New York, NY. (Top40 Charts/ Rickso Facto Music) - There's a revolution happening in entertainment, as artists are finding true success outside of traditional venues. Jeanne Ricks is one of those successes. The Weather Channel has released its 1st ever commercial CD (The Weather Channel presents Smooth Jazz) which features Jeanne's sleek, edgy jazz guitar instrumental 'Simple Pleasure' which reassures listeners that you are listening to the 'real deal'. At the same time, YouTube says 'Yes', ...'We Shall Overcome' the new music video interpretation of the Civil Rights anthem is burning hot!
Ricks "...a real force whose songwriting reflects her diverse background!" declares Downbeat Magazine. Jeanne Ricks is described as a singer with a "smoky soulfulness" (Bill Crandall - Spinner.com), but her talents don't stop there. Jeanne jams playing Acoustic & Electric Guitar as well as Keyboards and if you closed your eyes would think Prince was in the house, "...she makes the guitar an extension of her voice." (Rolling Stone Magazine)
For Jeanne Ricks, having a video of her updated arrangement of the Civil Rights anthem 'We Shall Overcome' on the web, has brought new found exposure. Blogging and sites like YouTube and MySpace have become essential tools for musicians. With the song she hopes to bring hope & inspiration into today's world. "It's not meant to imply that everything is 'OK' but intended to honor the truth that ALL of us are overcoming life's challenges large and small daily." "Major recording labels don't care about songs with deeper musicality or larger themes unless a teen celeb is singing it while walking out of rehab." says Jeanne.
As a composer and producer, Ricks has a list impressive accomplishments that would have taken some a lifetime to achieve. Famed Guitarist George Benson selected Jeanne's 'Love Remembers' for the title track of his Warner CD; Francis Ford Coppola chose one of her songs for his critically acclaimed movie 'Assassination Tango', starring, Robert Duvall; Anita Pointer chose 'Thorny Rose', 'Always' and 'Stronger than Pride' for her upcoming CD; Chaka Khan recorded 'Don't Ask Me' for a WEA release; and Tony Ransom recorded 'Take It To Heart' and 'Turn To Me' for his Expansion/EMI solo album.
After many years of having her music played on-air, her song 'Simple Pleasure,' which was recently chosen for the first in a planned series of CD's, titled 'The Weather Channel Presents: Best of Smooth Jazz' has just been released online and at traditional retailers. For 25 years, the 93 million U.S. households which The Weather Channel reaches, have been exposed to Jazz music through the cable channel's Local on the 8's segment. Artists have included David Benoit, Michael Brecker, Dave Grusin, Jean Luc Ponty, Joe Sample, Billy Cobham and introducing Jeanne Ricks.
Record companies underestimate the lowest common denominator they claim to serve, which is evident by the wide variety of music to be found not in stores but, on independent websites as downloads. For many artists it has become necessary to sidestep the customary routes to gaining an audience. For Chicago native Jeanne Ricks, blogs, The Weather Channel, MySpace and YouTube have proven to be fertile ground for her talents. She records under her own Rickso Facto Music label and has gotten tremendous exposure through her website Rickso Facto Music Co. even leading her to success in markets overseas.
Jeanne says," Music and musicians are no longer at the mercy of that huge machine they call 'the industry' - now we can reach out and really meet the public with an immediate impact never before dreamed of."
Jeanne Ricks will be seen on The Weather Channel in a special vignette, telling the story behind her music which will begin airing October 15th.
