Jazz Monthly.com Interview with Diane Schuur

“Jazz Monthly Feature Interview” Diane Schuur

Smitty: It gives me the greatest of pleasure to welcome one of the terrific singers of our time to JazzMonthly.com. She has a voice that glistens the spirit and warms the heart. She has a great new record out. It is called Some Other Time. I must say you must pick up this record because it is one of the best I’ve seen and heard, and I really think that this is gonna be one of the best albums of the year. Please welcome Heads Up recording artist, the incredible and amazing Ms. Diane Schuur. Diane, how are you, my friend?

Diane Schuur (DS): Hi, Smitty. How’s it going? And you can call me Deedles.

Smitty: I was gonna ask that question. (Both laugh.) Oh, great. Deedles, it is so great to talk with you. Oh, and I am so excited about this new record. It is called Some Other Time and I must say I cannot put this album down.

DS: (Laughs.)

Smitty: There are so many memories, blessings, experiences. Each song is an experience in itself. I just love it.

DS: Good. Oh, I had so much fun doing the project, man. We did it in Orange County, California, and what was so cool about this is I was able to go back home to what I call the Deedle/Rocket Pad ‘cause Rocket’s my husband, you know.

Smitty: Yes.

DS: I was able to, for those of you who are cat fanciers, I was able to cuddle up with the puss-pusses every night after doing a long session during the day, so that was really cool.

Smitty: Yes. I know that you’re a great fan of Dinah Washington—

DS: Yeah.

Smitty: --and you have so much history of listening to her music at a very young age. Talk about what first grabbed you about her music when you heard her.

DS: For me it was so unique in that you could—every single word that she uttered was crystal clear and enunciated so well and, of course, her style was so buoyant and with enthusiasm. Even the blues that she sang….‘cause there’s different styles, like Billie Holiday has that very sad, haunting kind of flavor. Dinah Washington did not, and there’s nothing wrong with either of the styles so it’s not a detriment at all, but Dinah’s style is just so classy and like the way that she would do “I Remember Clifford,” well, she would say “CLIF-FORD.”

Smitty: Yeah. (Both laugh.)

DS: And I just loved her, and still do love her music, and like on the song “It’s Magic,” that was taken from two different sources. Dinah Washington’s interpretation’s so wonderful and then I was able to hear Doris Day do it. Mark, my manager, Mark Silag, sent me an mp3 of “It’s Magic” by Doris Day and I was actually able to listen to that, so it’s kind of like a mix of two completely different interpretations of that tune.

Smitty: Yeah, that’s a great tune too.

DS: Thank you.

Smitty: And you just did so well with that and it just brought back so many memories.

DS: Mm-hmm.

Smitty: And your voice, it just captivates you when you hear it. It’s sort of like the way you described Dinah Washington.

DS: Yes.

Smitty: That’s how we hear you.

DS: Cool. (Laughs.)

Smitty: Now, your parents were such an influence on you at an early age.

DS: Yes.

Smitty: Talk about what that influence meant to you and how that developed during your childhood.

DS: Sure, well, we started getting stereo equipment when I was, oh, like seven or eight years old. I remember getting—the first stereo equipment that we got was a combination Thomas organ and turntable, and my mom would get different albums. She got the What A Difference A Day Makes album that Dinah Washington did.

Smitty: Yes. Powerful album.

DS: And the Unforgettable album that Dinah did and the After Hours that Sarah Vaughan did so beautifully and the In My Solitude album that Duke Ellington did so wonderfully and George Shearing, and I guess that’s just the ongoing influence of so many talented musicians that stayed with me and is staying with me up to this day.

Smitty: Sometimes I get e-mail and phone calls from people—

DS: Mm-hmm.

Smitty: --asking how they can best help their children get more involved in music and how they can get them to perhaps be more involved in their music lessons, you know, piano lessons or whatever the case may be.

DS: Mm-hmm.

Smitty: And I refer them to individuals like yourself.

DS: Oh…

Smitty: I said look at the influence that their parents made on them. I said at least if you don’t want to emulate what they did, at least take a lesson from that. Look at what influenced them at an early age.

DS: Yes.

Smitty: And then formulate a plan to help your children that way because so many great singers and musicians like yourself have told me that at a very early age, the house was filled with music. There were these great albums from Nat King Cole or Miles Davis or—

DS: Yes.

Smitty: --John Coltrane, whoever it was.

DS: Mm-hmm.

Smitty: And they never forgot those wonderful things, and I think as adults now, we go back to those things that our parents thought perhaps we were not listening to and we’re using those tools and those great memories and experiences that our parents gave us back then now to shape our lives today.

DS: I know. It’s quite wonderful and especially with my mother, who died at age 31, and I was 13 years old when she passed away, but even still, to be able to be influenced by such great music, it’s just fabulous.

Smitty: Yes.

DS: Lovin’ it, yeah.

Smitty: And you, at an early age, were just phenomenal because what you did at age 13 and in your teenage years was just incredible because I listened to “Danny Boy” and I listened to “September in the Rain” and it’s like wow! It’s like when Diane Schuur shows up for the audition, everyone else may as well go home, you know? (Both laugh.) It’s over, you know? But talk about how you first discovered this wonderful voice that you have.

DS: When I was about two years old and just barely walking and talking, although I did talk as an adult, even back then I would prattle off all the different things that would happen on news radio, like if President Eisenhower had a slight cold, I’d come out and talk about that and things. I started listening to all these wonderful artists and I would go into the closet, literally go into the closet (both laugh), after my parents had gone to bed and I would start trying to emulate the things that I’d hear. Of course, Mom and Dad would come out and tell me to shut up, but I’m glad I didn’t pay attention. (Both laugh.)

Smitty: Isn’t that amazing?

DS: Yeah, it is.

Smitty: So with all these great influences and voices, how did singing become something that you were so fond of?

DS: Just over time, the more experience that I got at it, I just kept working on it basically. And to get the rhythm sense, of course, I didn’t in those young, young days, didn’t have a set of drums, I would kinda like rock back and forth and then kind of like—I don’t know how I knew about the two and four-beat, but I knew enough to just kinda clap my hands against my chest, not on the one and three but on the two and four.

Smitty: That’s incredible.

DS: Yeah, and I’d take spoons and knives and just clap them together and just do anything that I could to make kind of like a rhythm. So that’s how that happened.

Smitty: Very cool. Talk to me about “September in the Rain” at the Holiday Inn in Tacoma, Washington, in 1964.

DS: Okay.

Smitty: That must’ve been quite an experience.

DS: Oh, it was.

Smitty: (Laughs.)

DS: That was one of the tunes I didn’t forget the lyrics on. I forgot the lyrics on another tune that I did. “Unforgettable” I forgot some of the lyrics. (Both laugh.) You can hear my mom in the background going “Oh my God,” you know?

Smitty: (Laughs.)

DS: But “September in the Rain” I’d learned from Dinah Washington’s version, which was a swing version of the tune, so I wanted to kinda emulate that version and that’s exactly what I did. There was no bass on the track, just drums and piano. Joe and Jack were their names.

Smitty: (Laughs.)

DS: I don’t remember who played drums and who played piano, but it’s so wonderful that we could preserve that.

Smitty: Yes, with the aid of new technology we get to hear that beautiful track from back then in 1964.

DS: That’s right.

Smitty: And it is just amazing. Like I said, there are so many wonderful experiences and memories on this record and that’s gotta be one of the tops. It’s just a beautiful thing and that’s not something you hear every day on an album project either.

DS: No, that’s true.

Smitty: So it’s just a beautiful thing.

DS: Thank you.

Smitty: Moving forward, how did we come to Some Other Time? I mean, we’ve listened to you over the years and I’ve noticed different transitions and when I heard this record, I said now this is the Diane Schuur, this is the Deedles that I remember a few years back, and it’s like oh yeah, I’ve been waiting for this, and I really think you’re gonna hear that a lot more of this year and as time goes on because it’s like you reached back and said “Hey, you guys, remember this?” is what it reminded me of.

DS: Yeah, I wanted to really delve into the basics of where I really came from. Because I’ve been flirting with the pop field and different stuff, and there’s really nothing wrong with that, but I wanted to let the true jazzers know that I’m still here and that I still love this beautiful American art form that we all know and love as jazz.

Smitty: Yes, and you made your point loud and clear with this great record. And speaking of that, the Irving Berlin song “Blue Skies.”

DS: Yes.

Smitty: What a track!

DS: (Laughs.)

Smitty: I mean, you know, it’s a song—the way you arranged this song and the way you sang it, it just makes your emotions stand on end. It’s just a gorgeous track.

DS: Oh yeah.

Smitty: Everyone’s gotta hear this.

DS: Oh, it’s, you know, and it could even—I don’t know if they’ll do it, but it could even be played on the smooth jazz stations, you know?

Smitty: Absolutely.

DS: When I heard the final mix of it and I was blasting it on the stereo, when it came to that long note which is in the key of C, “Blue skies from now on” and I’d hold that note and hold it and hold it and hold it.

Smitty: Yes.

DS: And it’s just like the rhythm section, my musicians, Randy Porter on piano and Dan Balmer on guitar and Reggie Jackson on drums, they were just flying. We were all just flying on that track. I just blast it every time I hear it, you know.

Smitty: Yes indeed, so do I.

DS: It’s special.

Smitty: I don’t think I’ve ever heard this kind of arrangement with this song and you guys just nailed it. I mean, it is so strong.

DS: Well, Randy Porter arranged a lot of the stuff and he just did a phenomenal job.

Smitty: Yes he did, and what a piano player. Wow! He’s incredible.

DS: Yeah. Scary, huh?

Smitty: Yeah.

DS: (Laughs.)

Smitty: He had me locked in the chair, you know?

DS: Mm-hmm.

Smitty: It’s that good. And speaking of piano players, you’re not so bad yourself, my friend.

DS: Well, thank you, dear. It’s a process. I’m glad that I can comp, you know?

Smitty: Yes indeed. You certainly can.

DS: Thank you.

Smitty: In fact, the one that I really liked was “It’s Magic.”

DS: Oh yeah.

Smitty: Yeah, and “The Good Life,” yeah.

DS: Yeah, they’re very strong.

Smitty: So now I’ve just gotta ask you about “Danny Boy.” Because I think that’s a song that so many of us identify with. And when you sing that song, I immediately go into this trance of memories of my parents, my family, and just so many things, and you got me there and I’m not leaving.

DS: Well, Mama wanted me to do it and I’m glad I could finally fulfill that promise.

Smitty: Oh, wow. How cool is that, huh?

DS: Yeah, it’s really is cool. It really is. It’s like it’s such a wonderful love song about, I guess, you know, when we make that transition how a lot of us will be reunited with friends and with loved ones.

Smitty: It’s such a beautiful song. I looked at your Web site and you have some kind of tour working this year. You’re gonna be just a workstation this year. Wow.

DS: Oh, I know, but I’ll be taking my computer with me, so I’ll be a workstation that’ll have a workstation. (Laughs.)

Smitty: Well, we’re certainly looking forward to you being out on the road because you’re gonna be across the country and I must say to everyone out there, look at Deedles’ schedule and book your show because you’re in for an amazing treat when you see this young lady on stage. It’s just gonna be a night that you’ll remember for a long, long time.

DS: Well, I just want you to know that I’m so, so grateful. I just have an attitude of gratitude.

Smitty: Oh, I like that. (Laughs.) That is so cool.

DS: It really is ultra cool.

Smitty: Well, Deedles? I want to congratulate you once again on this fantastic project. It is by far your tops and I love it and I know that fans across the country and around the world are going to embrace this great project and we certainly look forward to seeing you live out there on the road, my friend.

DS: All right! And thank you so much, Smitty, for taking the time to rap about everything.

Smitty: Yeah.

DS: I mean, it’s really been a blast.

Smitty: Yeah, same here and we must stay in touch. I have put you in my Five, my friend. (Laughs.)

DS: All right! Right on!

Smitty: All right. We have been talking with the incomparable Diane Schuur (Deedles). She has a great new record that will drop February 26th. It is called Some Other Time and I must say to you this is one of the top albums of the year, if not the top album of the year. Deedles, thank you so much and we certainly look forward to seeing you very soon and best of everything in 2008 and beyond, my friend.

DS: Thank you, dear.

Baldwin “Smitty” Smith

For More Information Visit www.dianeschuur.com and www.myspace.com/dianeschuurlive and www.headsup.com