Oct. 10th, 2004 @ 5:42PM
Keith Stanton, Jam Rag July/August 2004
"The band Jiva took the stage at 10 pm sharp to a room full of fans. With a quick checkof her mic, front woman Tasha Valdez stirred up the crowd and had them hooting and hollering.Then the set began. Playing mostly original music, Jiva blends old school rock n' roll with a modern day twist. Guitar player Nick Behnan contributed to the old school sound, making his Gibson sweat while banging out some intricate guitar parts- always interesting and never under the standard of what you would expect from a classic rock guitar player who doesn't just pick and strum but actually puts some thought into his structure and playing style.
Halfway into the third song, the band received applause when the bottom fell out of the song they were playing- only to be resurrected by some interesting off-time drum tricks. This was my favorite tune of the evening and showcased the band's ability to write a qunique and ear-catching song.
Speaking of ear-catching, Tasha's vocal ability seems so effortless. It is something you have to see for yourself, but when she opens her mouth you would almost think she was lip syncing. She delivers a huge vocal presence that can immediately be identified with the now popular Evanescence.
One thing is for sure- her voice has that one of a kind distinction of an Annie Lennox or Janis Joplin. She doesn't necessarily sound like either of these artists, but when you hear Annie or Janis, you know it's them. Same goes for Tasha.
This whole band comes across in a different light than most acts out right now. They stick to the basics, and throw their own little twist to create the unique sound that is Jiva."