My Teen Topix

Sammie Jay at Universal Studios CityWalk's Five Towers Stage

On April 27, Sammie Jay and her new band erupted onto the main stage at Universal Studios CityWalk with a knockout version of Cee Lo Green's Forget You. The internationally acclaimed singer/songwriter instantly had the audience clapping and cheering, as she danced around the stage, igniting the night air with her fiery vocal stylings. Simply put, Sammie and her band ROCKED!

Each song seemed to surpass the previous one, with marvelous versions of Sammie Jay favorites like Price Tag, Crazy, and Someone Like You. When Sammie sang the Sam Cooke classic, Bring It On Home To Me, accompanied by some stinging guitar riffs by lead guitarist, Joey Morrow, you would have thought that the Universal Five Towers stage was going to explode.

Sammie Jay looked radiant in an all white sequined miniskirt designed by Amanda Wren. Her golden blonde hair lit by the Universal spotlights brought visions of a young Marilyn Monroe, but a Marilyn with the voice of a youthful Whitney Houston. Sammie displayed a delightful stage presence, with some funny self-deprecating banter about rehearsals and band member nicknames. Her audience was totally enchanted by her personality and incredible vocals. Shouts of "We love you, Sammie," emanated from the enthusiastic audience during almost every number. Sammie was quick to respond by going to the edge of the stage and giving high-fives to the fans, and at one point giving a shout-out back, "I don't know all of your names, but I love you all, too."

The highpoint of the evening was when the charming British beauty premiered several new tunes from her up-coming CD, Listen To Me. The songs not only were incredible showcases for her signature blend of rock, soul, gospel, pop, and jazz, but also highlighted her sophisticated poetry as a lyricist. Listen To Me, Catch Your Cold, Bubble Bath, and Rich and Famous all deal with subject matter rarely touched on by pop music. Personal songs infused with a strong emotional depth. Catch Your Cold is a particularly sad song about a woman who sacrifices herself to a broken man who is cold as ice, only to discover, that she has caught his cold nature. Then there is the poetic Bubble Bath about a young girl who realizes it is time to leave the comfortable "bubble bath" of living with her parents and to strike out on her own, acknowledging the strength she has been given by her parents love and support. What brings these musical poems to life is Sammie's powerful soulful voice and the elegant multi-dimensional emotions that that voice conveys.

The new songs are clever, catchy, and unforgettable. The Listen To Me CD should be out in a few weeks, at which time My Teen Topix will give it the full review that it deserves.

Sammie Jay's five piece band (which included her father, Terry Wren on congo drums) played as if they had been together all of their lives, each song seemed perfectly orchestrated with the band complimenting Sammie's stunning vocals.

Sammie Jay is one of the finest singer/songwriters of her generation, but we have also found that she is also one of the nicest. Between sets Sammie greeted the fans with a huge smile, autographing CD's and posing for pictures with her audience.

After a brief intermission, Sammie Jay took the stage dressed in a red top and premiered a few more great songs from Listen To Me including the lovely Flowers. If you have never seen Sammie Jay on a big stage, you have really missed an amazing experience. She effortlessly moves about the stage, stopping at times to acknowledge an enthusiastic audience, and at others, she breaks your heart with a note so beautiful that you feel that she is singing to only to you.

Her loyal fans knew they had come to a Sammie Jay concert to hear and experience something different, something very special. Sammie never disappointed them, even for a second.