphere that conjures images of the western landscapes that inspired her to put down her drumsticks and pick up a pen. Cahoone’s voice adds a perfect dose of warmth and honesty, injecting a quiet sense of hope to even the saddest songs. Dubbed “The love child of Cat Power and Buck Owens,” Sera Cahoone is an authentic new American voice.

Heidi Skjerve

Norwegian singer Heidi Skjerve (www.heidiskjerve.com) has put together a top-notch collection of young jazz musicians who are making a real name for themselves in Scandinavia. The Heidi Skjerve Quintet features Epsen Reinertsen on saxophone and clarinet, Erlend Stettevoll on piano, Lars Elkman on bass, Truls Ronning on drums and Skjerve on vocals. The singer also composed all the quintet’s songs.  Although she has clearly been influenced by jazz standards (“Love’s Philosophy”), Skjerve also employs modal chord structures and folk sensibility (“The Gypsy”) to create echoes of everyone from Miles Davis to Joni Mitchell and Nick Drake. This warm and very personal brand of music will likely appeal to longtime jazz fans and provide a nice entrée for those less familiar with the genre.

Vetiver

The San Francisco band Vetiver (www.myspace.com/vetiverse) takes its name from a tall aromatic grass native to India. The oil from this grass is used for perfumes and aromatherapy. Its odor is described alternately as woody, sweet, smoky and earthy. Those are pretty good descriptors for the sound that singer-songwriter Andy Cabic and guitarist Devendra Banhart have assembled. “Maureen” showcases sweet and earthy tones with its feel-good, down-home quality, reminiscent of the Grateful Dead. At times, however, the earthiness gives way to a distinct otherworldly scent, a la George Harrison. The droning, hypnotic guitars and ethereal chorus of voices in “Been So Long” are good examples of the Harrison strain. Either way, Veviter brings a fresh approach to its music and provides a bit of sonic therapy along the way.