How Singer Ashleigh Still Brings the Personal Edge Back to the Jazz World
 
By Scott Berman

It’s pretty darn difficult to make it in the music biz—just about everyone knows that. In the world of jazz, achieving financial success is even harder; the genre’s not exactly selling like Lady Gaga dance pop. Thus, many jazz and blues artists resort to manufacturing music for mass appeal, packing their songs full of bells and whistles and melodrama in order to draw attention. However, the truth is,fans know shtick when they hear it.

That’s one thing that makes “Lush Life” performer Ashleigh Still so refreshing. The singer-songwriter/multi-instrumentalist excels at intimate, soulful music that always maintains a sense of unwavering honesty. She cites Jerry Lee Lewis, Chuck Girard, Jeff Buckley, James Taylor, Whitney Houston and Alison Krause as some of her chief influences. However, Still says she recalls her “earliest soul-shattering/soul-healing experiences with music in Pentecostal churches or in the confines of my bedroom, playing Debussy or Chopin on the piano.”

Still’s been compared to Eva Cassidy because of her tone, general roots music style, and intangible bluesy depth. However, her genre, while in the jazz/blues/folk/R&B realm, is hard to pin down as her material ranges from traditional blues with jazz sprinklings (“She’s A Good Time”) to folk Bossa Nova (“Violet Dress”). She delivers her vocals with a nu-jazz inflection and Etta James-esque clarity. The core of Still’s style is crisp melodic phrases wrapped in breathiness, each delivered with purpose and a sensual, spine-tingling vibrato.

Whether she’s singing an ethereal ballad (“A Little Present”), a backbeat groove (“Be”) or a folksy, acoustic blues tune (“Tiger”), Still ties her music together with consistent phrasing and tone. Most songs are slow-to-mid tempo and her instrumentation is usually pretty minimalist; often just a guitar, bass and/or piano for accompaniment. This leaves space for her vocals to resonate, especially on ballads.           

Sample some of her music here: 

http://www.myspace.com/ashleighstill

Another of Still’s endearing qualities is how she experiments with taking the music in new directions while maintaining a clear sense of self. Her track “Unspeakable” is a perfect example of how, even when playing with electronic vocal effects and song structure, her distinct, feminine voice and soul shine through. She also experiments with the recording process. Some artists try to create a dry, sometimes noisy quality to mimic the sounds of the past. Still keeps her effects subtle and pleasant, sometimes adding a low background static (“MMagnum” and “March no.31”) to lend an old-school, vinyl feel to a modern sounding tune.

Her latest album, Firefly,consisting of duets with local bassist Nick Salisbury, thoroughly showcases her personal touch and move toward more traditional pop-music. Songs like the title track capture her rounded, airy sound. Also, rather than just singing genteelly about love and the pretty morning sun like many of today’s jazz artists, Still is willing to perform material with edgier lyrics. A perfect example is her cover of Radiohead’s “Creep,” which contains expletives. Still’s strong desire to find both joy and independence in life is explicitly conveyed and an underlying message of the album.

At “Lush Life,” Still will be performing “Alfie” because, in her words, “the sentiment of the lyrics and the music are so gorgeously aligned… also, the IV # minor seventh chord slays me.” She’ll also be singing “Big Spender,” “because of the sexy bass line and sneaky responsive chords.”

Expect a somewhat “straight” performance of these tunes at “Lush Life,” but “Still-ified” by her unique, bluesy vocal swagger. On the future of the jazz standard, Still believes that while “the jazz standards and tributes to the founders of the art will remain, the heartbeat and heartbreak that inspired those first chords and melodies will continue to become stronger and less confined.”

To hear musical samples and find more information, you can visit Ashleigh Still on MySpace, Twitter, Facebook, and her website. Firefly is available on Itunes.

Scott Berman is a Strategic Communications major at the University of Minnesota.

By Allison Hall

Something about Bethany Larson’s music embodies the classic nature of jazz. The sound of her rich, honest voice can ease anxiety and get feet tapping all in the same breath. Her charming lyrics and catchy, indie-folk songs follow the ol’ verse/chorus structure that just works. Larson’s music is sincere, likeable and timeless, an obvious choice for the Southern Songbook series.

Don’t believe me? Take a moment and listen to her band, Bethany Larson and the Bees Knees’ EP “Sticks and Stones.”

On November 14, Larson will have the opportunity to perform songs from the jazz canon that brought her the standard song structure and soul with which she now writes and sings. As one of seven local singer-songwriters in the Southern Theater’s show Lush Life, Larson will reinterpret two songs of her choosing from the Great American Songbook: “My Funny Valentine” and “Someone to Watch Over Me.”

This blending of new and old music traditions will be a new experience for Larson. “I appreciate this kind of music because it is beautiful and very real; there is no pretense,” Larson says. “I was raised listening to it so I’ve been accustomed to the style. and I think that shows in the type of music that I sing and write.” 

While making song selections, Larson based her decisions on how she felt about the words and what they convey. “I wanted to choose songs whose lyrics I enjoyed as much as their melody,” she says. Both songs carry a sense of honesty that is endearing to Larson.

Her favorite lyrics in “Funny Valentine” are:

Is your figure less than greek? / Is your mouth a little weak? / When you open it to speak / are you smart? / …but don’t you change one hair for me

“I just love Rufus Wainwright’s version of it; his voice is so perfect,” Larson says.

She chose “Someone to Watch Over Me” not only because of the song’s range and that it’s fun to sing; she also finds the lyrics charming:

Although he may not be the man / some girls think of as handsome / to my heart he carries the key.

“The words carry that same idea [as in “Funny Valentine”] of loving someone because you love them, not just because the other person is attractive,” Larson says. “The words do that in an endearing way for me.”

Listen to Ella Fitzgerald sing a beautiful version to get a feel for what Larson is talking about.

The instrumentalists from local hip-hop group Heiruspecs will serve as the evening’s house band. Larson looks forward to this collaboration and feels it will be a challenge for her. “I am used to playing my songs and accompanying myself,” she explains. “[In Lush Life] I don’t have a guitar to hide behind…I can focus more on singing.”

Larson’s song selections represent her own simple and honest songwriting. So it’s safe to say she’ll sing a traditional rendition of her two songs, leaving the more adventurous interpretations to the other artists. Celebrating the jazz canon by focusing on lyrics and melodies is just her style.

Allison Hall is a senior undergraduate studying journalism and graphic design at the University of Minnesota.

by Ann B. Erickson

Detroit had Motown. Seattle had ‘90s grunge rock. New Orleans gave birth to jazz and Nashville has hosted every big name in country music. But anyone who knows Minneapolis knows it has a music scene defined not by a single genre, but rather by a convergence of styles and cultures. “Lush Life: Interpretations of the American jazz canon” is then the quintessential Minneapolis concert. Overlapping classic American jazz (think Gershwin and Sinatra) with local hip-hop and indie music makes a strong statement about our fair city: It’s the one place that has enough cultural prowess to produce a concert of this nature.

Here are the top 5 reasons why “Lush Life” could only happen right here in Minneapolis:

1.     Holding Up the Mirror

Minneapolis has historically been and continues to be a beacon for immigrant populations. The Great American Songbook was largely created from immigrants formulating a new, uniquely American identity through songwriting. Now eight local musicians are taking those songs and applying them to life in 2010. “Lush Life” offers Minneapolis audiences a glimpse back in time as a means of looking forward, as the concert celebrates our own diverse past, present and future.

2.     The Perfect Atmosphere

Despite being second only to New York in fine-arts seats per capita, Minneapolis is, as “Lush Life” creator Adam Levy puts it, “a mini cosmopolitan environment”–not too small, but not overwhelming. Levy adds, “Minneapolis musicians don’t just play in one band, in one genre. We see lots of artists and groups crossing genres.” Minneapolis’ tight-knit music scene allows for an open dialogue between artists. “Lush Life” is just one result of these ongoing musical cross-pollinations, bringing together artists from all walks of life for one powerful concert.

3.     Hip-hop: Minneapolis Style

“Lush Life” brings together some of Minneapolis’ finest local hip-hop musicians (including Toki Wright, Omaur Bliss and Ill Chemistry). Minneapolis, like the rest of the country, saw a hip-hop boom in the last decade, but what distinguishes Minneapolis from the rest of the country is the level of craft practiced by its hip-hop artists. Levy notes, “They’re a very literary group; very intelligent. They really reach out with their content.” As these artists bring their craft to a whole new realm—the world of jazz standards—they continue to create new meaning with their music. “Lush Life” wouldn’t be possible without this innovative, forward-thinking hip-hop scene.

Toki Wright: http://www.djbooth.net/index/news/C103/P10/

4.     A Minneapolis Jazz Renaissance

Minneapolis’ traditional jazz scene can be seen downtown any given night at The Dakota and other jazz clubs. But there’s a new generation of jazz artists in town who have taken an active interest in paying homage to jazz standards while bringing them into the next generation–-what Levy calls “the Minneapolis Jazz Renaissance.” While other music scenes might see the “Lush Life” concert as something of a novelty item, for the Twin Cities the performance is right in step with the musical pulse of the city.

5.     The Right People

Levy talks about the Minneapolis arts community with a certain fondness, noting its open artistic climate and patrons in search of adventurous art. Only in a place like Minneapolis would a collaboration such as “Lush Life” be welcomed by artists and audiences alike. A city that celebrates its past as much as its future, Minneapolis continues to welcome events like “Lush Life” that are innovative, original and that strive toward new forms of expression.

Ann B. Erickson is a senior undergraduate student, studying Strategic Communication and Theatre Arts at the University of Minnesota.

By Mercy Lo  

“‘Lush Life:’ Interpretations of the American jazz canon” kicks off the Southern Theater’s new yearlong three-part series, Southern Songbook. “Lush Life” revisits the Great American Songbook, as local musicians offer fresh interpretations of classic jazz standards. This post is an introduction to the jazz standard and its implications for jazz musicians.

Play this YouTube video to help you get into the mood for jazz.

Frank Sinatra – Someone to watch over me 

First, what is the Great American Songbook? It’s not a physical book; it represents the best 280 American songs of the 20^th century, created roughly from the 1920s to 1960. At the beginning of that period, a large number of Eastern Europeans, many of them Jews, immigrated to the U.S., to escape rising anti-Semitism in countries like Germany. As they were exposed to American society—which emphasized freedom of speech and was becoming more culturally diverse, in part due to the growing presence of African Americans—these immigrants became fascinated with and began participating in a new songwriting tradition. “The music blurred the distinctions between ‘high’ and ‘low’ cultural musical traditions,” says Adam Levy, host of “Lush Life,” “and explored themes of love and loss at the dawning of a new era that was more morally permissive.”

About 80 percent of the works in the Great American Songbook were written for and featured in Broadway musicals; the remaining were introduced through American and European musical theater and Hollywood musicals. These songs played a significant role in the repertoires of jazz singers and musicians, who continually interpreted these songs and described them as jazz standards. When rock-and-roll emerged, however, many rising musicians considered the Great American Songbook passé. The new trend was for musicians to write their own songs and control their publication. Still, the structures, chord progressions, and melodies of the songs in the Great American Songbook continued to influence their songwriting, as arguably they continue to influence songwriters today. 

The song “Lush Life” is a classic example of a jazz standard:

Nat King Cole – Lush Life

“Lush Life” was written by Billy Strayhorn in the 1930s and was not recorded for public release until Nat King Cole sang it in 1949. The lyrics of the song describe the author’s night after a failed romance, wasting time with “jazz and cocktails” at “come-what-may places” and in the company of girls with “sad and sullen gray faces.”  Strayhorn wrote the majority of his songs when he was only 16, including “Lush Life.” Many singers at that time recorded a version of the song and they largely stayed with Strayhorn’s original arrangement.

Not this version, though: a contemporary remix by Cee Lo Green (play this).

This is what the jazz standard is about today: Taking cherished and timeless jazz songs and creating new arrangements that speak to contemporary audiences with current music stylings.

Now do you have a better idea of the Great American Songbook and the tradition of the jazz standard? Welcome to “Lush Life.”

Mercy Lo is a senior professional-journalism major in the School of Journalism and Mass Communication at the University of Minnesota.