Jaime Jamgochian

Item: Reason to Live
Author: Joe Montague

Reason to Live

(2005)

Reviewed by Joe Montague

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Label Centricity MusicThe Phantom Tollbooth2005

ccm pop worship

Jaime Jamgochian's (pronounced Jam-go-shen) Reason To Live, her album released under the Centricity Records banner unveils the talented vocals and piano playing abilities better than her previous CD. As is the case with most gifted artists experience and the opportunity to work with an equally talented production crew has brought the best out of this Reading, Massachusetts (via Seattle) chanteuse.

Despite the fact Jamgochian will tell you, "I don't have the coolest voice." We beg to differ Jaime and your new CD gives us plenty of reasons why. At a time when you can pick up a CD and manage to get only a few good tunes and several mediocre tracks Jamgochian's album is a pleasant surprise. There aren't any weak songs in this rotation.

Jamgochian received her training at the esteemed Berklee College of Music where she majored in the jazz program for two years before sliding over to train as a vocalist. By her own description she was well on her way to a mainstream pop career when the Lord stepped in and changed her course and redirected her to worship music. Now she has found an effective way to blend her pop roots with songs of adoration and banked a solid studio performance.

Producers Gary Sadler (The Power of Your Love, Ancient of Days), Jeff Thomas and David Zaffiro (formerly of the rock band Bloodgood) did a wonderful job balancing the instrumentals and vocals. The pieces are arranged beautifully. Unfettered, Jamgochian's vocals find their way through our woofers, tweeters and ear buds.

The song selection for the CD is also superb. You have blends of pop, inspirational and worship tunes. You never find yourself ghettoized in one genre or even the same sounds within a genre.

Fellow pop artist Scott Krippayne who guests on the title track "Lift Up the Name" combines with Jamgochian to deliver a beautiful duet. I don't know if they have sung together before or not but it sure seems like a natural fit. I could easily listen to future combos from this duo.

"Glorious King" co-written with Erika Taylor will soon be sung in churches and ranked highly on the CCLI charts. Remember you heard it here first! With words like:

Can words explain how I adore you
Can colors paint beauty like You
Creation testifies
Of Your wonder and Your might
How good, how great, how wonderful You are

"Love Irresistible" is by far the best song on the album. Although this is a totally different song than Sheryl Crow's "My Favorite Mistake" you hear the same rich textures to Jamgochian's voice. She demonstrates similar abilities to Canada's Daphne Bevaqua as she positions a song with edgier lyrics and a bit of a bite to her voice but still keeps the focus on God.

The title track "Reason to Live" draws its inspiration from Psalm 139 and a time in Jamgochian's own life when she was crashing big time as a result of a relationship that didn't work out. Early in October "Reason to Live" was cresting in the top twenty on some music charts.

"You Are" is a song of uneven tempo that begins with pop melodies segues into rock and closes out with more pop sounds. "You Are" will also chart high. In fact I would be surprised if in countries like Australia it doesn't peak at number one.

If you are listening to the CD "Reason to Live" then you are listening to a splendid singer who soon will reign at the top of the music charts. This will be the first big artist that Seattle's Centricity label has introduced to the music scene. She makes a great label mate for Downhere and the up and coming Circleslide.