“By far one of the best acts I’ve heard in years.” - Larry Leblanc, Billboard Canada & The Hot Seat

“Billie Holiday meets Tom Waits at 3 a.m when ties get loosened and the party begins…several shades of amazing” -Jonathan Widran

“…Mela Lee and Magnolia Memoir create an ambience that conjures up greatness…” - Bill Bentley, Sonic Boomers

Sonic Boomers:How many times do you hear someone from the first moment and know they are going to be around for a long, long time. Mela Lee, lead singer for Magnolia Memoir, comes walking slowly out of a foggy alley with a voice that sounds like she has lived several lifetimes, and is still discovering new ways to thrill us. There will be the inevitable comparisons to Billie Holiday, which are fair enough, but Lee is all her own person, and puts so much feeling into this music that it can be slightly voyeuristic just listening. There is such a hushed quality of deep intimacy in something like “When I Think of You” that you will swear you’re  listening to a time-honored classic. Even next to an alluring version of Billie Holiday’s “Don’t Explain,” Mela Lee and Magnolia Memoir create an ambience that conjures up greatness. Keyboard player Alexander Burke, who also is the prime composer along with Lee of the originals, keeps the backing sound to a minimum, wisely letting the vocals take the listener into the singer’s world. Marcus Graf’s trumpet is the band’s main lead instrument, and those moments when he steps up front make such a strong statement it seems like we’re following him into another era. Clearly, from the name of the group to their instrumentation and even the songs they write, Magnolia Memoir is out to evoke a specific world. But the way they wisely stay away from nostalgia shows their talent and imagination, and lets it be known that it is only a matter of time before they make their mark. Mela Lee: remember that name.

Bill Bentley— 07/20/2009

Early Accolades

“Reminiscent of Billie Holiday…Mela’s voice, phrasing and lyrics are captivating. Alexander Burke’s arrangements and performance are beyond musical. Instantly accessible and complex all at once, Magnolia Memoir is a wonderfully perfect album.”  -Donald Vega— jazz pianist (Wynton Marsalis) -

“…this album begs to be heard. Magnolia Memoir is an instant classic. Mela Lee’s voice and lyrics are stunning, and altogether  unforgettable.” -Margaret Cho—Actress, Comedienne-

- “Sweet, sexy, nuanced, and smart…A sumptuous, evocative, and deeply moving experience. I dare you to listen to this delicious, wide-ranging, bawdy, beautiful album only once.” -Roger Wolfson – writer for the Huffington Post and the hit television series “The Closer” and “Saving Grace”

- “Mela Lee has the voice of an angel and can break the heart of heaven…” -Andrae Crouch – Multiple Grammy-winning Gospel Legend