Annie Moses Band
Eden
Man Alive Records

It’s a family affair with the Annie Moses Band, comprised of mom and dad Wolaver, and family (six siblings). The group features young Annie, Alex, and Benjamin who are all Juilliard trained musicians. The name of the band comes from the kids maternal Grandmother Annie Moses.

Although they describe their music as “adult contemporary with strings,” I feel it leans more towards inspirational with classical arrangements. Either way, the talent in this family is amazing. The tracks gracefully move from inspirational (“Lover of my Soul”) to jazz (“Smoky Mountain Blue”) and classical piano (“Fugue in E Minor”). If you’re wondering where the influences come from the liner notes give you a deeper insight as to where the songs come from, and how they were inspired. There are however a few moments when Annie (lead vocals/violin) breaks out into a Rachael Lampa-like vocal. The pop/contemporary moments are just a small part of the variations on the CD, which include jazz, country, and classical.

This is definitely a family orientated CD and even though I wouldn’t consider it to be adult contemporary, I don’t think you would be disappointed if that is your flavor of choice. My favorite tracks on the album include the instrumental “Turkey Blossom Medley,” a fiddle playing eruption, and “Soli Deo Gloria” which my 23 month old picked up on very quickly. Speaking of my little girls, I can’t help but favor “When Daddy Says I’m Beautiful.” This song is so heartfelt and such a strong reminder of how important a nurturing father is to the growth of young girls.

Eden is definitely a CD worth exploring and you can start by going to http://www.anniemosesband.com/. They have a very complete web site where you can find out more about this lovely family and their music.

- Ken W.