Dando inicio formalmente a nuestra sección de entrevistas hablamos con Jordannah Elizabeth, periodista musical y artista residente en New Jersey que trabaja para medios como The Wild Magazine entre otros, ademas de esto Jordannah dirige sitios como TPR magazine, o The Process Records en los cuales manifiesta su activismo musical, fanática del shoegaze y otros géneros underground hechos en latino américa, hablamos con ella sobre la grabación y producción de lo que será su próximo EP titulado Bring to the Table
Yeah, I was blessed enough to receive recording time at a beautiful recording studio in San Francisco called Studio SQ. I’d been doing home recordings my entire career. I’ve worked with established producers like Marika Tjelios in Los Angeles and a Brooklyn based engineer, Kyle Boyd among others, so I’ve been able to put out some great DIY recordings, but I never had a chance to work in a professional facility. When I got the opportunity to record in California, I put a band together, we bought our tickets, recorded the demos, rehearsed and decided we were going to do everything right.
I think the recording process is all the same, whether it’s in my bedroom, in someone’s home studio or in a professional studio. I work the same, and keep the same standards for myself no matter what. The only difference is the quality and the end result. I’m ready to release better quality recordings. A lot of musicians don’t know, but many industry pros can hear the difference between a DIY or lofi recording compared to a professional studio quality album. They listen to so much music, they can just tell. Having a radio ready, studio quality recording opens a lot of doors for musicians. I’ve gotten very far with my own work, now, I feel it’s time to work with people who have more experience and understanding than I do. I’m ready to expand and learn.
Writing is a talent I’ve had since I was old enough to pick up a pencil. I was never a great student, but within a couple of weeks of being in standard classes, my teachers would move me to gifted and talented and honors English classes.
In 2010, I was booking shows in NYC, and got really drained by the social aspect of it. I’m pretty private, and need a lot of quiet time and space. I felt writing about music would allow me to stay connected with the music world, and would still allow me to have space and privacy. I can write from anywhere on the planet. So, journalism also allows me the flexibility to tour and travel, and make a living at the same time. Same thing with editing. Reading and sentence structure is just something that comes very naturally. I love my job. I have a fulfilling career.
3. I know you are big fan of latino American shoegaze/noise and psychelic bands which was your first contact with that scene?
Serpentina Satelite was the first band I wrote about for Remezcla. It open doors for me to learn about Latino psych and shoegaze. They are still one of my favorite bands.
4. The first demos of this new EP are really nice, cello a great percussion section and your deep voice as usual, how was the writing process for this EP regarding the music?
Yes, great observations. I’ve been playing around Baltimore with a cellist named Kate Porter. She’s classically trained, but she has such great sensibilities for psych and experimental music. We just mesh musically without much effort at all. I brought on drummer and bassist, Dan Breen as well. He’s an all around genius and it’s an honor to work with them both. My long time songwriting partner, Jacob Hales always helps me with composition and rhythm. I write the lyrics to the songs, and the melodies on acoustic guitar, and he helps me fill the songs out. It’s nice to have a full band. This will be the first time, and again, I’m so honored that such great musicians are willing to help me out.
Bring to the Table is an exploration of my experience with masculine energy. I got into a brief romantic relationship with a father for the first time in my life. Being a father defined him, and his love and sacrifice was really amazing, and opened my eyes. The album is about the secret struggles of men through my limited point of view…so my vocals are lower. I’ve been singing in high tones for about 10 years. My last album, Harvest Time was a feminine album, and depicted my exploration of growing into a woman. Now, that I’m in my late 20’s…I just kind of want to explore different tones with my voice, and to create a more mature and sensual atmosphere. I don’t really know if I’ll go back to singing in higher tones for the next album, but I know my voice is right for this particular record.
5. As you previously told me, each of your albums has a lyric inspiration in this case where the lyrics came from?
As I mentioned before, this album is just about the secret struggle of a man I used to see, an about men in general. There is so much our society doesn’t show about what it means to be a single dad. The funny thing is that the before I met him, the album was going to be about being alone, and then I met him and wrote the title track, and I moved forward with that flow.
When we split, I was going to change the record again, and when I announced that to Kate, she looked me in the eye and said “Jordannah, that song plays in my head. Don’t take it off the record.” So, I said ok. It doesn’t hurt me that badly to play the song, or to have finished the album, though. Many of my albums are based on relationships and life experiences that I didn’t last very long.
Lyrically, I go with what inspires me, and the concept of a man being a father and really trying to balance his life, his past, his heart, body and his needs all at the same time was a really beautiful and enlightening thing to me. He taught me that there are some men who do stick and around, and they do they best they can, even if it’s hard. As a woman, a lover and someone who doesn’t know their dad very well, I needed to know he existed.
6. Tell us about your future plans when this EP come out
I guess the next steps would be album release parties in New York, Baltimore, and San Fran. We’re going to try to hit the west coast again in Spring 2014, and go from Los Angeles to Seattle.
Then hopefully by winter 2014 we’ll be touring Europe. Maybe we’ll press some vinyl and stuff.
7. Can you make a top ten Latino American underground scene favorite records for us?
I’ll be honest,and say I’d rather do a separate guest blog post for LAS about this. I’d like to write a nice long post with tracks and photos, and make it real nice for this blog, since you have always been so kind and supportive to me. J
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