PUU-31
Nicole Willis
Be It (CD/Lp)
June 2004
1. Say It
2. We Won't Miss a Thing
3. Sunday Nite (Don't Hold Back)
4. Downtime
5. Though U Tried
6. Didn't Feel No Pain
7. Just The Way
8. Something Doesn't Fit
9. Reassurance
10. Pleasure
11. You Better Change (with Soul Investigators)
12. Say It (Dharmaone remix)

Produced by Nicole Willis, Jimi Tenor, Veikka Erkola, Tuomas Kallio and Cornerstone.

Sleeve photography: Jimi Tenor. Graphic Design: Tommi Grönlund

Large sleeve image


Press release notes:

The new LP depicts a more laid back style with plenty of instrumentation, but not straying too far away from the conglomeration of soul-based/electronic bee-in-bonnet production flavors of her acclaimed debut Soul Makeover.

Nicole Willis opens the playing field to star-novice producer, Milk n 2 Sugars recording artist, Veikka Erkola, with tracks "Say It", "Something Doesn't Fit" & "Though U Tried". Mr. Erkola chooses Finland's neo-jazz trumpeter Jukka Eskola for horn arrangements on the track "Though U Tried" performing also flugelhorn with trombonist Jay Kortehisto (Jimi Tenor Big Band, Nuspirit Helsinki). He teams his productions with guitar & bassmen Aki Haarala & Niilo Ryti of Dorado's Quintessense.

Also enlisted, after Nicole's feature on their debut LP ("Honest", Nuspirit Helsinki, 2002 Guidance), are the broken beats/dj-producers of Nuspirit Helsinki, Tuomas Kallio & Kim Rantala on the track "We Won't Miss a Thing".

Hard hitter "Reassurance" was conceived by production team Cornerstone, who are the UK's Chris Dawkins & Tim Atack.

"Just the Way" sprung from a jam session with oft time band members, guitarists Chris Dawkins & Ilkka Mattila and "Mr. Nicole Willis", Jimi Tenor, who frequently appears playing Rhodes, sax & flute. The LP also includes produced & composed by the couple, roller skate jam "Sunday Night" & "Didn't Feel No Pain" perhaps much more in character to their shared influences. Ms. Willis plays again a bit of guitar, synths & naturally composed lyric & melody of all tracks.


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