Kristi Merideth launches first CD

Jazz artist Kristi Merideth has put her signature song stylings, and her hopes, on CD.

Merideth released her first studio compact disc in mid-March. It's titled simply "Kristi Merideth," and producer Chris Albert of Hideaway Records said about 200 copies sold during the first week.

For two years, Merideth has been playing area clubs and restaurants.

"I'm hoping (the CD) may catch national attention," Meri-deth said, especially in the form of a manager or agent. "I'm hoping it will take me to another city I need to stretch out a little bit."

Albert is helping the Sikeston native do just that. In the role of executive producer and promoter, Albert said he has visited Dallas and Kansas City, and he is looking at St. Louis and Chi-cago, using the CD to promote Merideth.

While his efforts haven't materialized into any major-city singing engagements yet, Albert said she is getting air time on Kansas City's jazz station KKFI.

He has booked an April 12 gig in Branson at the Pasta Grill.

"We're taking it a step at a time," Albert said.

However, he said that Merideth is ready to evolve into something bigger, and he recognized that early on in their meetings.

"She is very much ready to do what it takes," Albert added. "You can have all the talent in the world and all the money behind you, but if your artist sits in the stable all the time and is afraid to run, what do you have? An expensive horse."

Albert said the major players in today's music industry won't even talk to an artist unless they have a record label.

"I hope that she gets heard by the right people," he said.

The five-song disc can be found locally at Barnes & Noble, Kaleidoscope, Stick It In Your Ear and Ms. Brown's, and it retails for $10.

The recording features a mix of Merideth's own players and Branson artists. Merideth's bass player and boyfriend Adam Johnson and her piano player Ryan Talbot were joined in the studio by saxophonist Bill Reder and drummer Al Lohman both members of the Lawrence Welk Orchestra and Bruce Windham, a guitarist for Andy Williams.

Known for her live performances, Merideth said it was refreshing to get into Gary Smith's Nottingham Record-ing Studio. Smith was producer and engineer for the project.

"There's nobody watching except the producer and the engineer," she said, comparing it to live sets.

"It was still singing ... and being able to do it in a different environment was really cool."

Smith, who has been in the business for more than three decades and has recorded or played with the likes of Bobby Vinton and Glen Campbell, said he was "knocked out" by Merideth's ease in the studio. He said that 99 percent of the time voice recordings are done on a second take separate from the music, but "Not her. I've never seen anybody do one-take vocals. That really took me back," Smith said. "We kept them exactly the way they were there was no need to do anything."

To that, Merideth said, "I was very comfortable, actually," noting that she is glad to get a CD under her belt.

A CD release party is scheduled April 4 at Springfield Brewing Co., where Merideth has been a regular Thursday night performer since November. Spring-field Brewing Co. Assistant General Manager Rob Evans said she has turned an "OK" business night into something special.

"We've built up a great crowd for Kristi Merideth," Evans said. "She has some very loyal listeners that have been frequenters down here."

Evans said he would be glad to see Merideth reach her goals in touring.

"I just want some kind of success doing what I love doing," Merideth said of her ambitions. "Not necessarily being rich or famous, but being able to do this and go different places."

However, its not the end of Kristi Merideth in Springfield just yet. Her standing gigs are Tuesdays at Cartoons and Thursdays at Springfield Brewing Co.