Tess Henley is a soulful vocalist and songwriter from Seattle. And, although she's at the very beginnings of her career, she's already turning heads all over the world. Tower Records in Japan rates Tess one of the top selling new artists there. Her song "Boy In The Window" won the 2011 International SoulTracks Song Competition. And Soul & Jazz & Funk (UK) praised Tess for her "remarkable maturity and focus", as well as her "craftsmanship, commitment and an appreciation of what truly constitutes musicality."
Me, all I know is it makes the hair on the back of my neck stand up and, trust me, that means its damn good. "Christmas Won't Do Without You" sounds like a future standard to me. It has that combination of love and yearning that are woven together in most of the best holiday songs. Listening, its easy to visualize walking down a bustling street on a snowy December evening or longingly looking out a frosty window pane. Tess has an honest, warm and natural sound, dripping with soul, and the instincts of a jazz singer. And, although either could stand on their own, when this song and this singer come together...it's absolute magic.
Heck, don't take my word for it. You can listen to and/or download "Christmas Won't Do Without You" at ReverbNation or Bandcamp. Look for a Special Edition of her album "Easy To Love" in September, with four all new tracks. And look for an all new full-length CD from Tess Henley in 2012. Keep up with the latest at Tess' Facebook site.