"Makes Me Smile" Monday

When asked by my wife to contribute to today's blog entry, I (the husband, Jack) wanted to continue with her weekly theme of chronicling those things that make us smile, bring joy to our lives, and otherwise make our days just a bit more tolerable. As I reflected upon the possibilities that such a blank slate provided, it dawned on me that inspiration can come from the most ubiquitous of items, namely, my car stereo (& mp3 player, for that matter). Because for the past week, the only music that has graced the ears of this rather discerning musician has been that of Rochester's own Teagan Ward.


I was introduced to Teagan's music several months ago by her father, Bob Ward, & began attending several of her shows around the Rochester area where, as a fellow musician, I was immediately impressed by her skills as both a songwriter and a performer. Having been blessed with an absolutely gorgeous voice, she delivers each lyric with a passion and conviction that is initially unexpected from someone only twenty years old. Yet she has quickly become one of my favorite vocalists as a result, and considering that the standard for female vocalists is set by Karin Bergquist of Over the Rhine fame, praise such as this is not thrown around lightly!

With the recent release of her first CD, Teagan has provided her fans with a dozen original songs that showcase her immense talent and musicianship. It is truly one of those rare CDs where I find myself absolutely captivated by each and every song, getting lost in the lyrics, haunting melodies, and that incredible voice (there’s no skipping around to just the “good ones” on this CD). A few samples of her work can be found on her myspace page, as well as on the accompanying page for her band, the Tweeds. I can’t recommend enough that everyone check out her music, and should anyone be interested in getting a copy of her CD, just let me know and I’ll be happy to obtain one from either Teagan or her dad. Enjoy!