The Bongo Boy Rock ‘n’ Roll TV – Episode 05 Season 15 – Gifts Of Love (reviewed by Dave Franklin)

Spring has sprung, and with the arrival of the warm weather and the natural world bursting into life, new music also seems appropriate. After all, with new growth and life abounding all around, we should have a new soundtrack, too, right? And Bongo Boy Records has just what you need, so think of this latest edition of The Bongo Boy Rock ‘n’ Roll TV show as a veritable dawn chorus as the sun comes up on that part of the year where we truly feel alive.

Natalie Jean opens proceedings in a defiantly assured fashion with “Hush This Honey,” the voice of a woman wronged cutting through the world’s background noise with clarity and conviction. Beneath the lyrical reminder of the inequalities still woven into modern life sits a clever musical blend, where slow-dance digital beats collide with neo-country textures, contemporary production techniques polishing the sound without sacrificing the song’s natural gravitas.

The first of two contributions from Monique Grimme is “Century,” which arrives as smart balancing acy of bossa nova beats and Spanish classical guitar elegance, all riding on a subtle Latin groove. At its core lies a dedication to love, but one delivered with sassy sophistication rather than mere sentimentality. Her second offering, “Earth,” turns inward, a quiet, soul-searching meditation on reconnecting with nature and surrendering to the primal forces that existed long before humanity sought dominance over the world. A song that swaps modern musical tricks for a more temperate and tender, spiritual calm.

Jose Calarco‘s “Only You” sees him doing what he does best, mixing pop infectiousness with rock sensibilities, and a song driven by a heartfelt dedication to his loved one. Wrapped in sax-drenched textures and buoyed by an upbeat balladic energy, this is a personal song with widespread commercial appeal.

With “Simple Gifts,” Ann M. Wolf revisits the traditional American Shaker song with the grace and restraint that this historical song deserves. The arrangement mirrors the philosophy embedded within the lyrics; a simple song espousing a simple life. Folk finesse replaces overproduction, allowing space, honesty, and authenticity to become the song’s greatest strengths.

You can always count on The New Bardots to inject a little grit into proceedings and “Born Ready” arrives on waves of barrelhouse piano and blues-soaked rock ‘n’ roll energy, a song that encapsulates the rhythm and attitude that they are known for, music that speaks directly to the listener and what it says is….”have fun, this is rock and roll after all!”

Finally, Maryann Stefanik wraps this session up with intoxicating “Hips, Lips and Eyes,” a track steeped in the unmistakable glow of 1950s doo-wop grooves. Playful, nostalgic, and demanding that you shake, rattle, and perhaps even roll along to its easy grooves, it sees us out on a joyous note, proving that musical charm never really goes out of style.

This latest TV show has really set the tone, a reminder that life is for living, love is always the answer, and that we all have a lot to be thankful for. Amen to that, brothers and sisters.