Elizabeth Shepherd is known as a maverick when it comes to jazz singing – someone who sings her own, original material. (Not something you can say of too many jazz vocalists.)
So it was a surprise to see that her new album, Rewind, focuses on standards. Naturally, we wondered, “why?”
Shepherd gives us the backstory in this Q&A with CBC Music’s jazz department.
Q: In the liner notes to Rewind it says the “fears and anticipation surrounding imminent motherhood” were largely the impetus to make this record. Why?
A: I needed to do something to stay busy during pregnancy and focus on something other than the gargantuan changes I was going through in order to combat the immediate fears of losing myself. I literally felt like I was disappearing to this new "state." And in realizing how disorienting those changes were, I panicked a little when thinking about the even bigger change still to come – motherhood – and how the presence of another little being who would need my constant care and attention would probably exacerbate that sense of loss of self.
Elizabeth Shepherd singing "Lonely House"
Q: How did working on this project combat those fears?
A: By starting to record this album I felt like I was doing something for myself at a time when every ounce of my energy and strength was going to doing something for someone else. It felt like a small luxury, like a gift to myself. Performing, touring, arranging and composing are all things that define the other part of who I am, outside of motherhood – as much as they are informed by my being a mother.
Q: Singing is so physical – how did being pregnant affect the music you created?
A: I had to find alternate ways of phrasing and approaching notes due to the complete lack of air towards months seven, eight and nine. I found myself chopping phrases, as my body changed daily, I had to be clever in the moment in order to figure out a way to deliver a line and split it in a place that would make sense. Eventually, I had to sit on the edge of the piano bench to be able to maximize my air intake – even then, I came up short.
Elizabeth Shepherd singing "Love For Sale"
Q: I think it’s safe to say you’re best known for your cool original songs, like Parkdale. What was it like tackling well-known jazz standards?
A: It was definitely a departure for me to stick with mostly cover tunes (I wrote the lyrics for just one of the songs). Mind you, when I first started performing, I began (like all jazz musicians) by doing cover tunes, learning as many standards as I could, imitating the greats, and then trying at all cost to not imitate the greats. So after three albums of original material, to return to covering other people's material felt like a bit of a challenge. I decided I wanted to pick songs that meant something to me along my way so far. For example, “Love for Sale” was one of the tunes that got me into jazz (Cannonball Adderly's solo on “Love for Sale” from his album Somethin’ Else still gives me goosebumps). It's such a dark song, the antithesis to a corny love song. I wanted to give it my own treatment; it's a song about hookers, the oldest paid female profession. So I wanted to try to bring out the gritty attitude in it, rather than the languid "woe is me" tone. Some of the tunes, like “Lonely House” and “Buzzard Song,” I wanted to cover because there are so few versions floating around out there in spite of them being interesting, challenging (not to mention beautiful) songs.
Elizabeth Shepherd singing "Buzzard Song"
Q: So you’re about to tour the album. What are your “fears and anticipation” surrounding that?
A: Sanna (our daughter) will be coming along for the extensive touring this spring and summer. I have no idea what to expect; I'm prepared for it to be absolutely chaotic, or a complete joy. Right now (pre-tour), I'm taking joy in the fact that I'll be offering my daughter an introduction to what a working mom who follows her passion and loves her child immensely can look like. Now as for how smooth and cool it all looks….
This interview has been condensed and edited from the original.
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