GRAMMY WINNING ARTIST MARCUS MILLER TO HOST FIRST PLAYBOY JAZZ CRUISE IN 2009
By Paula Edelstein
The Playboy Jazz Festival will take to the high seas when it teams up with Jazz Cruises, LLC to present the first Playboy Jazz Cruise! Renowned Grammy winning artist Marcus Miller will serve as musical host for the cruise, which with feature 2008 Grammy winner Herbie Hancock as special guest along with a stellar constellation of jazz stars. SOTJ spoke to Marcus Miller about his latest endeavorsas musical host of the first Playboy Jazz Cruise and about his latest CD on his own label and here’s what he told us:
SOTJ:Hi Marcus, thanks so much for the interview. We’ve got a lot to talk about and we especially want to know more about the upcoming Playboy Jazz Cruise, your new recording on Three Deuces called MARCUS and your other projects and concerts in the pipeline.
MARCUS: Hi Paula. Thanks so much.
ABOUT THE PLAYBOY JAZZ CRUISE…
SOTJ:First, let’s talk about the cruise. When is the Playboy Jazz Cruise happening?
MARCUS:The shipleaves January 25, 2009 and we’ll be out for about six days until February 1, 2009. We leave out of Fort Lauderdale, Florida and will be visiting Nevis, Half Moon Cay, San Juan and St. Barths in the Caribbean…really great ports of call. The cool thing about being on the ship is that you’ll hear the most incredible music and have the most incredible musical experience. If you’re a music lover, you go to a concert, hear the artist, then leave. But here, you’ll get to see them outside of their performances enjoying themselves on the ship, talk to them, get to ask them questions about a specific record you’ve loved all your life and it’s really a much deeper experience. Plus the jam sessions happen every night so it’s really cool. It’s like hanging out in a little jazz town!
SOTJ:I would imagine. I was wondering how working on a ship as a venue is different from working in other venues that you’ve played in. Because these ocean liners are huge, I would assume you don’t really have to change your concert stage specs that much when you play these concerts!
MARCUS:They are huge and they have these full on concert venues on the ship. So it’s really like doing a regular show. As musicians we don’t have to worry about packing the stuff up and traveling to the next city and re-setting everything up and doing that whole thing. We can get really comfortable and really get into a nice thing and really start to focus on music.
SOTJ:Plus really relaxing and enjoying all the amenities on the Holland America m/s Westerdam in the Caribbean.
MARCUS:The people who are there to hear the music, don’t have to worry about all those things that you have to worry about when you’re going to a show…where do I park? I can’t stay too late because the last train is leaving at a certain time…etc. All those things that people have to normally consider. (LAUGH)
SOTJ:Yes. You only have to walk back to your stateroom, go chill, or go on to the next event or whatever you’re going to do! Which company is co-producing the cruise with the Playboy Jazz producers?
MARCUS:Michael Lazaroff and Jazz Cruises, LLC.
SOTJ:Had you worked with Michael before?
MARCUS:Yes, last summer when we sailed from Copenhagen during the North Sea Jazz Cruise. This one was more European based. We cruised up the North Sea and stopped at some incredible places and ended up the North Sea Jazz Festival. It was a really nice week.
SOTJ:Who are some of the special guests who will be performing on the first ever Playboy Jazz Cruise?
MARCUS:Let’s see, we have Roy Hargrove, Roberta Gambarini, Dianne Reeves, a young pianist named Eldar, the classic player James Moody, Poncho Sanchez on the Latin side, Kirk Whalum I believe is going to be there, Keb Mo, James Carter and Herbie Hancock is going to be there as well.
SOTJ:All right…with Herbie you can’t go wrong especially when you think about his all time jazz hit “Maiden Voyage.”
MARCUS:Exactly…it’s a good tune to play on the ship as well.
SOTJ:Where can we find more information about the cruise?
SOTJ:Thanks so much for the information Marcus. We look forward to seeing you there.
ABOUT HIS LATEST CD CALLED MARCUS….
SOTJ:Well, there’s no doubt that you’re one busy guy! The buzz on your new CD is really hot and you’re also touring in support of the new record. Let’s talk a little about MARCUS, your latest CD on Three Deuces and distributed by Concord. I heard it the other day and it’s awesome!
MARCUS: Thank you.
SOTJ:What are some of the high points of the CD… there’s some really different stuff on it this time with spoken word…
MARCUS: That’s really one of the highpoints…there is such different stuff on there. I opened it up a little bit more…I’m kind of known as the guy who kind of has a wide range but I opened up it extra wide this time. We have some spoken word set to music; we have Corinne Bailey Rae singing the R&B song called “Free” which has always been one of my favorites; I’m playing Nat King Cole’s hit “When I Fall In Love,” on the bass clarinet. So it’s wide but my bass guitar is still at the center of it all. It doesn’t sound like 14 people’s different albums. The bass is always keeping things together.
SOTJ:“Blast,” “Funk Joint” are just two killer tracks that given the listener a taste of your awesome bass skills.
MARCUS:That gets you started right!! I guess he plays the bass! (Smile)
SOTJ:Yes indeed. You can definitely play that bass! (Laughs) Who would you say had the greatest impact on your style as a bass player?
MARCUS:I would say the first guy is James Jammerson…Larry Graham, he got me slapping and plunking that bass the way he does. Stanley Clarke took that to another level.
SOTJ:Right, right. Stanley Clarke spoke very highly of you in an interview we did about Return To Forever getting back together this year for their great tour. He told us that you are one of the guys to definitely check out if an aspiring bass player wanted to learn the slap bass technique that he has jammed over the years he’s been playing.
MARCUS: Isn’t that cool. He was my hero when I was coming up and doing the slap stuff and combining it with jazz. He was very much a big influence on me.
SOTJ:Back to the CD… and of course there’s a nod to Miles Dewey Davis with “Jean Pierre,” a piece you played a part in helping Miles Davis created on a concert tour to document the 1982 album WE WANT MILES. It was amazing then and it’s still amazing. What comes to mind when you play this song?
MARCUS:It’s such an easy, simple melody. What’s nice about it is that every night something else comes to mind. And you go with that because it’s open…it’s a tune that allows you to express however you’re feeling at the moment. When I first heard it, it reminded me of a child’s melody…a nursery rhyme. So standing behind Miles every night watching him create all sorts of magic with that nursery rhyme, I told myself that I wanted to give it a shot and see what I could do with this melody.
SOTJ: As Miles was, you are ever moving forward and updating your sound. I can only imagine what getting a call from Miles Davis meant to any musician’s career. What was it like getting that great call from Miles Davis to help him move his sound toward the more electrified sound you produced for him on TUTU?
MARCUS:First thing, it made it even deeper for me and the guys in that band that I was in because Miles hadn’t played a note in six or seven years when he called us. None of us figured he’d ever play again. Some of us weren’t even sure whether he was still alive. So to get a call from him in that situation, it was even more incredible. Because it’s the last…it’s one thing to say, “Miles is putting together another band, so expect a phone call.” But to get a call out of the blue, it was even more incredible.
SOTJ:I bet, I bet. Marcus, you are such a talented musician. A genius and a gentleman. We want to congratulate you on such great accomplishments and look forward to seeing you on the Playboy Jazz Cruise and talking about more about your great endeavors.
MARCUS:Thank so much Paula.
SOTJ:Keep in touch with Marcus Miller’s concert tours and other happenings at www.marcusmiller.com. To get more information, prices, and departure dates for the first ever Playboy Jazz Cruise, please visit www.playboyjazzcruise.com or call 1-866-923-7269.
DEE DEE BRIDGEWATER CAPTURES THE SOUNDS OF HER MALIAN ANCESTRY IN A FUSION OF MUSICAL TRADITIONS
By Paula Edelstein
Born in Memphis, Tennessee and raised in the Midwest,Dee Dee Bridgewater moved to New York and – as Glinda the Witch in The Wiz on Broadway – won a 1975 Tony Award for Best Performance by a Featured Actress in a Musical. Monday nights, she sang jazz with the popular Thad Jones-Mel Lewis Orchestra downtown at the Village Vanguard. Her LP's from that era include Dee Dee Bridgewater, Just Family, and Bad for Me. In the 1980s, Bridgewater settled in Paris to perform in Sophisticated Ladies and Lady Day, a one-woman portrayal of Billie Holiday in French, which earned her a Sir Laurence Olivier Award nomination. In 1995, her self-produced CD Love and Peace: A Tribute to Horace Silver brought Bridgewater's voice back to the United States. Dear Ella, dedicated to Ella Fitzgerald, won two Grammy Awards in 1998. Subsequently, Bridgewater has produced This Is New with music of Kurt Weill, and J'ai Deux Amours/Two Loves Have I. Her current album, Red Earth – A Malian Journey, features Bridgewater with her trio, guest vocalists and a balaphon/kora/flute/percussion/vocal ensemble from the small West African nation of Mali, which she embraces as her ancestral home. The CD won a Grammy Award nomination in 2007 for Best Jazz Vocals. Bridgewater became the host of JazzSet in October 2001, on the retirement of the original host, saxophonist Branford Marsalis.
We caught up with Dee Dee during a brief respite from her busy schedule and here’s what she told us about her upcoming appearance at the 30th Annual Playboy Jazz Festival:
READ THE ENTIRE INTERVIEW WITH DEE DEE by Paula Edelstein. Just click on the link below.
PATRICE RUSHEN: HER MUSICAL IDEAS ARE MORE RELEVANT THAN EVER
By Paula Edelstein
History has a way of generating geniuses to help us move our collective minds forward. Patrice Rushen is one of those geniuses. A child prodigy, she began her career at age 3 and like many other musical prodigies before her, she has helped us to imagine a more wonderful world by spreading her musical messages and its freedom of expression to her appreciative fans. After nearly four decades in the music business, Rushen is still one of the great creative thinkers. Her award winning talents come in a vast array of styles, which manifest themselves in compositions, arrangements, symphonic works, live performances, motion pictures, television and her award winning recordings. Rushen believes in live and let live and the significant interconnection between all things. When she relaxes, she draws inspiration from her work. When she works, she draws inspiration from her sources of relaxation. At this moment, with sustainability in the spotlight for so many artists of her generation, her ideas are more relevant than ever. You can hear them all over the radio, television and in the motion pictures scores she has penned.
To celebrate her significance, Berklee College of Music recently presented her with an honorary doctorate degree to memorialize the many contributions she has made to the field of contemporary music. Ever humble, Rushen continues to give credit to her mentors for her successes and to seek out those she would enjoy collaborating with in an attempt to satisfy her creative muse. Dr. Rushen discussed some of her accomplishments and future projects with SOTJ during a recent interview. TO READ THE ENTIRE INTERVIEW, CLICK ON THE ICON BELOW.
The Solo Recording is released on Palmetto Records
By Paula Edelstein
One of the more individualistic acoustic pianists of the '80s, '90s, and 2000s, Frank Kimbrough is an "inside/outside" improviser whose primary influences range from Bill Evans and Keith Jarrett to Cecil Taylor, Paul Bley, and Andrew Hill. Kimbrough can play with as much elegance as Evans or Jarrett, but that doesn't prevent him from often taking it "outside" and acknowledging Taylor's innovations. The pianist was born and raised in North Carolina, where he learned to appreciate a wide variety of jazz growing up, and did some gigs around Chapel Hill before moving to Washington, D.C., in 1980. During the year he lived in D.C., Kimbrough led his own trio and played a few hard bop gigs with Webster Young and Buck Hill. When Bill Evans died in September 1980, Kimbrough joined Anthony Braxton for a two-night gig paying tribute to the influential pianist.The 1990s found Kimbrough keeping busy by teaching at New York University and playing as a sideman in Maria Schneider's big band (which he's been a member of since 1993) and the quartet of saxophonist Ted Nash. Kimbrough has also been a key member of the Herbie Nichols Project, a band that has dedicated itself to playing and recording the music of the great but underexposed pianist Herbie Nichols. The band has been directed by bassist Ben Allison, who featured Kimbrough on the Project's Love Is Proximity album on Soul Note and his own albums Seven Arrows and Medicine Wheel. The two musicians are also co-founders of the Jazz Composers Collective. Founded in 1992, the group features music by forward-thinking composers. Since then, Kimbrough has moved to the Palmetto label, releasing Lullabluebye and Play in 2004 and 2006, respectively.
We caught up with Frank Kimbrough on the heels of the release of his new recording AIR. This is what he told us about the making of AIR. To read the entire interview, please click on the icon below.
Double Grammy Award Winner Daniel Ho Discusses Contemporary Jazz, Hawaiian Music and The Hawaiian Slack Key Guitar
Interview by Paula Edelstein
From his modest upbringing in Honolulu to his soul searching in Los Angeles, Daniel has learned to wear many hats over the years—musician, producer, singer/songwriter, arranger, composer, engineer, record company owner—and has come to wear them well. The most befitting of these roles has been for his two Grammy Award achievements as a producer and featured slack key guitarist in the Best Hawaiian Music Album category.
Daniel’s musical inclinations were apparent at an early age. His first instruments were organ and ukulele. He then graduated to classical guitar and piano, electric guitar, bass, drums, and eventually, voice. He dreamt big and followed his aspirations. This led him to study composing, arranging and film scoring at the Grove School of Music in Los Angeles. Shortly afterwards, he began his professional career as the leader, keyboardist, composer, and producer for Kilauea, a contemporary jazz group he formed in 1990. By 1997, Kilauea had released six chart-topping albums, two of which hit the Top 10 on Billboard’s jazz charts. TO READ THE ENTIRE INTERVIEW WITH DANIEL HO, click on the ICON BELOW.
Valarie King is one of the most sought after flautists in the United States. The beautiful graduate of the University of Southern California is equally comfortable working in recording studios or live stage performances. Ms. King’s ability to adapt to various musical styles is in great demand and is evidenced by her vast array of credentials, which range from gigs with Hubert Laws and Stevie Wonder to Celine Dion, Terence Blanchard and Tony Bennett. In addition to working with these icons of the music industry, Ms. King has performed on a variety of award shows including the Grammy Awards, Emmy Awards, American Music Awards and the People’s Choice Awards, among others.
SOTJ:ANYTIME, ANYPLACE is absolutely awesome. It’s not only beautiful but your inspired improvisations and arrangements of such great jazz & R&B standards as John Coltrane’s “Giant Steps” and Janet Jackson’s “Anytime Anyplace” and of course, the traditional “Zambra,” truly displays your versatility and command of your instrument. How did the project come about?
VALARIE:It was a little different from what I normally do. Normally I would start with all new material and start compiling from there. But one of my friends suggested that I go back and check out some of my old material to see if they could be updated and re-recorded and see how well they would sound. So we went through the safe and listened to some of the old tapes and found a few that worked. So then I started looking at the CD in a different type of way … instead of having it all one style, I wanted to mix it up a little – have a little traditional and a little contemporary. So that’s actually how this CD came about. TO READ THE ENTIRE INTERVIEW, CLICK ON THE ICON BELOW.
“I do believe that civilization is headed toward a golden age. I may not see it in my lifetime, but I do believe that people approach their differences with at least a little more civility than they did in earlier centuries. I think there will come a day when men will in fact drop the baggage and the negative energy once and for all, put down the dangerous toys and talk to each other like human beings.” – Stanley Clarke
Stanley Clarke, one of the most innovative bass players/composers/educators of the past three decades, examines the emotional sweep of war in THE TOYS OF MEN, his new CD released on Heads Up International/Roxboro Entertainment Group. “If you study history, and the history of warfare, it boils down to some very simple dynamics,” says Clarke. “When there are disagreements and disputes between countries, people always go back to their toys and how they can use them to intimidate their adversaries. This goes all the way back to the days when we were fighting each other with swords and shields, and even rocks and clubs,” adds Clarke. This recurring phenomenon of history is the topic of the CD’s title track – a six-part suite and the cornerstone that opens the 13-song set and spans a range of textures and colors – from the dark and violent to the uplifting and transcendent.
SOTJ spoke to Stanley Clarke about the inspiration for THE TOYS OF MEN. To read the entire interview, please click on the link or the icon below.
Marie Daulne of Zap Mama Shares Her Genuine Brilliance About The Making of SUPERMOON
Interview by Paula Edelstein
Marie Daulne, the founder and fronting member of Zap Mama since the early 1990s, has lived a life that rivals Homer’s Odyssey. Filled with peril and triumph, glove-spanning quests, and a series of personal achievements that seem almost heroic in scope, her story is one of epic proportions in the annals of World music. Born in the Congo, but raised in Belgium, Marie spends her life crossing continents and winning the hearts of thousands of fans, while introducing her musical heritage to the world and uniting musical cultures through the wonders of voice, music and performance.
SOTJ caught up with the lovely Marie Daulne as Zap Mama prepared for a tour of the USA in support of their debut release for the Heads Up Africa Series recording titled SUPERMOON. Here’s what she had to say:
Some three decades after breaking funky R&B-jazz ground as leader of the pioneering Jeff Lorber Fusion, the Philly-born and bred composer, producer and keyboard legend still believes in the element of surprise. Riffing quite literally on the title of his 2005 Grammy-nominated recording Flipside, Lorber stretches beyond his comfort zone on HE HAD A HAT, a distinctively eclectic “player’s session” with a batch of contemporary jazz’s most exciting artists. The disc marks his first recording under Narada Jazz’s new affiliation with the Blue Note label. Long considered one of modern music’s most adventurous players and performers, Lorber goes full throttle on HE HAD A HAT, taking a freewheeling, stylistically varied approach as whimsical as the collection’s title (a punchline from a beloved old Borscht Belt joke). Over the course of 13 tracks, the keyboardist pays homage to a wide range of his favorite influences, tapping into everything from gospel and brass-driven old school jazz-fusion to smoky and sultry Miles Davis-flavored moods, hard driving bebop, swinging jazz and, of course, his more familiar funk-jazz vibe. Lorber’s guest list rolls like a euphoric, multi-genre jazz encyclopedia: Randy Brecker, Chris Botti, Brian Bromberg, Tom Scott, Gerald Albright, Kirk Whalum, Bob Sheppard, Hubert Laws, Alex Al, Paul Jackson, Jr., Paul Brown, Russell Malone, Abe Laboriel, Jr., Dave Weckl and Vinnie Colaiuta. Colomby, former drummer and a founding member of jazz-rock legends Blood, Sweat & Tears, also recruited that band’s esteemed horn section for five of the recording’s tracks. SOTJ caught up with Jeff as he was preparing to go on the road. Here's what he had to say about his latest CD and his upcoming appearance at THE PLAYBOY JAZZ FESTIVAL on Sunday, June 17th:
SOTJ: Hi Jeff, thanks so much for the interview. HE HAD A HAT turned out to be a great recording. Can we expect to hear some of the songs from your new CD at The Playboy Jazz Festival?
JEFF:I’m hoping to play a lot of it but I guess it depends on how much time we’re allowed. Our appearance is sort of a collaborative thing with Norman Brown, Peabo Bryson and Marion Meadows … so we’re all kind of working with the same band and not with the musicians who are on the CD.
SOTJ:Is this your first appearance at the festival?
JEFF:I’ve played there two or three times before in the mid-80s with a very different group.
SOTJ:What do you enjoy most about performing at the infamous Playboy Jazz Festival?
JEFF:Well, first of all, it’s always a pleasure to play in town so that I can invite family and friends to come hear the show. Second, the Hollywood Bowl is such a legendary venue that staging the Playboy Jazz Festival there raises the vibe and energy of it! The festival itself is all of the fun things about playing “live” and none of the bad things!
SOTJ:Great! Jeff, you’ve been around for a while and you’ve shown that you are surely a tradition of evolution. On this CD you pay homage to a wide range of influences with everything from gospel to Miles Davis-flavored moods. Why did you choose to include so many jazz styles on the CD?
JEFF:The first time I got a chance to collaborate with Bobby Colomby, who produced the CD; he had worked with Jaco Pastorious in the 80s and had made one of the best jazz bass player albums ever. The level of creativity and musicianship on that CD was really high and it became my personal model for what I wanted to do with HE HAD A HAT. We wanted to make a record that approached its level of excellence so we didn’t limit ourselves and just let it flow.
SOTJ:Working with Bobby Colomby again must have been a real thrill. Can you share some of the highlights of the recording session?
JEFF:Yes it was. You know it’s funny. When you’re in the midst of the creative process, you’re so immersed in it that sometimes it gets hard. But everyone brought his or her “A” game to this recording and we had a lot of fun.
SOTJ:There are so many great musicians on this recording. How long did it take you to complete the CD and what song selection criteria did you use to decide which songs would make the cut?
JEFF:It unfolded over a six-month time period … I was touring, Bobby was producing/managing Chris Botti. I don’t think we really spent more than three weeks to actually record the music. We picked about 20 songs and at some point, it became too hard when we tried to develop certain songs. If you have to work TOO hard on something, that should give you an indication that maybe it’s just not right. But we just picked our favorites and worked like that.
SOTJ: Would you consider HE HAD A HAT your masterpiece?
JEFF:I hope this doesn’t come off as arrogance, but I kind of look at this recording as my “white” album…the way The Beatles had their WHITE album where they put so much into it. I am very, very proud of it especially because of all the contributions Bobby and the rest of the musicians made.
SOTJ: The title of the CD can have several different meanings especially since jazz musicians wear so many different hats! But the title was actually inspired by something else. Can you share a little about that inspiration?
JEFF: We were having so much fun making the record. It has such a light-hearted feeling to it and the title really comes from a funny joke about a boy being swept out to sea by a big ocean wave. The grandmother looks up to the heavens and promises that she’ll do anything just to have her grandson back. At that time a giant wave deposits the grandson back on the shore. She grabs the boy and looks up towards the heavens and says, “He had a hat.” (Smile) The art department at the record label came up with a real funny visual for the CD cover also!
SOTJ:Well Jeff, it’s been fun talking to you about the CD. Congratulations again and here’s to a lot of success with it. For more information about Jeff Lorber, log on to his website at http://www.lorber.com/
James Carter: True To A Variety of Inspirations By Paula Edelstein As a highly respected master of several reed instruments, James Carter is widely acclaimed for using every device in his arsenal of sound. From false fingerings, double-tonguing, honks, to squeals and beyond, he can tear the house down or kick waaaay back with his relaxed virtuosity, fluid stylings and unforgettable balladry. Born in Detroit to a musical family, he was constantly exposed to every style of music - from Hendrix to P-Funk to Miles. After spending his teenage summers playing at the Blue Lake Arts Camp and even winning a scholarship to attend the Interlochen Arts Camp, Carter attracted the attention of the late Lester Bowie, who invited James to make his New York City debut with his New York Organ Ensemble. After playing in the Big Apple with many notable musicians, Carter made his way impressively into the national spotlight as a solo artist in 1994. Carter received his 4th Baritone Saxophone Player of the Year Award from DownBeat Magazine’s 52nd Annual Critics Poll and remains of the short lists of music critics around the world for his spellbinding performances. SOTJ caught up with the world-famous artist and here’s what he told us! SOTJ:You’ve performed around the world with so many musicians. How do you prepare for these diverse gigs? The rehearsals must be grueling! JAMES: Well, just like Nike says…just do it. When you’re involved in the arts, of course there is a certain degree of preparation, but too much preparation can sterilize the art of the moment. It’s just about settling down, being honest with yourself and always hoping for the best. SOTJ:How long has the James Carter Organ Trio been together? JAMES:We just celebrated our fifth anniversary together! SOTJ:Wow that’s great. So the personnel that recorded OUT OF NOWHERE: Live At the Blue Note is the same group that performed at The Playboy Jazz Festival? JAMES: Yes. SOTJ:How has Gerard Gibbs’ organ prowess contribute to the group’s musical direction? JAMES:I think we’ve all grown exponentially. Up until that point, he was a key protégé of Richard Groove Holmes, a scholar, and totally lived and breathed the B3 organ and the synthesizer. It has paid off tremendously. SOTJ:Wonderful…looking forward to hearing you. Speaking of “live” recordings, many jazz collectors consider a “live” recording to be more in the moment, one that adds to the record’s historical significance and also allows anyone who was not at a particular performance to imagine themselves in the audience. Do you prefer recording “live” or recording in a studio where you have more control over certain variables? JAMES:I think both situations have their pros and cons. Of course, when you’re playing live, there’s always that tightrope of no splicing this, no going back to that, etc. For those that are there, there is no immediate wizardry behind the board, etc. You just have to be on it. SOTJ:Out of Nowhere: Live At The Blue Note also features Leonard King on drums; Hamiet Bluiett on baritone saxophone and James “Blood” Ulmer on guitar, and this ensemble is really smoking! You’re usually heard playing the baritone saxophone and have won many awards for playing this instrument. Do you plan to keep this particular ensemble together for future projects? JAMES:I really enjoy keeping all of my ensembles together but there is one particular group in France that I look forward to working with again. Ironically 9/11 caused this particular group to be formed because I had flown to Paris two days prior to that tragedy to meet with Selmer about some new horns. However my group was stranded in the USA and unable to get to France. So my agent, who had booked me at this particular club, contacted the club and that particular night happened to be “Gypsy Night.” So I got the chance to jam with some of the gypsies who were performing that night and definitely look forward to playing with them again. SOTJ:Well that is certainly a heavy stroll down memory lane. So we’ll look forward to hearing you with that group and what you can come up with creatively under different circumstances. SOTJ: Writing the music, lyrics and arrangement for a song involves so much subjective nuance from a composer. When everything clicks, a listener instantly tunes in when they hear some of their favorite songs covered in a different style. Your GARDENIAS FOR LADY DAYwas a great tribute to Billie Holiday and really showed a different side of your creativity. So many people are still impressed. How did these songs affect you and inspire the creative process? JAMES:Well after doing GARDENIAS FOR LADY DAY, I really got back in touch with the creative characteristics of working with a vocalist. In order for a song to really affect me, I have to like what the melody is about, the changes, the chords and whether the end product as a whole is something that I can identify with. SOTJ:That CD was brilliant and remains emotionally captivating to this day. I hear something different each time I play it and that’s the hallmark of a great recording…keeping the listener’s interest over the years, staying timeless, I loved it! Take care and keep the faith. JAMES: Thank you.
Brenda Russell: Genius Personified
By Paula Edelstein Ms. Brenda Russell is one of the most commercially successful songwriters on the music scene today. Whether she’s writing chart-topping hits for such artists as Sting or contributing the music to a new Broadway show, she’s all that! If you haven't heard her smooth jazz or R&B repertoire, then you're in for a pleasant surprise on that scene also. "Get Here" and "Piano In The Dark" can still be heard around the world anytime - day or night. Her chart topping hit for Sting titled "She Walks This Earth," will wrap you in an envelope of sound that you'll not soon forget. So, if you have seeing a Broadway show on your agenda, you'll be held captivated by the great music Brenda and her collaborators have written for THE COLOR PURPLE, the Tony-Award winning show produced by Oprah Winfrey. We caught up with Brenda after she and her collaborators were nominated for a Grammy Award for Best Musical Show Album for The Color Purple cast album recording. Here’s what we talked about and why you should listen up! SOTJ:Brenda, thanks so much for the interview. I must say that you look absolutely stunning each time I see you – whether in 100+ heat out in Malibu or in sub-zero temperatures on Broadway!! You’re timeless! Let’s talk about some of your recent accomplishments and the shape of things to come. BRENDA:Thank you!
SOTJ:The Tony Award-winning hit Broadway musical THE COLOR PURPLE--a show for which you, Allee Willis and Stephen Bray co-wrote the music and lyrics for was nominated for a Grammy Award this year in the Best Musical Show Album category for the original cast album. You must be in seventh heaven right ?
BRENDA:Yes, I am very happy about it. SOTJ:Yes, indeed and your nomination is well-deserved. Again, congratulations on that accomplishment. Rarely does a musical show record such great commercial success on Broadway in such a short time, especially after the concept follows a motion picture release that preceded the musical show. What do you attribute the success of the show to – marketing, creativity, its backers, the cast, the music? BRENDA:It’s doing really well and I feel so blessed. The success is attributed to all of the above. I think it started with Alice Walker’s story. It’s very compelling. So many people were touched by that book so we had a captive audience and all we had to do was not mess up! (laughs) We put our hearts and souls into it and people are feeling it.
SOTJ:Brenda, your own award-winning repertoire is absolutely amazing. You have worked with so many great artists and have released so many different emotions through their musical interpretations of your songs. Did you find writing the music and lyrics for The Color Purple’s theatrical characters more challenging than writing, recording, and co-producing your solo album, BETWEEN THE SUN AND THE MOON?
BRENDA:Oh yes. I’m a storyteller by nature and my mom has been telling me to write a Broadway show for 25 years. And suddenly someone did offer me that chance! But it was more of a challenge because you really do have to tell a story. SOTJ:What was it like working with Oprah Winfrey the media mogul renown all over the world for her philanthropic works, wealth and creative projects? BRENDA:Well I’ve always been a huge fan of Oprah’s. She came on board toward the end of our ride to Broadway. She came in a few weeks before we were to open and said, “I love this and I want to be involved.” We were thrilled. She is as genuine and as sincere a person as I had hoped she would be and that has been my experience with her.
SOTJ:You worked with Bluey from Incognito, and Patty Austin on BETWEEN THE SUN AND THE MOON. How did these particular collaborations come about?
BRENDA:Well I’ve always wanted to work with Bluey because I’ve been a fan of Incognito for years. Patti Austin and I are dear friends and we always wanted to work together. The night we got together, there was an eclipse of the moon and I said, “Patti, we’re between the sun and the moon.” She said, “Oh, let’s write that!” SOTJ:Wow, what a celestial moment that had to be in every sense of the word! The album aptly displays your songwriting craft and nuanced vocals mixing up-tempo grooves with classic balladry. The promotion of BETWEEN THE SUN AND THE MOON was happening during your tour with Norman Brown, Peabo Bryson, and Everette Harp. I happened to see your show and loved it. Does the wear and tear of touring, promoting a new record and keeping your fans happy ever give you reason to stay home and do studio sessions for a while? BRENDA:I was on tour, writing THE COLOR PURPLE and recording the album. I nearly killed myself. I told myself that I wouldn’t be doing that again because at the end of the day, I have to take care of my health. SOTJ:We definitely have to take some time off for that. I’m glad you made it through all those tasks successfully…so many don’t. I know this is a difficult question, and it’s like choosing a favorite child - but of all of the collaborations that you’ve had, which would you consider among the most enjoyable – I mean there’s of course Oprah Winfrey and the cast and your co-songwriters for The Color Purple, but you’ve also worked withStevie Wonder, Ivan Lins, Norman Brown, Jason Miles, Peabo, Everette, Patty, Dave Koz, Will Downing, Maurice White… I mean the list goes on and on. BRENDA:Yes, I’ve worked with some great musicians…Stevie, Maurice White. Yes, I had the pleasure of writing a song for Sting with Ivan Lins. Sting sang the song and won a Grammy for it. So that has to be my favorite collaboration – because I got to work with two of my favorite artists – Sting and Ivan Lins. It’s hard to describe how working with Stevie Wonder was because that’s on another level. I grew up admiring him…so I’m just glad he’s still here and inspiring us all. SOTJ:That’s for sure. That Wonder--ful man is amazing and so are you! Well, thanks again for the interview and here’s wishing you well with your future projects. BRENDA:Thanks Paula.
