In the years since the release of Inohs Sivad's second independently produced CD, Changes (2007), she cared for her mother, Deborah Orr, who battled cancer until her passing in 2010. After watching her mother live a purposeful life in spite of her illness, Inohs responded in the only way she knows how: through her music. The result is her new CD No Goodbyes, a tribute to and a celebration of her mother's life.
Months before her mother passed, though knowing her untimely death was inevitable, Inohs received a composition from singer/songwriter/keyboardist/composer, Frank Cayars, inspiring her, along with long-time writing partner, Naomi Daniel (singer/songwriter, formerly with Carl Craig’s Planet E Communications) to pen the title track, making No Goodbyes the first song created for the project. At the time, however, she had no immediate plans to produce a new album. When her mother passed in January 2010, Inohs' grief was understandably hard and life became dark; song writing was of little interest, as was much of anything else. 10 months later, near the time of what would have been her mother's birthday, Inohs began to sense her mother's presence and was fueled to move forward with her own life, in a way she had never felt before.
Slowly, the songwriter in Inohs returned. She pushed through her grief and stretching her talent beyond her comfort zone, she further defined her crystal clear, silky voice. She set a goal to create an album of music that is both reflective and joyful, while maintaining her signature soul alternative fusion of jazz, R & B, rock and a little bit of house.
Within months, the remainder of the project was completed, with a flurry of songs written within a span of four months. As with Changes, she again, assembled her creative team to assist with lyrics, background vocals and arrangements - Naomi Daniel, lyrics; La Shaun phoenix Moore (poet/singer/songwriter) lyrics/background vocals; Frank Cyars (singer/songwriter/keyboardist/composer) keyboard/composer; Damon Warmack, (lead-man with Trio Nomadian, bassist/keyboardist/composer) bass/composer/arranger –- composed 12 songs.
On Changes, Inohs primarily composed and recorded with electronic tracking, enhanced with live musicians. For No Goodbyes, she flipped the script and returned to her base of live musicianship with minimal electronic tracking to compose and record -- Warmack, bass and keyboard; Cyars, keyboard; Walter Howard, keyboard; Jeff Campbell, keyboard; Deus X, guitar; and Chris Donaldson on drums-- give the project the rich sound that only live music can offer.
In her nearly 10-year music career, Inohs has matured as both an artist and a producer. While the October 25, 2011 release of No Goodbyes is her second on her independent label SoundThought Recordings, established in 2008, she is simultaneously releasing her first label artist, La Shaun Phoenix Moore’s first CD, Space Between the Rain. The release of these two projects occurs on the date that would have been Inohs’ mother’s 60th birthday.
