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Industry Quotes about "No More Mondays"

"Melissa Forbes has a smoky, soulful jazz voice that is backed by a chitlin circuit jazz band. This combination is a winner making No More Mondays a collection of sultry, smoky head nodding modern classics. No need for the skip button on this disc. You will want to play this one all the way through repeatedly." (August 2006)

"Melissa's roster of well-written songs flow effortlessly into each other like water into streams, showcasing musically fluid tracks that are defined by her technically precise vocals and high production values. From beginning to end this project stimulates your ears, thoughts, and emotions while smoothly blending Jazz and R&B into a genre that Melissa can call her own." (March 2006)

"Melissa, all of your material is consistently high level. Surely, you must be famous 'down under'. Come to America!" (February 2006)

"Once this import finds American support, Melissa Forbes' career will take off! Outstanding debut!" (January 2006)

"A superbly gifted artist...This is a magnificent album. It feels more like a gift than a review copy." (December 2005)

"No More Mondays is a seductive collection of Forbes’s original compositions and innovative interpretations of jazz standards…with a dash of Metallica and Michael Jackson!" (October 2005)

"...a soul singer with a bluesy, jazzy style that is unique among Australian vocalists...the voice is endearing and the CD will do nicely until Melissa comes to a venue near you." (September 2005)

"Incredible arrangements and vocals, tremendous accompaniment, this one's dynamite!" (August 2005)

"...a collection of jazzy, funky, bluesy grooves to ease and please...Melissa Forbes shines as vocalist, composer and arranger, and her band honours the music with skilled solo and ensemble playing, energy, sensitivity and spaciousness." (August 2005)

"...a jazz and soul inspired collection of original material and inventive covers..." (July 2005)

"Melissa Forbes can nail a jazz standard, but, like the best jazz women do, she fires on the personal stuff." (June 2005)

"Forbes mixes elements of jazz, pop, lounge and soul into a very enjoyable adult disc that feels like a live nightclub performance. She has a gorgeous, clear voice and precise phrasing, and she nails this mix of original tunes and some unusual remakes." (May 2005)

"Melissa Forbes is a jazz singer with a difference: not only does she mostly sing her own songs on her debut album, but the covers she chooses are largely not jazz standards but reworked rock and pop songs. The best part is she somehow makes it all work." (May 2005)

"It's truly one of those disc's where you will be tempted to simply program the 'repeat button'...she's got a crack jazz/funk band playing behind her...kick back and let the music take your mind." (May 2005)

"Melissa's strong and sultry voice is a wonderful instrument that takes us on a chilled journey through her own original tunes, some classics and her take on some more contemporary tunes." (May 2005)

"Melissa Forbes' new CD is a remarkably classy debut that will be just the thing for those who like their jazz smooth, sophisticated and soulful." (May 2005)

"...a blend of standard blues and jazz, heartfelt originals and love songs...a promising first release..." (May 2005)

"...a collection of the finest tunes...this ex-lawyer has managed to leave her own marks on a platform that is already heavily populated with beautifully sounding Soul-Jazz-Pop female artists." (April 2005)

"No More Mondays contains some real gems...and what is really notable is that Melissa has written most of the best tracks on the CD." (March 2005)

"As far as I remember, the last time a debut album of such a perfect artistic quality had been recorded live in the studio, it was on February 11th, 1963 in London, and the artists were the Beatles. What then to say about yesterday's lawyer Melissa Forbes recording at a stretch her debut album only comparable with the best of Ella, Etta and Aretha altogether? Nothing to say. Relax and float downstream..." (March 2005)

"Melissa Forbes has a sultry sound that makes this smooth jazz come alive..." (March 2005)

"Powerful, like a force of nature and smooth like velvet, the clarity and range of Melissa Forbes will leave an unforgettable and lasting mark on that part of your being that needs to be enriched through the wonder of music. Here is an artist with quite an interesting story, and certainly an interesting and successful future in store for her." (February 2005)

"When Melissa Forbes abandoned a promising law career to follow her dream of becoming a singer, it paid off in spades. This classy lady's sultry, confident voice is the perfect accompaniment to these vintage-sounding soul-jazz ballads and proof that the world needs more ex-lawyers." (February 2005)

Jazz E News (Australia): www.jazzenews.com

"Melissa Forbes has a soulful, stylish clean voice that draws you into a beautiful exchange!" (January 2005)

Quotes about Melissa as a Singer & Performer

Adam Bowman (Canada): Judge @ Port Fairy Folk Festival Songwriting Competition

"In an industry that is currently overdosing on pre-packaged / lip syncing pop acts, reality television, and fast food - Melissa's soulfully smooth voice, music and vibe are a much welcome breath of fresh Australian air" (May 2005)

Kitty Margolis (USA): American Jazz Singer

"Melissa is a beautiful soulful singer with a lot of taste" (March 2005)

John Hoffman (USA/Australia): Jazz Trumpeter

"I first heard Melissa sing at her end of year recital at the Qld Con and the experience was stunning. Melissa is essentially a perfect instrument. Her voice will go anywhere - do anything. Her beautiful sound has the same healthy strength from the bottom of her range to the top – four octaves, I am told. Melissa is an exciting part of our Brisbane musical community and we are certain of her talent and of the great musical future she will enjoy." (January 2005)

Ben Treby: on belalf of The Soundounge, Gold Coast (Australia)

"...Clearly an outstanding writer/performer, Melissa infuses her lyrics with powerful emotion, clarity, relevance and good-humour...Audiences everywhere will love the beautifully constructed, sweetly poetic, polished style of music that Melissa and crew have to offer the world...Spellbinding. Outstanding. Refreshing. All Good." (October 2004)

Trent Dalton: Brisbane News (Australia)

"It wasn't quite jazz, it wasn't quite blues, yet it was the best of both and something else again...Melissa floored the intimate crowd at Valley bar The Troubadour recently with an unplugged set of originals that seemed - like the best of Ella, Etta and Aretha - to erupt in the soul and spill from the heart." (October 2004)

Sharny Russell: Jazz Singer, ABC Music Recording Artist & APRA Award Winner (Australia)

"Melissa is a natural singer. When she opens her mouth to sing, that indefinable thing happens - it really works. The listener is drawn along by her clear tone, great pitch, and musically intelligent phrasing. She has an easy acquaintance with the genre, whether it be jazz, pop or avant-garde." (2004)

Louise Denson: Head of Jazz Studies, Queensland Conservatorium of Music (Australia)

"Melissa demonstrates a high level of artistry and creativity – she is musically adventurous and her interests are diverse. I hope that with the release of her debut CD her talent gains wider recognition." (2004)

Irene Bartlett: Lecturer in Voice, Queensland Conservatorium of Music (Australia)

"Melissa – you fully demonstrate VOICE as the invisible instrument – the first instrument. Like any fine musician, you are able to adapt to any style and produce the highest degree of excellence - THANK YOU." (2004)

Lisa Ryan-McLaughlin: Lecturer in Voice, Queensland Conservatorium of Music (Australia)

"It is very rare to find the combination of true musicality and genuine vocal finesse within one artist. Melissa displays both of these necessary attributes. But most importantly she exhibits a real love of music, regardless of the genre and this love shines through in her recordings and her live work." (2004)