Interview with:Judy Wexler [judywex]
MUSIC
 | What do you do? What is your musical specialty? I'm a jazz vocalist, and I like to find great songs to "derange" for jazz. |
| Do you work alone or in a group? If in a group, who are the others you work with? I always work with great musicians like Jeff Colella, Alan Pasqua, Steve Hass. |
| Is there a web address where one can listen, see, or read some of your work? Thanks for asking! Please check out my music at http://www.judywexler.com and join my band page at http://www.facebook.com/judywexler.music. |
| Please list any awards, competitions, or other acknowledgments you would like to mention. Ooh, I don't like to compete... so no competitions! I've recorded three critically acclaimed CDs - Easy on the Heart (2005); Dreams & Shadows (2008), which debuted on the jazz chart at #2 (right under Pat Metheny!) and scored an NPR Weekend interview; and my latest, Under a Painted Sky (2011), which hit #8 on the US national jazz airplay chart.
I've also had wonderful opportunities singing at the Montreal Jazz Festival, Tel Aviv Jazz Festival, Dubai Jazz Festival, San Jose Jazz Festival, plus I opened for legendary Mose Allison at the Temecula Int'l Jazz Fest. I've also headlined at Birdland and Blue Note in New York plus many other great clubs. |
| Please list discography in which you have participated. Sorry, I answered that in the previous question, but here goes again:
Under a Painted Sky (2011)
Dreams & Shadows (2008)
Easy on the Heart (2005)
They can all be sampled on my website at www.judywexler.com |
| How did you begin making music? Who introduced you? My parents started me on piano lessons at age 5 and I haven't stopped making music since! My boyfriend in S.F. got me heavily into jazz a long time ago, so I married him. |
| What was your musical education? I studied piano and voice from childhood through college, and will continue my musical explorations forever. |
| When did you realise that making music could be a way of life for you? In 2005, when I released my debut CD, Easy on the Heart. The reaction to it inspired me to continue professionally. |
| What is your creative process? I sing all the time and try to find new songs to incorporate into my repertoire. I bring them to great arrangers who help me tailor the song to my style. I listen to vocalists and instrumentalists who inspire. |
| When do you have your most lucid moments, in the morning or night? Night is better for me. |
| Have you ever awoken with a melody created from your dreams? Maybe once... unfortunately, I didn't write it down and it vanished. I'm not a composer. |
| What part of your job is your least favourite? Promoting gigs -- definitely my least favorite. |
| How often do you practice? I practice hours a day every day. |
| How do you feel right before going out on stage? It depends on many factors, but I am always excited to be able to make music with great musicians. |
| List three songs that are key to your life. "Follow," recorded by the great Richie Havens
"Dreams & Shadows," (instrumentally known as Delilah), because my husband wrote the lyrics (featured on my 2nd CD) and the track was the #2 track on L.A.'s jazz station, KJAZZ, in 2008.
"Life's a Lesson" by Frank Rosolino and Ben Sidran |
| What should be done to stop piracy? I wish I knew the answer to that. It's very upsetting! |
| How do you sell yourself? What has been your experience with record companies and representatives? I have a label, but these days, as a jazz artist, it might be more worthwhile to do it all myself. |
| What other things have you done to make a living? I've managed the office of the Sundance Institute and worked as a personal assistant to the late ventriloquist Shari Lewis, among many other things. |
| What advice would you give to someone starting out in the business? Practice a lot, have a positive attitude, don't try to compete with anyone, find your own sound and style, find a way early on to teach. |
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Judy Wexler
Los Angeles
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