Miss Tess – Chez Rêve
Miss Tess – Cher Rêve
Format: CD – Vinyl LP – Digital
Label: Rights Records – Sonic RendezVous
Release: 2025
Miss Tess is one of those singular artists who deserve all the superlatives and accolades one could hoist upon a rare talent such as hers
This unassuming chanteuse is, as they say in the business, a true “triple threat” – a superb songwriter and adept multi-instrumentalist with an extraordinary voice that can sing the birds from the trees.
Her music takes root and draws from an era when country music, contrary to popular belief, was downright sophisticated, and filled with instrumentalists who were every bit as hip musically as their jazz counterparts – stretching back to a time when Western swing bands and jazz bands played a lot of the same material – albeit with a different accent, informed by their physical location. Location has a lot to do with the new Miss Tess album, but I’ll get to that in a minute. I would like to stress here that Miss Tess is not necessarily a “country” artist per se, although if she were invited to play the Grand Ole Opry, she would not be out of place, and would no doubt be very well received. Country Soul might be a better descriptor if I was forced to label it, but her music also has elements of rhythm and blues, jazz, country blues, rock n’ roll – but never manufactured to re-create a particular sound or era. I’m tempted to call this new Miss Tess album “easy listening” except she’d probably slap me. But damn, it really is so easy to listen to: laid back, soulful, funky, and addictive … much like the place it was recorded in and inspired by.
The new Miss Tess album is the product of an on-going love affair with the culturally rich region of South Louisiana known as Acadiana, or more specifically, the magical little city of Lafayette. If New Orleans is the “Big Easy,” then Lafayette is certainly the “Little Easier.” It is hard to describe this sleepy little town unless you’ve been here and experienced its infectious atmosphere for yourself. It may not be for everyone, but if you are of a certain disposition, it could affect you in ways you might not have imagined – it might even change your life.
Website: https://misstessmusic.com/home
Tracks:
01. Louisiana
02. Ride That Train
03. Nobody Wins
04. Lord, I Need Somebody Bad Tonight
05. La Lune C’est Un Cendrier
06. Learning Not to Care
07. Take It Easy
08. Tennessee Blues
09. La Valse d’Asteur