elizabeth! » singer

Meet the Brainchildren: Rob Jost

elizabeth — Wed, 23 Nov 2011 18:41:50 +0000

Rob Jost is a busy guy. He plays regularly for Sesame Street. He is in Tony Scherr’s band. He is a part of the pop band Ursa Minor. And he has his own band, the Peekaboos. He composes his own music, including the great song “Family.” He has played on national television with Steve Martin. He has recorded with Bjork. He not only plays upright and electric bass, but he also is a fantastic French horn player.

Oh yeah. And he’s one of the most positive, nice, fun people I know!

Every time I play with Rob it makes me happy. Here’s a nice solo he took on “Bicycle”!

Meet the Brainchildren: Mark Erelli

elizabeth — Tue, 18 Oct 2011 18:16:58 +0000

I first heard Mark Erelli at Club Passim in Cambridge, MA, a few blocks from where I was in college at Harvard University. He and Jonathan Kingham (also awesome, check him out!) were part of an “in-the-round” songwriter session at their Memorial Day campfire festival, and my jaw dropped when Mark opened his mouth. I’ve been a big fan since then, and always hoped that I’d have a project I could add him into.

Happily, he was free to record some guitar, mandolin, and backing vocals for “Brainchildren”! I traveled to Boston and we recorded at Zachariah Hickman’s Ceramic Lady Studio. (More on Zack later, but he and Mark know each other from playing with Josh Ritter!)

Listen to his mandolin playing and background vocals on the song “On the Ferris Wheel.”

Then go and listen to his music. Some recommended tracks: “Compass & Companion” from 2001’s Compass & Companion; “Call You Home” from 2002’s The Memorial Hall Recordings; “Baltimore,” “Not Alone” and “Once” from 2008’s Delivered. And if you get on his mailing list you’ll get a free MP3 every month!

P.S. Like me, Mark studied science before turning to music full-time!

Celebrating Sheila Jordan

elizabeth — Tue, 28 Jun 2011 06:36:19 +0000

Congratulations to Sheila Jordan, who was just named one of the 2012 National Endowment for the Arts Jazz Masters!

Sheila is an amazing woman and an inspirational jazz musician. I was lucky enough to study with her in New York City, and she is a wonderful, sweet, funny, and honest teacher. What a gift she has in her voice, and what a gift she has in being able to tell her stories through song and to bring out the most playful parts of her collaborators.

In her early 80s and as strong as ever, she’s touring and teaching. Don’t miss her if she’ll be near you!

P.S. 2012 will supposedly be the 30th and final year of the Jazz Masters honor. What a shame – I hope that we will find ways to continue to recognize our living jazz legends and to let them know how much they continue to spur on musicians around the world.

Spotlight: Kay Ashley

elizabeth — Thu, 03 Jun 2010 05:28:01 +0000

Aside from working on my own music, I’m lucky to work with many great musicians in New York and beyond. I’ll be spotlighting them from time to time here on the blog.

One is the great singer-songwriter Kay Ashley!

Kay and I met through the New York Metro Mass Gospel Choir, directed by the amazing David Brown (now directing The Harmony Project in Ohio), back in 2003 or 2004. That choir was a place for both of us to grow our voices, experiences, and most importantly, communities. 140 voices strong, comprised of Christians, Muslims, Jews, Hindus, agnostics, grandmothers, teenagers, people of all races and walks of life, we sang TOGETHER! It was amazing.

I grew to know Kay’s work as she played around New York City. We also had several cover bands together – one called “Miss Priss” (long story) with Jennifer Foster (see photo below), and the other called “Quelles Sauvages” which did all-women folk versions of Pantera, etc. Kay is a riot – she has an abundant laugh and a hug for everyone, and she plays a mean KayZoo!

Above all of this, though, she has a great ear for vocal harmonies and a beautiful sense of melody. Heavily influenced by both Joni Mitchell and Indian classical music, she’s produced a sound all her own. Check her out! She’s now living in the San Francisco Bay Area.

www.kayashley.com

And buy her album “Heliotrope” – it’s beautiful! Produced by Michael Leonhart (of Steely Dan and many others), and featuring yours truly on a few tracks on voice and trombone!

P.S. Congratulations, Jenn and Wesley!

Freddy Cole

elizabeth — Tue, 16 Feb 2010 17:23:26 +0000

Last week, I went to hear Freddy Cole at Dizzy’s Club at Jazz at Lincoln Center. I’ve been a fan of his for several years, and through my friend and his guitarist, Randy Napoleon, I’ve come to know him.

Freddy is an amazing and tasteful pianist, but this was the first time I’ve seen him stand and sing with another musician (John di Martino) at the keys. Dressed in a fine suit, he amiably and expertly sang to the rapt crowd. He is a joy to watch and listen to, because he is, as Todd Barkan said as he introduced him, a storyteller.

And the stories he chooses to tell…. well, the songs are gems. How many times have we heard the Gershwin standard “Someone to Watch Over Me”? In Freddy’s hands, it was brand new again – if only he had someone… and we ached for him.

Here’s the set list -

Because of You
This Love of Mine
Someone to Watch Over Me
The Continental
Live for Life
Wild as Love
It Could Happen to You
You Must Believe in Spring
What Now, My Love?

Freddy is, of course, the younger brother of Nat “King” Cole. Though he has many similarities, Freddy is his own man – and musician. Check him out! Or leave a comment about what you love to hear him sing…