It All Starts Here

It All Starts Here

Track Listings

1. Slow Down, Get a Grip

2. Red Tide

3. Everything

4. One-Step Blues

5. Heatherdom

6. America

7. Here Goes

8. Take Me In

9. My Son, Tom

10. Blues Are For the Lonely

11. Classical Gas

Editorial Reviews
About the Artist
Duncan Wood is a singer-songwriter and outstanding guitarist who plays a number of styles with equal abandon. He started performing at the young age of nine, had his first band at age twelve, then, as a teenager, was fortunate enough to be taken “under the wing” by two different top-ranked students of Andres Segovia, considered by many the greatest guitarist who ever lived. He also learned from every other guitarist he came in contact with over the years. As a result, Duncan might play sizzling flamenco on one song like Carlos Montoya, play a classical duet with Danielle like Segovia might have done, change up to a folk-rock song, finger-pick for you like Chet Atkins or Doc Watson, then might finish off with an electric-blues number a la Gary Moore or Eric Clapton. His first band to make it onto the radio stations across the country was Cutts Road, reaching #3 on the heavy-play charts in New England. Another band, GreenWood, made it to the final 11 out of 300 bands picked nation-wide for the television show, Star Search. They were discovered by Star Search because one of their original songs was being considered for the theme song of a Hollywood movie. Since getting his Bachelor of Science degree in Psychology in 1988, Duncan has been teaching, performing, and writing a soon-to-be-published book pioneering new methods for learning guitar and music.

Danielle Gerard grew up in the world of New York theatre, the child of parents who were active on Broadway and television. She inevitably explored dance, acting and music, but it was the flute that captured her greatest interest. During her high school years, Danielle was very active in band, achieving the honor of Drum Major her junior and senior years, as well as being involved in many other artistic endeavors and beauty pageants. This eventually led to her being awarded a music scholarship to the University of South Carolina where she continued her study of the flute. One of the most fascinating things about her flute-playing today is that she can range from a sweet and pure classical sound all the way to a growling, rhythmic, breathy sound similar to Ian Anderson of Jethro Tull. Audiences never know what to expect next from the talented and beautiful Danielle, since her singing has grown to nearly rival her flute-work. One moment, she belts out a song like Janis Joplin, the next, she's reminding us of Jewel. Small wonder that Danielle has won awards for “Best Flutist” as well as being a finalist for “Best Female Acoustic Performer” in the yearly Local Music Awards of the sprawling Hampton Roads area in Virginia. Danielle's rare talents are truly a delight for all to share.

As a team, Duncan & Danielle have written and arranged a body of music that speaks to people of all ages. They offer their audiences a chance to experience truly great music and great musicianship. People often say that they never know what Duncan & Danielle will do next. As a result, their fans range from one end of the social spectrum to the other. One thing that is constant, though, is that everyone leaves happy, knowing that they just shared something very special—-and that is the music of Duncan & Danielle.

Tracks:

They
Come on Closer
Finally Woken
Just a Ride
Flying High (Acoustic Version)

Customer Reviews:

Jem is trippin..........2005-01-07

I have not heard this EP, which is why i gave it 4 stars, but i have heard a few songs off it. I also have heard her new album, "Finally Woken" which i have to say is pretty dynamite... however, i wish she would of have kept it more in the trip hop theme... her album is pretty trippy, and becuase i am a DJ, and into many styles of music, i really dig the trip hop beats she makes, and her singing goes real well over it. but there are some tracks that sound almost like metal, like Evanescence, whom i dig too, but if you make a trippy, dj like, electronica cd, you should sort of stick w/ that and not go into extreme lands like metal unless you can really cover that music good... she makes it work, but those are tracks i'd skip over fast...

I say get her new album. why pay x amt for the EP, the the full length is just a few bux more.

Fans of Dido, Sarah McLachlan should dig this... but anyone into trip hop, ambient, or chill music, who likes a lil hip hop in their beats, should def check Jem out... She does sound very similar to Dido, but where she differs is in here music steez... she's more trip and dj like then Dido. Jem was a DJ before she was a producer, so she knows her way around the decks, and she def knows what she is doing.. I'm trying to get her full lentgh right now on ebay, but ppl are mad bidding me out...

Best of "Jem".......2004-07-12

Welsh pop singer Jem burst onto the scene with her multi-faceted debut, "Fianally Woken." In the aptly named EP "It All Starts Here," Jem gave a taste to the world of what to expect -- catchy pop laced with trip-hop and folk, all from her debut.

Starting off the EP is the exotic, hip-hop-laced "They," followed by the sultry, sexy "Come On Closer." She shifts into a slower gear with the mellow, flowing "Finally Woken," before revving up with the pleasant but unexceptional "Just A Ride," and finally finishing with the gentle "Flying High."

If Dido joined Portishead and started playing folk, the sound that resulted might be a bit like Jem. While "It All Starts Here" has some of Jem's strongest songs, it feels a little constricted. Only "Flying High" could be considered a ballad; the others are almost insanely catchy pop. As a result, listeners don't get to experience everything she can do.

Jem's voice is sweet and sensuous, especially in the final track where it's unencumbered by electronica, and the sketchy lyrics even out to a pretty little ballad. Her music is a crazy quilt of trip-hop, strummy guitars, bells, and who knows what else. It takes what might have been run-of-the-mill pop and makes it feel fresh and new.

"It All Starts Here" displays some of the best of pop newcomer Jem, although it doesn't really show everything she can do. Pretty, fun, exotic and catchy.

don't judge an LP by it's EP.......2004-04-03

I like everyone else flipped over hearing "they". "closer" is a distant 2nd and the last 3 songs... eh. I was not going to get the LP but a coworker got it and it's great, several strong songs. don't be turned off by the EP.

Poe + Dido = Jem.......2004-02-17

This EP is absosmurfly amazing! Jem sounds like the product of a lesbian tryst between Poe & Dido...Funky & soothing. I highly recommend this release & can't wait for the full length!

A truely great little album with only 5 songs........2004-02-07

The filler songs that are normally stuck in most albums are just not there. At less than $5.00 you can't go wrong (the big record labels are not slapping on their massive overhead). Each song is great in its own way; fun and uniquely Jem. Some have compared her to Dido, but Dodo's depressive anger is changed to an uplifting melodic voice. I hope the album (which Jem is working on) is half as good as this first five song release. There is great potential with Jem, and this should be just the beginning. GO JEM!!!