Julia Lashae
"so many things I would have done,
but the clouds got in my way."
HEARING IT sung around her home as a child, Julia Lashae knew only these lines from Joni Mitchell's "Both Sides Now," and didn't realize there was any more to it.
"I always thought it was such a sad song," she recalls. It wasn't until Julia grew older that she finally heard the rest of the lyrics, and realized that its meaning was far less dour than she had thought as a child--instead of a wistful lament to a defeatist resignation that some things may simply be out of reach, "Both Sides Now" could actually be about breaking through those clouds that can keep us from taking risk, whatever they may be, to arrive somewhere new.
Perhaps it's fitting, then, that "Both Sides Now" opens Lashae's newest album, Eadem Mutato Resurgo. She initially broke into the New Orleans scene with Johnny and the Swingin' Demons at the height of the 1990's neo-swing craze, through raucous shows at the both-now-defunct Whirlaway Lounge and SwingTown on Bourbon Street. In 2003, however, seeking something new, LaShae set off on her own to release her first solo album, Introducing..., her take on a set of traditional jazz standards and arrangements. She quickly made a name for herself as a smooth, engaging jazz vocalist, performing heavily around town in the album's wake. Fans of Introducing... and the more standard tunes LaShae has performed for years in New Orleans may find her latest record a bit surprising, however.
Eadem Mutato Resurgo is a rich collection of both songs and stories that does include a couple standards ("Old Devil Moon," "Scotch and Soda"), but places them in context with the work of such diverse songwriters as Joni Mitchell, Tom Waits, Paul Simon, Irving Berlin, Paul McCartney, and Noel Gallagher (remember the last time they all went out for a beer together?), as well as LaShae herself, who includes an original ("Curly Brown Hair") on record for the first time.
Known already for her rich vocal work, LaShae wanted to showcase an often overlooked dimension of songs performed in the jazz world: the lyrics themselves.
"I wanted to pay tribute to my favorite songwriters," LaShae explains, "people who tell good stories... [and] write really beautiful and interesting lyrics."
The arrangements chosen on the album lend a discreet resonance to the original songwriting, mostly remaining simple enough in texture to let LaShae's voice shine through but rich enough in subtle accents to keep the listener hooked. Invoking inventive jazz pianist Brad Mehldau's arrangement of "Still Crazy After All These Years," George Benson's soft, funky take on "Here, There, and Everywhere," and a modern Latin interpretation of Irving Berlin's "What'll I Do," LaShae and co-producer Mike Esneault weave together a diverse set of influences with the work of these iconic songwriters to create a fun, engaging backdrop for LaShae's soft and sincere declamation.
The highlight, however, may perhaps be the lone original LaShae includes on the album, "Curly Brown Hair." If Eadem Mutato Resurgo as a whole is an homage to her favorite songwriters, then "Curly Brown Hair" is a tribute to them all encapsulated into one song. Strong, figurative imagery sits on top of a minor, sparse piano line that seems to loll back and forth with a start-and-stop motion not unlike the movement of the water described in the lyrics, and this is paired with a soaring, catchy hook of a chorus that could easily have come from Joni Mitchell herself. LaShae says she is planning on including more originals on future projects, and if this song is any indication, then this is a development to be cheered, as she has definitely absorbed much from the talented songwriters she showcases on this record.
All in all, Lashae says of Eadem Mutato Resurgo that "I made it for me." Though fans of her previous, more traditional work may be taken slightly aback by the new directions taken on the record, close listens will reveal LaShae's voice as silky and engaging as ever--it just appears on a new sort of canvas, one that should win her fans from both traditional and modern jazz circles alike. But no matter what direction LaShae has taken or where she may go, be it a new musical direction or further into a burgeoning film career, one thing is for certain-- if she has a vision for something new, clouds are certainly not going to stand in her way.
Julia LaShae’s music is available in-store and also online through CDBaby.com, ITunes, and Amazon.com. You can learn more at www.myspace.com/julialashae.
Written by Parker Hobson
For Neworleansmusicians.net
but the clouds got in my way."
HEARING IT sung around her home as a child, Julia Lashae knew only these lines from Joni Mitchell's "Both Sides Now," and didn't realize there was any more to it.
"I always thought it was such a sad song," she recalls. It wasn't until Julia grew older that she finally heard the rest of the lyrics, and realized that its meaning was far less dour than she had thought as a child--instead of a wistful lament to a defeatist resignation that some things may simply be out of reach, "Both Sides Now" could actually be about breaking through those clouds that can keep us from taking risk, whatever they may be, to arrive somewhere new.
Perhaps it's fitting, then, that "Both Sides Now" opens Lashae's newest album, Eadem Mutato Resurgo. She initially broke into the New Orleans scene with Johnny and the Swingin' Demons at the height of the 1990's neo-swing craze, through raucous shows at the both-now-defunct Whirlaway Lounge and SwingTown on Bourbon Street. In 2003, however, seeking something new, LaShae set off on her own to release her first solo album, Introducing..., her take on a set of traditional jazz standards and arrangements. She quickly made a name for herself as a smooth, engaging jazz vocalist, performing heavily around town in the album's wake. Fans of Introducing... and the more standard tunes LaShae has performed for years in New Orleans may find her latest record a bit surprising, however.
Eadem Mutato Resurgo is a rich collection of both songs and stories that does include a couple standards ("Old Devil Moon," "Scotch and Soda"), but places them in context with the work of such diverse songwriters as Joni Mitchell, Tom Waits, Paul Simon, Irving Berlin, Paul McCartney, and Noel Gallagher (remember the last time they all went out for a beer together?), as well as LaShae herself, who includes an original ("Curly Brown Hair") on record for the first time.
Known already for her rich vocal work, LaShae wanted to showcase an often overlooked dimension of songs performed in the jazz world: the lyrics themselves.
"I wanted to pay tribute to my favorite songwriters," LaShae explains, "people who tell good stories... [and] write really beautiful and interesting lyrics."
The arrangements chosen on the album lend a discreet resonance to the original songwriting, mostly remaining simple enough in texture to let LaShae's voice shine through but rich enough in subtle accents to keep the listener hooked. Invoking inventive jazz pianist Brad Mehldau's arrangement of "Still Crazy After All These Years," George Benson's soft, funky take on "Here, There, and Everywhere," and a modern Latin interpretation of Irving Berlin's "What'll I Do," LaShae and co-producer Mike Esneault weave together a diverse set of influences with the work of these iconic songwriters to create a fun, engaging backdrop for LaShae's soft and sincere declamation.
The highlight, however, may perhaps be the lone original LaShae includes on the album, "Curly Brown Hair." If Eadem Mutato Resurgo as a whole is an homage to her favorite songwriters, then "Curly Brown Hair" is a tribute to them all encapsulated into one song. Strong, figurative imagery sits on top of a minor, sparse piano line that seems to loll back and forth with a start-and-stop motion not unlike the movement of the water described in the lyrics, and this is paired with a soaring, catchy hook of a chorus that could easily have come from Joni Mitchell herself. LaShae says she is planning on including more originals on future projects, and if this song is any indication, then this is a development to be cheered, as she has definitely absorbed much from the talented songwriters she showcases on this record.
All in all, Lashae says of Eadem Mutato Resurgo that "I made it for me." Though fans of her previous, more traditional work may be taken slightly aback by the new directions taken on the record, close listens will reveal LaShae's voice as silky and engaging as ever--it just appears on a new sort of canvas, one that should win her fans from both traditional and modern jazz circles alike. But no matter what direction LaShae has taken or where she may go, be it a new musical direction or further into a burgeoning film career, one thing is for certain-- if she has a vision for something new, clouds are certainly not going to stand in her way.
Julia LaShae’s music is available in-store and also online through CDBaby.com, ITunes, and Amazon.com. You can learn more at www.myspace.com/julialashae.
Written by Parker Hobson
For Neworleansmusicians.net
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