Katarina Pejak

Katarina Pejak – Pearls On A String (2024) [Official Digital Download 24bit/44,1kHz]

With ‘Pearls On A String’ Belgrade-born singer, keyboard player and songwriter Katarina Pejak announces her second release on Ruf Records.

Or rather her third, if you take the live recording from Ruf’s 2019 Blues Caravan into account that she played together with her colleagues Ina Forsman and Ally Venable.

While her 2019 label debut ‘Roads That Cross’ was recorded at Mike Zito’s MARZ studio in Texas, with Zito also acting as producer, the recording sessions for the new album took place in France where Katarina Pejak has since taken up residence. Her husband, Romain Guillot, played an important role as co-producer and sound engineer on the record.

Apart from ten originals two covers can be found on the tracklist: the Pink Floyd classic “Money” written by Roger Waters and “Honey Jar” by the US roots band The Wood Brothers. “My version of ‘Money’ was fun to record, with an ironic and spooky twist that will hopefully question the message of the song. And ‘Honey Jar’ is just a beautiful song that I love to play.” As far as the themes of her own songs are concerned, the musician adds, “they are about saying goodbye to the past, joyfully questioning love and relationships and enjoying what we have. After a period of starting new songs but not being able to finish them, it was like a levee broke, after I had written the title track of ‘Pearls On A String’ and songs just started pouring out.”

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Katarina Pejak – Roads That Cross (2019) [Official Digital Download 24bit/44,1kHz]

Studio Masters By admin · April 26, 2023 · Comments off

It takes a brave artist to blaze their own trail. From her birth city of Belgrade to the Marz Studios in Texas where she recorded her dazzling new album, Katarina Pejak has walked countless roads and stuck a thousand pins in the map. Now, with Roads That Cross, this award-winning performer unveils a fresh set of songs that follow her muse wherever it leads her. Inspired by blues, jazz, country and rock ‘n’ roll – and shaped by all the cities she’s called home – this is music that crosses borders and brings people together. As producer Mike Zito says: “Katarina is one of a kind…”

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Ina Forsman, Katarina Pejak & Ally Venable – Blues Caravan 2019 (2019) [Official Digital Download 24bit/44,1kHz]

Studio Masters By admin · March 15, 2023 · Comments off

The Blues Caravan rolled again. In 2019 – just like every year since the first trek back in 2005 – you could experience a night of house-rocking live music, as three unique artists hit the stage at clubs across the US and Europe. On this CD + DVD live album you get chance to see and hear the hottest insider tips of the scene again! The concert was recorded on 15th February 2019 at Café Hahn in Koblenz! Here are your favorite musicians from the Blues Caravan 2019. Ina Forsman is no stranger to anyone who’s serious about modern blues. The Finland-born belter lit up the Blues Caravan back in 2016, when we first heard her head-turning smoky vocal and the material from that year’s acclaimed self-titled debut album (dubbed “joyous” by Classic Rock). This time, Ina returns to the Caravan with the speaker-rattling soul, blues, Latin and acid-jazz flavours of her upcoming second album, Been Meaning To Tell You. “I’ll be bringing a bunch of as-yet-unheard songs,” she says, “as well as some funky hidden treasures from back in the day. It’s going to be a once-in-a-lifetime tour, full of raw female power.” And they don’t come much more powerful than Ally Venable. Adding her modern twist to the proud heritage of Texas blues, this Lone Star State gunslinger has gathered armfuls of awards for her burn-it-down guitar style and the original songs of her recent Puppet Show release. Now, as she lights up the Blues Caravan 2019 – ably backed by the locomotive rhythm section of Roger Innis (bass) and Elijah Owings (drums) – you’ll walk in curious and leave as a convert. “I’m excited to bring my show and my Texas-influenced guitar slingin’ background to this Blues Caravan,” says Ally. “When I play live, I want to connect with people and for them to let go of their troubles.” There must be something in the water in Belgrade. The Serbian capital has already given us Ruf legend Ana Popovic – and Katarina Pejak promises to make the same impact. With her soulful piano-playing, purred jazz vocal and sneak previews of the material set to appear on her forthcoming Mike Zito-produced album, this Berklee College Of Music graduate will have the crowd in her hand. “My shows provide a blend of blues, country, jazz and rock ‘n’ roll wrapped in a piano-driven sound,” says Katarina. “Between me and the other two ladies, the audience will get a 360 tour around the crossroads where blues meets with other genres.”

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