Summary

...As you might know by now, I’ve been helping to sponsor a small portion of @pechichemena’s #coverasteemian initiative. I set aside $100 SBD ($10.00 SBD each) to the first ten artists to cover any of my original songs. I can’t tell you what a thrill it’s been for me. It’s the best $100 I’ve ever spent! My #coverasteemian challenge only has two places left, so after next week, it will be a bit sad for me not to open my weekly Top-5 without one of the many honorable covers I’ve been sharing with you here.

I would highly recommend approaching @pechichemena the same way that I did, and offer your own challenge similar to the Passion-Ground Challenge so as to attract people from all across the world to cover and share in your music.

Having @pechicemena host my challenge has been one of the most rewarding things I’ve done on Steemit, and it ain’t over yet as I also plan to reciprocate in covering other Steemians in kind. Do check out @pechichemena’s blog for details about participating in the #coverasteemian initiative, and ask him about hosting your own challenge like I did.

This week’s shout-out is rather interesting because three unique and talented artists all decided to cover the same song of mine, “Full Circle.” I love each and every rendition, and each of the artists brought something quite special to the mix. So, before we move on to the regular business at hand, do check out their individual interpretations of my song.

COVER A STEEMIAN: @moccamonica – "Full Circle" - (Cover)

https://steemit.com/coverasteemian/@moccamonica/cover-a-steemian-full-circle-de-passion-ground-pechichemena

COVER A STEEMIAN: @edwardstobia – "Full Circle" - (Cover)

https://steemit.com/coverasteemian/@edwardstobia/cover-a-steemian-the-sir-passion-ground-challenge-full-circle-spanish-version-circulo-completo

COVER A STEEMIAN: @nathankaye – "Full Circle" - (Cover)

https://steemit.com/coverasteemian/@nathankaye/ggf98hij

Below is the original.

VOTE for These WITNESSES

Before we move on, please don't forget to vote for @Pfunk, @Ausbitbank, & @Teamsteem as witnesses! All of whom are our biggest supporters who play major roles in helping to run, fund, curate, build and expand the Open Mic contest. You can vote for each of them right now by going to this link: https://steemit.com/~witnesses!

The number of extremely talented artists continues to grow here at the Open-Mic Venue! Artists continue to raise the bar in offering up some outstanding original music, interpretive renditions, all with top-notch productions and performances. So with that said, following some further insights as to how I judge, let’s get it on, shall we?

Steemit Open Mic Week 79

My Process

As one of the esteemed Open Mic judges, it is my job to come up with (or “curate” as it were) a short-list of my top 5 entrants each week. With all of the great talent here, that is by no means an easy task. Sure, tossing in another 5 honorable mentions helps, but not when my weekly list starts out with 100 or more of my favorite entries... You guy's rock - I'm tellin ya!

Yes, I am a Libra – so I have an inherent drive deep within me to be fair and balanced – good qualities for a “judge” if you ask me. That being said, I’m still human – filled with emotion and subjective feelings – just like you. So, in order to mitigate my subjective tendencies to the best extent possible, I’ve come up with a method by which to narrow down my selections in a more objective vs. arbitrary manner.

Here’s how I go about my personal judging process: I first start out with a list of 100 or more of my most favorite entries for the week, and score them (yes, subjectively) in six distinct categories via a spreadsheet. The categories I’ve selected for scoring are in general harmony with those explained by @luzcypher in his post titled How We Pick The Top 3 Entries, referencing such.

To get a more in-depth perspective as to how I personally go about selecting my artists, please refer to What I go through as an Open-Mic Judge.

Even though it’s still a “subjective” process – diligently going through each scoring category to come up with a “total” score for each entrant helps to minimize any overzealous subjectivity that I may harbor with respect to any specific entrants.

Quite often, this exercise doesn’t give me the exact results I would personally prefer to see – but that only means that my system of judging is working as intended and designed. With all of that said, here are...

My Top-5 Picks in Order

FIRST PLACE: @dannyhamilton - "I'm Going Home" - (Original)

There is no doubt in my mind that Danny is a pro-musician / singer-songwriter. I just love this impromptu live version of “I’m Going Home” (including strings) from a recent recording session. Given all of the above, there was simply no keeping Danny down anywhere beneath my number one pick for week 79!
https://steemit.com/openmic/@dannyhamilton/steemit-open-mic-week-79-i-m-going-home-danny-hamilton-original

SECOND PLACE: @darrenclaxton – "Reflected In Your Eyes" - (Original)

Wow, written in just a day! Time notwithstanding; Darren has assembled a rather impressive composition here. The slow steady build he creates in concert with the gripping and dynamic melodies resident in “Reflected In Your Eyes” was everything it took for me to place this most outstanding entry in my #2 spot for week 79.
https://steemit.com/openmic/@darrenclaxton/steemit-open-mic-week-79-original-music-by-darren-claxton-reflected-in-your-eyes

THIRD PLACE: @paulobassman – "You've Been There" - (Original)

Here, albeit his first post of sorts, we have a rather familiar face who has been an integral part of the infamous entries of @pedromrmourato. Here, the assumed author of this composition is the bass player, @paulobassman – and if my assumption is correct, man, what a song he wrote! In my view, bass players are some of the most underrated artists within the realm of music. Without them, the bottom falls out; however, we often take their structural interest and integrity for granted. When you click play to listen, keep an ancillary focus on the baselines here, and just imagine how empty and bottomless the song would be without them. Aside from all such nuance, this song rocks!
https://steemit.com/openmic/@paulobassman/steemit-open-mic-week-79-you-ve-been-there-original-song

FOURTH PLACE: @gonetroppo – "The Drifter" - (Original)

I really identify with these guys in that most all of my musical development occurred in tandem with – and right beside my biological brother. These guys, however, are in a class of their own! Together, their brilliant lyrics, elegant melodies, blissful harmonies, and their clear familiarity with one another here in “The Drifter” make them true standouts amongst the most talented and skilled artists.
https://steemit.com/openmic/@gonetroppo/steemit-open-mic-week-79-the-drifter-by-the-hinds-brothers

FIFTH PLACE: @normamanly – "Kick In" - (original)

Okay, so we’ve got another “newcomer” here and man is she ever-so welcome! Her bandmates have provided her with a most effective musical backdrop for Norma to express her soulful and passionate lyrical passages with the utmost of effect. I loved this rather intimate expression of soulful rhythms quite a lot, and I’m sure you will too!
https://steemit.com/openmic/@normamanly/steemit-open-mic-week-79-kick-in-original-song

My Top-5 Honorable Mentions in Order:

First: @yenibe – "Yessell Los Compas" - (Cover)
https://steemit.com/openmic/@yenibe/steemit-openmic-semana-79-yessell-y-los-compas-la-muerte-cover

Second: @nathankaye - "Nobody's Slave, Nobody's Master" - (Original)
https://steemit.com/openmic/@nathankaye/steemit-open-mic-week-79-nobody-s-slave-nobody-s-master-collab-w-ben-lee-nathan-kaye

Third: @vera.carla – "Just My Luck" - (Original)
https://steemit.com/openmic/@vera.carla/steemit-open-mic-week-79-just-my-luck-original-song

Fourth: @wilins – "Universo" - (Original)
https://steemit.com/openmic/@wilins/steemit-open-mic-week-79-universo-cancion-original

Fifth: @marysemciver – "The Sun & The Moon" - (Original)
https://steemit.com/openmic/@marysemciver/steemit-open-mic-week-79-first-ever-steemit-post-the-sun-and-the-moon-maryse-mciver

Thank you for reviewing my selections for this week’s Open-Mic contest. If you find this content I’ve curated entertaining and of value to you, then please consider up-voting and/or re-steeming it.

Peace, Love, and Justice for All

A Very Special Shout Out To:

The following 20 artists who were very much on my radar, each within a splitting hair of making it into my overall top-10, and whose performances I loved, cherish, and respect most assuredly. This special list is very much an extension of my most honorable mentions.

They are - in no particular order:

@theflorescents, @beeflomein, @trevorpetrie, @hijodelsol, @rodrigocabrera, @uvalunera, @jaredkhamanah, @lostgalaxy, @ilazramusic, @johannesburghart, @mightyjoenolan, @raliczfealk, @lisamalletart, @javierdunn, @danieldyemusic, @lincolnofblood, @chrisgoans, @chaifm, @abelfernandez, and @juliolunar!

Another Special Shout Out To:

The following artists whose performances I very much enjoyed this week.

They are - in no particular order:

@pechichemena, @lorey-bero, @cezanne, @senzenfrenz, @mrprecious, @dominiqueguitars, @roman.musica, @ikasumanera, @shelbi, @futuremind, @itinerantartist, @trxyvn, @gibber, @honeymoon-1611, @mcmusic, @miguelarl, @operahoser, @tarotbyfergus, @jumpmaster, @aidarojaswriter, @chrisroberts, @beethoven10, @andreamaestre1, @markaustin, @teukurobbybinor, @camuel, @drewley, @movingroovin, @premmlinbass, @wethepatsies, @martinsandersuk, @popsoz, @graceleon, @leomolina, @melbookermusic, and @juliopalomo!

Much love and thanks to each and every one of you who have touched a part of my heart and soul - not only this week but forever!