The gift of musical expression often presents amazing challenges that talented performers must face as their career paths unfold. Sometimes inclination toward originality becomes stifled in a haze of late nights, smoky bar scenes, and beer soaked cover tunes. Stumbling dance floor antics may suggest satisfaction to many musicians and dancers, however for the artist, neglected creativity pleads for stimulation, and ultimately demands its freedom. Much like a full term baby the certain release of originality is determined to present itself as it eagerly gushes forth, with or without approval of the recipient, and usually at the perfect time and place. As a talented guitarist, bassist, and singer, Jerry Powell found himself staring face to face at this artistic crossroads. To his enjoyment and surprise, the challenge quickly became revealed as the perfect opportunity for stepping out into musical freedom. Years of performing in bands of many different genres, one after another, some open to originality, others committed to the least possible display of uniqueness, had left him hungry for the next step in his creative journey. As the clouds lifted, he found amazing freedom as a solo artist. This was quickly followed by an overflow of pent up creative expression. Dozens of songs and pages of lyrics began to reveal themselves, many from his Martin D-18 acoustic guitar and others from his G&L Legacy electric. Others began as driving riffs on his Fender Jazz bass or his Lakland 55-94 five string bass. Then they quickly became surrounded with layers of rich vocal harmonies, soaring guitar lines, and pounding percussion. The timely and wonderful result is this collection of sixteen original songs by Jerry Powell known as "I’ll Take Paradise". The title song strongly urges listeners to take time to seek their dreams and fantasy’s without delay, despite the world’s demands to the opposite. It is followed by the soulful pleadings of a ditched lover in "Another Rainy Night", then the sonic suggestion that love requires "More Than A Kiss". As quickly as riveting drama and human failure appear in the rocking and bluesy creations "Train", "Saturday Night", and "Jesse", a full dose of silly slapstick humor and country twang prevails throughout "The Birthday Song", "Top Down Day", "Paper Girl", and "Baby Boomer Blues". Finally, a seriousness and appreciation for love and life is evident in "The Truth of Love", "You Put The Love (Back In Me)", and "Rescue". However, to be sure things don‘t get too serious, "Go Ugly Early", a rocking slap at bar life and "Don’t You Think?", a bluegrassy finger popper, round things out with fun and diversity. Jerry Powell wrote all of the music and lyrics, as well as performed, arranged, recorded, and mixed all of the parts in his studio near beautiful Wrightsville Beach, North Carolina. All tracks were mastered by Ed Quidley, good friend and Audio Engineer of Dragon Soundworx, Wilmington, North Carolina. Please stop, kick back and relax, and enjoy these songs which were written and recorded with a casual spirit of fun, exhilaration, and perceived simplicity, yet laced with an underlying theme of real life and sophistication. Ultimately, you may never know where your own dreams and quest for paradise may lead you.