By Esther Callens
The WOW factor has been amped up to notches unexplainable. This is the general reaction that most people express when listening to Whistle by violinist and composer Sonya Robinson. Presenting 11 stellar tracks of pure pleasure, Whistle is an excellent compilation that is thoroughly Grammy worthy.
Whistle is a product of love as she pays homage to her mother and family with it. Additionally, all the compositions on Whistle were written by Sonya with the exception of “Beauty” and “The World Is A Ghetto”. The album opens with “Mother’s Song” which was penned in honor of her mother. It is wrapped in a rich, beautiful melody that features Sonya playing the Viola. The title track has a Brazilian feel to it. It is perfect and Sonya even lives up to its title as she actually whistles in the beginning of the track.
“Hip Hop Scotch” has a funky rhythm with an infectious groove. Beauty shows Sonya in another element as she throws a bit of spoken word poetry in the mix. It is the ultimate smooth jazz mid-tempo tune. The inspiration behind “Julio” was none other than the great Julio Iglesias, himself. She wrote this after meeting him years ago. Sonya is an amazing talent and Whistle is as of date her most defining work. She is the artist that all eyes will be watching.
Sonya Robinson has the whole package – brains, beauty and talent. She was born and reared in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. She has been voted one of America’s Ten Most Beautiful Black Women and crowned Miss Black America in 1983. She began playing the piano at the tender age of 7 but she later found her niche with the violin. Wynton Marsalis, Aretha Franklin and numerous others are some of the talents she has shared the stage with. She now makes New York home.
Album Personnel: Sonya Robinson, Manuel Valera, Axel Tosca, Monte Croft, John Benitez, Paul Ramsey, Jay Rodriguez.
Track listing: Mother’s Song, Circle, Whistle, I Want To Know, Beauty, Hip Hop Scotch (aka Sneaky), The World Is a Ghetto, Julio, Birfdey, A Minor Funk, Carib-bean.
