By: Cassie Limberakis
CHICAGO– Mei Seimones absolutely stole the limelight from Lincoln Hall on Saturday, June 7th. Seimones played her suave jazzy tunes at Lincoln Hall. Seimones is a 24 year old alternative jazz musician hailing from Brooklyn, New York. She is most well known for her bilingual jazz and funky beats having lyrics in both English and Japanese.
Her most recent album, “Animaru,” is a celebration of the fleeting nature of youth juxtaposed with the evergreen nature of New York City. It is also a reflection of Seimones’ trusting of her musical instincts, like how an animal trusts their natural instincts.
Seimones’ opener was another jazz artist from Brooklyn named John Roseboro. Roseboro and Seimones have a jazz ballad together called “Waters of March,” which touches on the changing of the seasons and the ebb and flow that follows life. His deep and sultry baritone voice was the perfect compliment for Seimones’ airy voice.
Seimones had a variety of instruments accompanying her on stage, including a bass, electric guitar, viola, and acoustic guitar. The crowd was buzzing at her playful demeanor and infectious lyrics. The musical complexity of her songs cannot be understated. In “Animaru,” the title track of the album, Seimones blends classical and rock styles to make an original composition. Electric guitar and violin go head to head in this track, ending the song by a jazz riff played on acoustic guitar.
The song “Donguri” is a jazz song reflecting on the beauty of nature. In Japanese, “Donguri” means acorn. Improvisational bass riffs also contribute to the character of the song, making it an impressive and fun listen. Each song on “Animaru” has a distinct character to it that reveals a part of Seimones’ identity and personality to the listeners.
New York musicians have a charm about them, able to capture eager Chicago audiences with the sturm of a guitar string.
###