Check out Fairy Tale Fail when you tune in to WCLK. Smooth Jazz is a format dominated by instrumentalists— typically horns and more specifically, the saxophone. This makes it extremely difficult for a vocalist to find a place on many radio station playlists. Lindsey Webster has enjoyed the most chart success in recent years with Rebecca Jade getting some traction joining Ledisi, Maysa and Lalah Hathaway, all who have a track record on radio. I was pleasantly surprised when I received the new Chloe Jean CD Fairy Tale Fail because it was earmarked for more mainstream airplay. However, I believe there’s a way to mix genres when the right tune comes along and in my programming opinion Chloe checks the box. The title track Fairy Tale Fail is a WCLK pick as there no definitive single at this time.
Chloe is more known for R&B/Pop stylings, winning awards in both areas including gospel. Fairy Tale Fail is her first foray into the world of Jazz. She has shared the stage with a wide range of artists from Robert Cray to La Oreja de Van Gogh. The album is produced by fame guitarist Ray Obeido and features Santana keyboardist David K. Mathews, Tower of Power’s percussionist Michael Escovedo, and bassist Marc Van Wageningen. What caught my ear was Chloe’s tone and the way she delivers this song about love and the idea of a fairy tale gone awry. The listener I believe will be immediately captured by her voice and then with the stellar musicians backing her up deliver a great introduction to Chloe for those who will be discovering her for the first time. The artwork of the CD with her in a wedding dress amplifies the title of a fairy tale fail. However, her radiant smile tells the listener this is just a bump in the road and not a destination.
