I could spend my life as an anarchist, but to completely disassociate myself... doesn't solve any of the problems.
I listened to Billie Holiday a lot in order to learn to sing. She remains one of the extraordinary jazz singers. But my intent is to become my own voice, to be able to interpret these songs in my own way.
I love playing to people and seeing them react.
I was very lucky. Things happened, both bad and good, but I never got into real, deep trouble. But it wore me down. By the time I was 18, I was done. I didn't want to live the life any more. I needed to develop past the point that busking takes you to.
I'm very conscious of developing my singing, technically and stylistically. I want it to become more individual, express more of me. That's my goal. These songs are steps along that way.
It's great to have other people's help. Then the music gets heard. There's a lot more commercial support for that now.
It's wonderful to work with someone with mentor status.
It's work. I recognize that it's work, and it can be hard work, so making it a commodity is not so hard to believe.
Jazz really does try to include everything. It's always been popular music. But the wonderful thing about jazz is its willingness to take chances.
My father had a varied ear, from Hank Williams to Ravel.
My father's record collection was full of New Orleans music of all kinds. I used to listen to the radio in New York, and all there was on it at the time was Madonna and Michael Jackson, so it sort of passed me by.
My parents were older than normal when they had me, and had been very into the politics of the 1960s, so I was brought up in that atmosphere.
Once I was in the city, I really enjoyed it. Just to experience things. There was so much new stuff.
Seeing how those companies operate, it didn't amount to a massive vote of confidence in their artists. There was talk of me going to Columbia after that, but nothing happened. I got disillusioned, and I pulled back.
Things changed so quickly. The Atlantic jazz department just went from under us.
When I got to Paris, it was a different world. French radio-another universe from U.S. radio. I found music that could sustain me. I found jazz and other music that I could call mine.
You can share a link to this page with your friend!