Venitia Sekema: Reviews

LAKE MAGAZINE SEPTEMBER 2008

VENITIA SEKEMA

The New Buffalo Farmers’ Market opened early Sunday morning. Vendors were selling tomatoes, berries, freshly-baked bread – the usual fare. But one woman was singing and playing guitar out of the back of her SUV: Venitia Sekema. “It’s an exciting year for the political process,” says Venitia, a ripe songstress and skilled songwriter. “This song is called ‘Now is the Time.’” In the spirit of folk singers like Pete Seeger and Bob Dylan, Sekema launches into her own song of the times with right-on lyrics any old folkie can appreciate. Her set includes a versatile mix of musical styles – folk, jazz and blues – and she handles them all with finesse. She scats like a jazz singer and sings blues better than any white girl should. “I like to put humor in there,” she says about her vocal style. “I think that’s the way to connect with people. This is a blues (song) called ‘Sugar Daddy.’ It’s about the perils of dating a rich man.” Sekema’s lyrics tell stories, a characteristic of only the best songwriters. But what’s best about Venitia? She lives in Galien, Mich., and liberally sprinkles her gigs throughout the LAKE region. Catch her Monday nights at the Livery in Benton Harbor, Mich., where she hosts an open mic at 8 p.m.

Bottom line:

Combining jazz, blues and folk elements with her own soulful lyrics, Venitia Sekema is a vocal treat for fans of all three genres. –Gail Isaacson

By Dan MacIntosh

Venitia Sekema is one saucy, sexy singer/songwriter. That came out a little strange, didn't it? After all, aren’t singer/songwriters mostly like emo singers, albeit without all the amplification and rock connotations? Well, Sekema may just stretch your expectations.

There are a couple of big clues, before you even queue up the music, that Sekema is not your average songstress. For instance, one of the CD photos is simply a pair of high heel shoes on a hardwood floor. This image suggests that Sekema is relaxing with her shoes off. The opposite photo shows Sekema sitting and playing her guitar and revealing a lot of leg. But the cover photo is the kicker, as it finds her leaning against a mic stand, eyes closed with a come-hither expression on her face.

I get the feeling Sekema has a strong torch singer side to her personality. This side comes through on Hell On High Heels (Remember the spiked footwear referred to earlier?). This recording is colored beautifully by jazzy vibe playing. And this must be Sekema adding such ambience herself, as none of her additional musicians are credited with the vibe part. Also, there is a note that states: “All vocals, instruments, except where noted, performed by Venitia.” You go, girl!

The lyrics to the title track must give most men reason for pause. It’s the most frightening foot apparel tune since Nancy Sinatra’s “These Boots Are Made For Walkin'."

It goes, in part:

Can’t always keep it on the straight and narrow
gotta go by feel
But I’m careful not to fall into a dirty deal
Let me love you baby, show you how to keep it real
I’m comin’ your way and I’m hell on high heels ...

But as cool as she can look and sound, Sekema is nevertheless an excellent songwriter. “Mile Long Days” is especially potent as it details the story of a young couple that got together in ’84. But it ends sadly with the girl leaving her guy, Jimmy. “Packs the truck and grabs the money jar, daughter’s blanket, one last look & leaves.” This is the sort of character study that wouldn’t be out of place on a Springsteen CD.

Sekema also knows her way around more generalized songs, which is exemplified by “Now Is The Time." In it she suggests this query: “Ask yourself the question, do I take more than I give, do other people suffer for the easy life I live?" And once again, it’s the sort of sentiment you might likely hear from one of the better socially active songwriters.

Others may be singing the same kinds of songs as Sekema, but few are doing so quite so sexily.

Indie Music Magazine

A voice that conjures images of farmhouses, screendoors and steely gray days...Venitia will move you. The winners here a Mile Long Days and Sweet Temptation. Like a cooling thunder storm on a prairie-hot day her voice soothes the soul. Her sound is at once sparse and amazingly full. No more is needed: a ringing acoustic guitar and her sultry voice...that is all I needed to be a fan. As a songwriter myself I have come to appreciate the simplicity inherent in a good song. Whether she wrote them or chose them...makes no difference. The end result is pure art.

Reviews:

I'm moved. The way Venitia blends different styles is just so enjoyable. Blues, soul ballads, jazz, folk and a bit of pop - these are different genres but when you touch them with her voice, bonds between them become very clear. Her singing is elegant and gentle, sometimes can be romantic and sometimes very sexy. My personal favorites on the disc are the soul ballads - spectacular!
It will be my pleasure to feature her music in my shows. I'm sure my listeners will enjoy it as much as I do!
Przemek Draheim
The Blues Foundation /Member
Living Blues Magazine /Contributor
website: www.blues.pl/draheim

On her second CD, "Hell On High Heels", talented singer-songwriter Venitia Sekema delivers a solid batch of well-crafted tunes that cover a wide range of moods. Her style melds elements of folk and blues with a straightforward approach to songwriting that serves her well. Venitia has a mature voice that effortlessly floats atop simple and deceptively stripped-down song arrangements. A variety of talented guest artists appear, adding to the depth and richness of the music without cluttering it. Indeed, the emphasis on this CD is right where it should be-on the refined voice, solid guitar playing and eclectic songwriting of Venitia.
"Hell On High Heels" covers a wide range of lyrical subjects. "Now Is The Time" explores the need to live more compassionately, while "Seems Like Monday Morning All The Time" covers the hectic pace of modern life. While there are a few lighthearted songs that lacked emotional impact, Venitia makes up for it when wrestling with affairs of the heart. "The Same" is a powerful and stark tale of a failed relationship, while "Oregon" outlines the sense of peaceful possibility one can find from serious post-relationship soul searching. "Circle" is another such success that explores the strange gravitational pull exherted in especially soulful relationships. Venitia has a lot to talk about and her range as a songwriter is obvious on this disc. Like the artist who created it, this CD is a subtly complex album with a diverse range of emotional layers that become more apparent and enjoyable with each listening.
"Hell On High Heels" is a very listenable CD from a rapidly evolving singer-songwriter, While it is not especially adventurous or creatively conceived music, it is an honest and successful effort to artfully explore the emotional roads we all walk. If you enjoy the sound of a good guitar accompanying a beautiful voice with a lot to talk about, you will probably enjoy the music of Venitia Sekema.
IN Michiana - Sean Conlon

MUSICIAN SLIDES ON A NEW PAIR OF SHOES

Article published May 20, 2007 - KAREN RIVERS
Tribune Staff Writer

SEKEMA WEARS SOUL WELL ON SECOND ALBUM

Singer-songwriter Venitia Sekema just released her second album, and from glancing at the unopened CD, one thing is immediately apparent.

Someone went and got a little sassy.

The cover for "Hell on High Heels" shows Sekema in a black fringed dress getting down on an old-fashioned microphone. Songs include "Sugar Daddy" and "Not That Kinda Girl."

Sekema has always had a little blues and soul to her sound, but this album explores and reveals that side of her music in greater depth.

The results? A solid record that's got spunk and a sense of humor.This Venitia -- the one in the little black dress -- knows how to have a good time.

In fact, Sekema should be having plenty of fun this Friday at her official CD release party at The Livery. She put together a five-piece backup band just for the occasion.

A resident of Galien, Sekema has been a full-time musician since quitting her day job back in 2005. She now hosts The Livery's Monday open mic night, and often hits the road to tour the Great Lakes area and beyond. Her first album was the eclectic, enjoyable folk offering "Lucky Numbers."

Some of that sound hangs around on this record. "Now Is the Time," for instance, is a kind-of '60s-throwback socially conscious folk tune. "Oregon" is a soft, sweet one about being on the road.

The more soulful stuff, however, clearly drives the album.The opening track is a playful lament called "Monday Morning All the Time," and that light-hearted blues vibe continues on a number of songs.

The title track is a fun, funky number, as are the aforementioned "Sugar Daddy" and "Not That Kinda Girl." "Someone Like You," the album's official "you're not all that" track, also is in that vein -- and it's a standout.

Woven in with these more playful tunes are some good old sad love songs, including the pretty, urgent album-closer, "Been Lonely Too Long."

Part of what makes the album a success is that Sekema is not just experimenting with a different emphasis, but really embracing it and having fun. Those who've seen her perform know that she can do blues, but with "Hell on High Heels" she takes that side of her sound and runs with it.

Like many singer-songwriters, Sekema says she doesn't subscribe to any one style. As for this more soulful vibe, it's a hat -- or rather, a pair of high heels -- that she wears well.

Staff Writer Karen Rivers:
krivers@sbtinfo.com,

October 23, 2005


Singer took hint, quit her day job
INTERMISSION: CLUBS & GIGS

By KAREN RIVERS
Tribune Staff Writer
Venitia Sekema gets down and gets folky at The Beanery in Mishawaka.
Tribune Photo/KOHL THRELKHELD

On sale
"Lucky Numbers" by Venitia Sekema is available online at www.venitiasekema.com or www.tower.com. List price of $15.99 is discounted at both sites.




Years ago, Venitia Sekema opened a fortune cookie and read this message: "There is still time yet for you to take a different path."

The scrap of paper spoke to her. She hung it on her fridge, carried it around in her purse, let it settle in the back of her mind.

Six months go, she cracked open a cookie and got the message again.

Not afraid to take a cue from fate, Sekema quit her job as a dental assistant in New Buffalo. She is now a full-time musician.

"I just thought, 'OK, it's now or never. I'm 39. I've gotta do this,' " Sekema says during a recent gig at The Beanery in Mishawaka.

The Galien resident looks right at home strumming her guitar in the corner of the coffee shop. Her voice is smooth and sweet as she bounces from originals to covers, touching on everyone from Johnny Lang to Eric Clapton to Radiohead.

Although she seems to be folky at heart, Sekema perks right up when singing something with a dark blues rhythm.

"I've been a fan of everything -- rock, Motown, soul, pop, funk. ... Sort of the buzzword now is singer-songwriter, and that's the term I like. It doesn't limit you," she says.

As a folk singer, Sekema says, its easy to get into a rut where you always sing about love. It's a trap that Sekema avoids on her recently released first album, "Lucky Numbers."

The 13 tracks include songs about being a natural redhead, about an injured soldier back from the war, about a preacher going fishing.

There are, of course, at least a couple of songs about love.

Sekema recorded the album with Bruce Bartlett of Bartlett Recording in Elkhart. It's currently getting play on WVPE-FM (88.1).

The cover of the CD booklet aptly shows a fortune cookie, her providential message tucked inside.

Sekema first picked up a guitar when she was 14 and has been writing songs ever since. After playing in front of friends and family for years, she finally took her act public in 1990.

She now plays about three nights a week. And The Beanery is one of her favorite spots.

"The audience here is so appreciative, it really boosts you up," she says.

During her set, Sekema sings about falling for a heartbreaker. She jams out to the empowered tune "Queen Bee." Confidently, she strums through a song that she learned just that morning.

For Sekema, playing a brand-new tune is all in a day's work. In fact, it doesn't faze her a bit.

With a smile, she says, "I like to take chances."

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Venitia Sekema-
"Lucky Numbers"
one of the top 30
Best Albums of 2005