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DeDe: Girls Rock
William Phoenix LA
Music Examiner
Courtesy of DeDe
Music
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December 3, 2013
DeDe does Christmas . . .
and well, in fact. Specifically, Deborah “DeDe” Wedekind, is a Houston-based
singer-songwriter/pianist/flutist who only relatively recently committed to a
career in music. Using the stage name DeDe, Wedekind was perhaps born to the
industry having come from “a long line of actors, storyteller and musicians” on
her dad’s Welsh side.
In fact, she’s
but one of seven kids from a creative brood and has been singing all her life.
DeDe says: "I'm a classically-trained singer, pianist, and flute player,
and now also a songwriter who for the most part, abandoned music for a
marketing career because it made 'more sense'. But about seven years ago, the
music came back for me. I started hearing my songs in my head - songs I've
never heard before - and dreaming about music. . . I needed to get back into
music.”
DeDe, who now
holds an associate’s degree in music, adds: "I couldn't have handled this
career when I was younger. I needed more life experience. Everything I've learned
to this point - the marketing, writing, music - it's all come full
circle to help me now.”
She had specific
ideas and thus did not release her debut disc until 2011. Titled Clear Skies
Ahead, it contained 14 original arrangements. It included the song “Psalm on
Danny Boy” which garnered her a SingerUniverse.com award in 2012. She scored a
"Top 5 Vocalist" win for "I Dreamed a Dream".
Earlier this
year she released her CD Love & Fairy Tales. As a result, DeDe was named a
Finalist in the UK Songwriting Competition for her tune, "The Plans I Have
For You" and took home another "Top 5 Best Vocalist" for the
same at SingerUniverse.com. She also received the award for Semi-Finalist in
"Song of The Year’s Adult Contemporary" category for "Blame It
On The Summertime."
Her latest
project is the recently released 10-track work World of Christmas. On it DeDe
(vocals and arrangements), she is backed by a bevy of other artists including:
Tim Pierce (guitar), John pierce (bass), Denny Fongheiser (drums), Rafa Padillo
(percussion), Charlie Bisherat (violin), Kevan Torveh (cello), Arden Kaywin
(background vocals), Nmon Ford, Larry Wedekind and producer/keyboardist Jeff
Bova (Mens Chorus) and members of The West Los Angeles Children’s Choir. They
all come together to produce a memorable mix of newly-arranged Christmas cuts
and original offerings.
The lead-in is
“Song in the Air/Il Est Ne”. DeDe adds her own pretty, tuneful touches and
lyrics to traditional material. (This is something she will continue to do as
the album progresses.)
Her original,
award-winning song “One Child” follows. This is her “favorite song”. She
elaborates: "It's about how one tiny child can change the world, and
that's my other true calling - giving children inspiration.”
The next number
is the dancy “Deck the Halls”. DeDe and Bova give the Christmas classic a fun,
new arrangement. DeDe does something new with the next number as well. It’s
titled “Ave Maria Medley” and combines two different takes on the tune.
Her last original
tune, the Elton John-influenced “Joyful Christmas”, follows as she makes clear
her fondness for the holiday. The song is about giving back. "I love
Christmas," DeDe says. "I get so excited about the holidays and this
(music) is something I've always wanted to do."
The sixth
selection is “New Auld Lang Syne”. It’s a new take on a traditional tune for a
new year. One of the best songs on the CD is “Rock Those Jingle Bells” which
she gives her own spin and rewrites some of the lyrics making it more refreshing
and avoiding the awkward use of the word “upsot”.
The complex
“Canon on the Lord’s Prayer” makes it clear to any listener that DeDe hails
from a Christian background. She makes no bones about it and doesn’t worry
about avoiding religious anthems to sell more product or alienating any
potential audience.
DeDe believes
her talents were God-given and is not afraid to say it. She adds: "I'm . .
. not afraid to say the things I feel need to be said, and to take a chance
with my music."
“Jolly Old St. Nicholas”
is the final example of what DeDe can do as an arranger. The closing cut is the
apropos “Silent Night” which includes new music by DeDe and Bova. In general,
DeDe’s signature sound is a mix of adult contemporary, easy listening,
Americana pop, inspirational and world music.
DeDe’s vocals
have been compared to those of the likes of Adele, Amy Grant and Sarah
McLaughlin. Musically, she injects (perhaps too) tried and true favorites with
simple bits of other songs (“Chopsticks”), world beats and international
styles. DeDe states: "I try not to limit myself to one sound or genre, and
love experimenting with world music and melody."
Of her work DeDe
says: "World of Christmas is by far the best and highest quality project
I've ever worked on. Jeff Bova is an absolutely amazing producer; he's
extremely hardworking and talented, yet was also very easy to work with and
accommodating. In fact, we were on the same page on almost every decision,
music style and song on this project. For example, I would say, "Hey Jeff
let's give 'Deck the Halls' a sort of Latin bossa feel with a good funk beat
and make it slightly retro. Then he came up with this fantastic Sergio Mendez
sounding beat that was exactly what I had in mind. 'Deck the Halls' grew into
one of the most unique and strong tracks on the CD, largely due to all this
great synergy."
She continues:
"It was really nice that we both seemed to have the exact same vision for
each of the songs, and I felt that he really listened to what I wanted to do.
Then he would add his opinion from his years and years of expertise, and we
sort of made each song even better then we both ever dreamed it could be,
because we were bouncing ideas off each other and really working well
together."
DeDe adds:
"(B)eing such a great producer and keyboardist, he also had a wonderful
cast of well-known musicians and other pros to call on. He would ask me if so
and so was okay for guitar, etc.? And so I would go read up on that person and
tell him that yes, (pinch me), they were fantastic! So to get industry legends
like Tim Pierce on guitar, John Pierce on bass, and Denny Fongheiser on
percussion, among other top talents, was like ear candy for the soul for
me!"
The spirit of
giving can not only be found in her music but in her real life as well. She
contributes to multiple charities with proceeds from her music and says:
"I want to share what I have been given. I believe that can happen for
everybody. All the truly good things in life, it seems I’ve had to wait for -
and I'm glad I did."
Check out DeDe’s
World of Christmas. It just might turn your “Silent Night” into a “Joyful
Christmas”.
My name is
Phoenix and . . . that’s the bottom line.
Suggested by the
author
Edie Adams: ‘The
Edie Adams Christmas Album’
Christmas:
Holiday Hits
Christmas:
Holiday Hits 2
Mike Campese:
‘The Meaning Of Christmas’ CD rocks
Stuck in your
head: Christmas cuts
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