Joy Appel - Songs of Life

Joy began her piano training when she was six years old and began vocal study to her musical education at seven. Her passion for music inspired her to self-discipline and hard work. She devoted herself to classical music and opera study. She was awarded the distinguished Outstanding Achievement of Musical Arts Award and received her Bachelor of Arts Degree from the prestigious Peabody Conservatory of Music in Baltimore, Maryland. She has performed many concerts and recitals, including private engagements at exclusive venues such as concerts under the stars, and private parties for a past Governor of New Jersey and many more prominent people. She spent many hours entertaining listeners at leading area hotels. She performed her arrangements of old standards, pop selections, Broadway favorites and classical pieces. Joy's music is played frequently on radio stations in the southern part of New Jersey and also has been interviewed by several radio personalities. In addition, Joy also composes her own music. Her fans have eagerly anticipated the release of her second CD and through urgings of many, she will soon begin recording a Christmas Album that will be released for Christmas of 2009. A message from the Artist: I am very happy to release my second album entitled "Songs of Life", I must admit that I had no future plan to record a second album, however, I thank you as my listeners, urging that I record another. How encouraging this was for me and I would like to take this opportunity to thank all of you so much for your many wonderful emails and comments regarding my first CD entitled "Everytime I Look At You". So I began working on arrangements of songs from the era of 1960 up to the present. I started in late spring of 2008, and although it took many hours of work, I considered it to be a labor of love. I will elaborate on some of the songs that I recorded and what brought me to decide which of the 35 songs recorded, I would select for the new Album. I sincerely hope that the 22 selections that I finally chose will potentially be welcomed by you the listener. Each individual song has a meaning for me in my life. Some of the titles, speak volumes and therefore, I play each selection the way I feel them in my heart. On Track 4, I recorded the very lovely song "Aubrey" by David Gates, which I mention on the Album that my Granddaughter was named after this song, so I therefore, recorded it with much love and tenderness. On Track 2, The song "To Make You Feel My Love" by Bob Dylan, was brought to my attention by a very talented, aspiring, young student of mine, Kyle Brody. Kyle asked me to consider recording it because he felt it would be an excellent selection for my playing style. I listened to it and decided that he was correct, so I recorded this lovely piece and hopefully my listeners will share the same views. Throughout the Album, you will hear three selections by Michel Legrand, who is a very gifted composer. I chose, "How Do You Keep The Music Playing", "Nobody Knows" and the very beautiful "The Summer Knows". These are my all time favorites and I felt they would be beautiful for this Album. Track 22, the selection "Like You" is a very haunting piece of music and very different. You will hear my voice in the background and I've dedicated it to a longtime friend who is now in a better place. In closing, I would like to thank you all for your support and look forward to hearing from you. I hope you will enjoy listening to "Songs of Life" as much as I enjoyed recording it. I will close with these very beautiful words that I once read and will never forget: A life well-lived doesn't end any more than music ends... It echoes through time with whispers of beauty and grace... If we listen, we can hear the encore with our hearts, For the song plays on, just as love lives on. From my heart, Joy Appel.

1) Songs of Life [From the Jazz Singer]
2) To Make You Feel My Love
3) Alone in the World [From Russia House]
4) Aubrey
5) He Ain't Heavy... He's My Brother
6) How Do You Keep the Music Playing
7) Once Upon a Time
8) Seperate Lives [From White Nights]
9) Notebook [From the Notebook]
10) Sorry Seems to Be the Hardest Word
11) Summer Knows [From Summer of 42]
12) Memories
13) Nobody Knows
14) If
15) Come in from the Rain
16) We've Got Tonight
17) Superstar
18) Medley: How Can You Mend a Broken Heart/Until It's Time for You to Go
19) You're My Everything
20) I Made It Through the Rain
21) And So It Goes
22) Like You