Photo Credit: Matthew Fowle
Jordannah Elizabeth is one of my favorite contemporary musicians; I picked her “Bring to the Table” as the best album of 2014.Her new album, “A Rush” is going is streaming on Bitch now; Jordannah let me interview her about it.
Noah: Your last album, “Bring to the Table” was mostly in a folk music vein, but there are a couple of tracks here — “A Rush” and “14 Minus 13” — that seem almost like left-field R&B pop, like FKA Twigs perhaps. Why did you decide to move in that direction? Was it listening to different music, working with different collaborators…?
Well, Bring to the Table was a clean folk album because my drummer missed his airplane from Baltimore to the studio in San Francisco. He was the ace up my sleeve that was going to bring a unique spin to the sound of the music. I rejected Bring to the Table for several months because it was a really structured album. I put it out because I had an open night at El Rio in San Francisco, and I thought, “Well, why not throw an album release party?” With that said, for Bring to the Table, I was inspired by a Bob Dylan – Lightenin’ Hopkins and Etta James vibe…so that came across in the sound.
Breck Brunson and Steve Kille [producers on the new album] appeal to different aspects of my musical persona. Breck is an experimentalist. He’s a beat maker and a visual artist. With him, I wanted to do some experimental trip hop stuff. I love Massive Attack, Portishead, Shabazz Palaces and FKA Twigs. In fact, I discovered FKA in Breck’s kitchen…so yes, that stuff was an influence, but I really just sat in Breck’s studio and let his work inspire me. Some of those beats are several years old, so “14 Minus 13” and his remix for “A Rush” are strictly him. You have to ask him who his personal influences are.
Steve did the live studio songs. His goal was to capture me in my true element. He wanted a raw live look at my songwriting skills. I didn’t record the original version of “A Rush” until I sat with Steve because I knew I could just sit down, have some whiskey and let myself just exist and play. I think Steve understands people in a way a lot of people don’t. He’s empathetic and patient. Baltimore came out because I’d been itching to rerecord a demo version I did. We had some time, do he encouraged me to just sit down and freestyle the a folk cover of the track. Breck and Steve lived in DC and I am from Baltimore, so we all had that bond as well.
“A Prayer for Black America” has a lot of gospel touches, it seems like. I was curious if you had sung in church?
Breck made the music for “A Prayer”. But yes, my father has been a preacher for 35 years. I grew up in the Baptist church. I went to church often until I was about 15 years old. I sang in choirs all through grade school and in college. I am classically trained, so I sang classical church cannons for my education along with traditional black gospel music in church. I love gospel music. I love African American spirituals… I also love Ave Maria. It is all a part of me.
I was very broken and saddened by the Travyon Martin and Mike Brown killings. As a journalist, I made the choice not to make a statement through writing. Writing is what I do, but I felt a facebook post, a short message, or a letter was not enough. I am a spiritual person, a sister of three brothers, a daughter and a Black woman before I am a writer.
I wrote this song as an intrinsic message of comfort to my community. I am praying for us all. -When I saing “Hold us down…” in the song, I mean “hold down our fort.” When someone in the Black community says “I’m holdin’ it down” it means “I have things under control.” “Keep us clean, keep us lean” is 70s jive talk (old school Black slang). To be clean and lean, means you look together and healthy. Our language- it bonds us.
There are a number of live solos at the end of the album — you usually perform live is that right? But you collaborate in the studio? Do you have a preference? Or what do you enjoy about performing solo vs. working with other folks, and vice versa?
Well, the live solo songs are live studio recordings. Steve Kille produced them. I think it is important having a good producer whether you are singing over their beats or if you’re in their booth alone, with just you and your guitar.
I play solo shows, yes, but I am never completely alone when I’m making an album. It takes a village to do anything. I’m never alone in the room when I am playing a solo show either. Music is collaborative even if it just means vibrations are hitting ear drums… it takes at least two for it to exist.
I know you’ve said you’re planning on giving up your music career after this album. What’s led you to decide to stop? And are you going to stop all together? Recording, playing live, playing on your own — the whole thing?
I got really sick, and I was scared when I said I was going to stop. I am getting better now. I don’t think I am going to stop. What I meant was that I want these album to really sink into people’s hearts. Bring to the Table started picking up momentum months after I recorded and released it. I’m realizing that I should let these two albums exist. Now, I got through this sophomore indie album (A Rush). I will promote it and play some shows, but yeah, I want to slow down. I want to travel for pleasure. I also have a journalism and writing career that I enjoy and a personal life that needs tending to.
When I put out an album, no matter how many people I have on my team, on my side, in my band, it all ultimately falls on me. I pay everyone and for everything out of my pocket. Indiegogo takes care of maybe 20% of my expenses (thanks to my kind contributors. I love you!) I’d like to put my money into a savings account.
I have had a couple of major illnesses during this process as well. I lost a loved member of my family, lovers left, friends got weird and doing a press tour and working full time is just hard. I am human…
But you know, if a label were to pick me up and help me with the work load, I’d make another record sooner than later. It’s just intense being 100% indie. I’m blessed to be able to do it and do it well, but I think it’s time I have management and a label to support my work load.