I close this week ‘s music blog series about female singer/songwriters by examining the latest work of artist Natalie Merchant.

Natalie Merchant’s creative muse is highly attuned at this stage of her career. Her artistry is evidencing adventurous theater techniques coupled with discovery poetry interpretations as performed at TED 2010.  I’m intrigued with Natalie Merchant’s painstaking research for her latest recording which covers 150 poets in a rich literary tapestry

Natalie’s latest recording, Leave Your Sleep is a double CD set of new songs, working with folk, jazz, reggae, and R&B players as well as gorgeously arranged chamber ensembles. She brilliantly adapts the works of such poets as Edward Lear, Ogden Nash, and Robert Graves into a musical kaleidoscope.

I will be purchasing the digital edition of Leave Your Sleep today. I love the education Natalie’s recording and booklet have to offer me as a listener.