Quick Q and A with Heather Maloney
 by Kathy S-B  ·  15 October 2011

I first became aware of Heather Maloney a year or maybe two ago when I heard she was playing some cool gigs in western MA. I listened. I paid attention. I knew she was someone who I’d like to check in on in the future. I tucked the information away as I often do . . . and then felt validated when I heard a song by her on WUMB. Yes, I thought! That’s the woman I’ve know about for a while. I had just booked the Parkington Sisters and knew that it would be a match made in heaven. I know you’ll agree.

Heather is a unique voice. She’s someone you need to get to know. Trust me. To learn more about Heather, check out her website. And here’s a video of Heather doing her thing. Enjoy!

You’re a classically trained vocalist. Tell us how you went from opera to jazz and then to the style you have now?

I didn’t really go from classical to jazz, those interests overlapped, though my formal studies started first in classical singing. I felt at the time that the two styles were complementary; classical training being very specific in understanding the mechanics of the voice and a practice rooted in tried and true methods, while the jazz workshops were almost opposite of anything tried and true because the object there was to be as present and spontaneous as possible. I loved both studies, but I realized at some point in time that I wanted to find myself somewhere in between the old and new.

I also understand that you studied “classical Indian” music. How does that differ from traditional classical music and traditional jazz vocalization?

The difference in classical Indian music that most drew me to it was its deep connection to spirituality. The very way it works is like a map of the universe. The drone (a chord played by a resonant instrument called the tanpora) is the Om, the underlying constant that holds everything that happens within it. You forget about it as the song goes on. And so the drone is going on while the melodies and rhythms are coming in and out and being played and improvised. And those comings and goings are like moods, thoughts, encounters, situations, stories . . . life! And you go through all of the ups and downs and when it all calms down and blows over, there is the Om again . . . it had been there all along! I love it.

One fascinating thing about your biography — you’ve spent time in silent meditation. What’s that like for someone who is so used to opening her mouth and singing? Did you sing within your mind? What’s the longest you have gone without speaking?

It was exactly what I needed to do at the time. When I decided to leave my studies I was looking for what was most important to me. I needed to get in touch with my deepest intentions and perspectives. I felt that once I was really rooted in those things everything would become clear and I would know how to live my life to the best of my ability. I didn’t really think I would circle back around to music.

I guess it does seem a bit ironic for a singer to go into silence. The funny thing is… going into silence is what ultimately inspired me to sing again. The most honest and vibrant works of art that I have made were born out of tender and solitary moments of silence. What would sound be without silence anyway? It’s a necessary and under-appreciated ingredient. And sitting for a week in silent retreat can clear the mind in a way that makes you extra aware of the gems (melodies, images, words) that come so that you can scoop them up and share them.

I once read that Bach said that he did his best composing when he first awoke in the morning, when his mind was still and gentle and wouldn’t be as likely to chase down and “squash” the little delicate melodies that crept in at those early hours. I think he is talking about the same kind of quiet.

The longest I have gone without speaking is 10 days.

How would you compare your two CDs. Were they made in similar ways? Are the songs thematically related?

My debut (Cozy Razor’s Edge) was actually the first batch of songs I had ever written, and they were recorded shortly thereafter! The fashion in which they were recorded was also sort of whirlwind-ish: five 13-hour days, boom. It definitely has a live feel to it, and that worked for those songs as they are rather poppy and straight-forward.

The new album (Time & Pocket Change) is more carefully crafted and intricate, and was recorded over 8 months in sessions that happened 1–3 times a week, with lots of space in and out of the studio for ideas to sprout up and get molded into a more detailed and polished piece of work. The songwriting is also perhaps more playful and experimental.

I guess you could say that the songs on both albums are thematically related. They are both sort of era albums, Cozy Razor’s Edge representing the leap into full time life as an artist, and Time & Pocket Change being the first year of that new lifestyle, in all of the hope, hard work, sacrifice, adventure and gratification that defines it.

Do you have any musical dreams that you’d like to happen in the not-too-distant future? (Hey, putting it out there might help make it come true!)

I hope to stay on the road for the whole year next year. It’s become clear (especially now as I just return from 6 weeks on the road) that touring is the most powerful way to connect with people. Even though social media is an amazing way to connect, it will never beat the real thing. Live is always better, more of an impact, more touching and more fulfilling. Really, I have fallen in love with touring over the past 2 years. So I want to make it my priority to get out there.

Quick Q and A with Seth Glier, Sept. 2011
 by Kathy S-B  ·  8 October 2011

Seth Glier is a young man with a huge talent. One critic says that Seth is channeling Billy Joel. There’s something to be said regarding that statement. As Seth states in this interview, Billy was not originally one of his early influences, but he’s definitely become one now. Seth’s star is rising rapidly. The me&thee is delighted to have an opportunity to present him for the fourth time on Friday, October 14.

To learn more about Seth, visit his website. Spend a couple of quality minutes with Seth and watch his video of “Walking Katie Home.”

It’s terrific news that your CD The Trouble with People has been re-released AND re-mixed and that it’s gathering you a lot of new fans! What did Kevin Killen (U2, Elvis Costello, etc.) bring to this new release?

Well the first thing that you notice is that the sound quality is much better so it’s been getting picked up by radio stations and is reaching a bit more people. I don’t really know too much about mixing and whatever it is that takes music and puts it on a CD but I know that the story comes across in the music. Space is a friend of mine.

You play both piano and guitar. Do you write your songs on both or do you gravitate toward one instrument over the other?

Yes, Guitar and Piano are very different instruments. I tend to write more rhythmically on guitar and more melodically on piano . . . but at the end of the day writing is just writing. Each of the instruments in just a tool to speak through. I don’t know enough on either instrument to go too far out but I know enough so it doesn’t get in the way when I’m writing.

Occasionally I’ll be writing a song on piano and I get stuck so I’ll pick up a guitar, and, since my musically tendencies are so different on the instruments I usually find a way around the hump.

You’ve cited Joni Mitchell, Martin Sexton, and Jeff Buckley as three of your biggest musical influences. Could you possible name one tune by each of them that resonates greatly with you?

Hmm, those are some of my big influences but I would say that during the past year my influences have changed quite a bit. I’ve started to study Cole Porter, Billy Joel, and Jackson Browne.

Joni Mitchelll’s “A Case Of You”

Billy Joel’s “She’s Always A Woman”

Jackson Browne’s “These Days”

Cole Porter’s “Everytime We Say Goodbye”

I’m enraptured by the idea of creating something that can be timeless. These are examples of songs that have lasted through my father’s generation and onto mine. I still manage to relate to the emotion and feeling of each of those songs and never think about the 30 plus year time spans.

You’ve been touring all over the country over the past couple of years. Do you have any particularly memorable experiences that you’d like to relate?

None that are appropriate for a church concert series. hahaha

One comes to mind. Last October we were playing the CBS Morning Show and were taping it live from Charlotte, NC. We drove pretty much through the night to get a sound check at 5 AM. upon making it through security, the guard pointed us down the hall and said “your green room is just to the left of the tiger.” Well, maybe I was too tired to fully understand what he was saying but sure enough there sat a real TIGER! I later found out that Animal Kingdom was opening a new park and there to promote it. I quickly performed “Gotta Get Away” and got as far away from the tiger as possible.

Quick Q and A with Liz Longley
 by Kathy S-B  ·  8 October 2011

Liz Longley is a force to be reckoned with in the singer-songwriter world. A recent graduate of Berklee College of Music, she’s been touring non-stop and wowing audiences every step of the way. She’s got an engaging stage presence and has a lot to say with both her words and music. It’s no easy feat to win first prize in the John Lennon Songwriting Contest — competing against 9,000 entries.

To learn more about Liz, check out her website. Here’s a video to whet your appetite for more music by Liz.

The list of songwriting awards keeps on growing and growing. Was the first one the sweetest?

To be recognized by any songwriting competition is very exciting but the award that has meant the most to me is the BMI John Lennon Scholarship Award. In 2010, I was in my senior year at Berklee College of Music and entered the contest on a whim. I didn’t think I stood a chance but the idea of potentially being able to pay off some school loans was enticing. After graduating, I had never heard back so I eventually put it out of my mind. Several months later, I got the call that I won. I was in total shock and couldn’t stop crying tears of joy.

Are you always working on new songs . . . in your head or on an instrument? Or do you take breaks from the songwriting process?

There are definitely times when I write more than others, but I never intentionally take breaks. Life on the road makes writing difficult at times because I’ve got to be playing an instrument to hash out a full song. Of course, then there are days when I have all the necessary ingredients except for the inspiration. I’ve learned to look at the dry spells (which could be two days or a month) as my idea gathering days. Thinking of it that way takes the pressure off the writing and reminds me that I have to live my life in order to have something to write about. After those little breaks, I come back fresher and more emotionally available to write something new. I’m in a writing phase at the moment and it’s the best feeling in the whole world. Writing a song a day makes me feel alive!

If you had some words of wisdom for a young songwriter just starting out, what would you say?

Be yourself! People can see right through the fake stuff… they just want to be entertained by someone they can relate to. Stay humble. The learning never ends and growth is always possible. Most importantly, work your butt off! . . . Oh and team up with other artists . . . none of that competitive stuff.

You’ve shared the stage with some pretty amazing musicians. Do you have any favorite moments to share?

Recently I had the honor of opening for America at The Birchmere in Virginia. At the end they invited me up to sing with them on their encore “Horse with No Name”. I grew up listening to their music so it was such a thrill to share the stage with them. They are incredibly down to earth and supportive of upcoming artists. . . . I loved that about them.

What’s this about you moving to Nashville? Do tell!

When I was in college, I would go on the yearly spring break trip to visit Nashville. I always dreamed of moving there, it was just a matter of choosing the right time. In August, I had the chance to spend a few weeks writing, recording and getting to know great musicians in Nashville. It’s a place that energizes, motivates and inspires me. I’m so excited to be moving there at the end of November. Of course, the North East will always be my home and I will be back all the time.

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