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The life and opinions of Faye Patton, Nu Jazz diva

Written by Federica Nardella
Thursday, 05 March 2009 00:00

Chameleon Faye Patton is back, stripped down and raw. A sound-pirate and mood-wanderer, her music map knows no borders, as her third work Going Solo confirms. The musical journey she embarked on as a child led her to an acoustic island where the silence between the notes proves more eloquent than a sound storm, and where solitude, loss and redemption are equally cursed and woven hymns to. The following interview unveils Patton’s thoughts about the record industry, the current state of music and the risks and necessity of doing it on your own.

FN: When did music enter your life?

 

FP: I was musical as a child, always writing my own tunes and songs; I even won a local radio competition by writing and performing with school friends a doo wop Ronettes-style Christmas carol. Then I was Tallulah in the school production of Bugsy Malone. I made the best of what was around and was encouraged to do so. I had some classical piano tuition for about two years, which I was lucky to have, but I found the music itself stifling and just wanted to write TV theme tunes and my own pieces. It was only when I moved to London 20 years later and was taught by Gospel musicians in government subsidised community music courses that I fell back in love with keyboards again, and learned to sing a bit better. I started learning classical guitar pieces from my Dad as a teenager and, in my late 20s, I decided to pursue guitar exams up to grade 8 and was in a much better position to integrate this into my emerging project as a singer-songwriter.

FN: How would you define your work?

FP: Singer-songwriterly Nu Jazz. I did a gig with UK jazz artist Juliet Kelly and she billed it as Nu Jazz Divas. Ever since, I’ve called myself Nu Jazz. Obviously there are individual songs that lean towards blues, or ballad, or even pop/rock. It’s my nature to straddle boundaries. There’s an androgynous quality to what I do which I’m unaware of, until audience members comment on it.

FN: Do you think then that open-mindedness is an important quality for a musician?

FP: Artists generally do have painfully open minds. I could put your words backwards and say that I think music is an important quality for those with too much open mindedness. Music to me is music; it can be well done or badly done, but it’s just music – there’s no genre that I don’t listen to, so long as it’s a quality example of that genre.

FN: What were you listening to during the writing of your last album, Going Solo?

FP: I remember this well. John Legend’s Get Lifted, Maria Juao, Dianne Reeves’ The Calling, Beverley Knight, Dee Dee Bridgewater’s Horace Silver album and in fact all her CDs. Also, Rachelle Ferrell’s First Instrument and Individuality. Near to the recording stage, Norah Jones, Tori Amos, Rickie Lee Jones and Joni Mitchell. The last three especially are masters of creating that expansive sense of landscape and poetry in the mind, the evocation of a story often using just acoustic means.

FN: Your latest release features only your voice and piano. What are the risks of “going solo”?

FP: The risks are that the CD doesn’t convey the whole band’s sound so, in some ways, it’s not the best album to send to Jazz festivals. Also, I am very exposed as a pianist and vocalist. Some people might think it’s an ego statement, or that I’ve sacked my musicians. The advantages mean self-containment, self-sufficiency, not having to rely on others, simple, efficient, quicker and cheaper. Also people can really hear the essence of the track and some fans prefer it; it’s stripped, it’s raw and bold.

FN: Why such a choice?

FP: The solo/acoustic, piano/voice content was not my choice; I ran out of money. People assume I’ve chosen to be this independent as an artist. The fact is, I’m still waiting for the industry to return my calls. However, I’m very choosy, very individual, not prepared to compromise, certainly not prepared to hand over creative control of my music or appearance or to lie about my sexual orientation, my feminism or anything else. If these things put me in the wilderness, so be it, but the choices are often made by others, not me.

FN: What is the state of music today, in your opinion?

FP: There’s a wealth of great music across all genres and myriad, unprecedented ways to listen to it. The state of the music industry varies from country to country, but is mostly directed by America. But then, there is a whole category of so called “world music” containing every genre, language and culture imaginable, from roots to Samba, folk, hip hop, sega, blues and tango. It’s all out there; you just won’t see it on MTV.

FN: “Self-managed, self-promoting and self-funded.” Do you think it is possible to establish oneself without the aid of record companies?

FP: Yes, it’s possible - more than ever - but there comes a point where it’s money and the mass media that we all need access to. MySpace alone does not do it. Artists need massive, blanket publicity across media, representation in retail environments and TV coverage and, maybe most importantly of all, a team of people to do that stuff for us while we play and practise music.

FN: How do you think internet and technology changed the audience/musician relationship?

FP: All kinds of ways. Music can be broadcasted live on webcam, digital downloads mean fans have a whole new way of purchasing and listening to tracks and obviously e-mail and texts, websites, Myspace and Facebook make it easier to contact potential fans directly.

FN: Do they make it easier for independent artists to survive outside the music business?

FP: Yes, in many ways. It’s very handy these days to be able to ring up a festival, or venue booker, in person and direct them to my website, chatting to them on the phone while they check out my music. It cuts down on the traditional sending of a demo which, in most cases, is not listened to.

FN: Which, in your opinion, are the most interesting contemporary artists?

FP: Ayanna Witter Johnson, Xfile, Lazy Hammock; these are just some of the artists I know personally. Also, Hiromi Uehera, Rachelle Ferrell, Diamanda Galas, Meshell Ndegecello, Ms Dynamite, Estelle, Bjork, Richard Bona. You can go to any open mic night in London right now and you will see talented, unique musicians far more interesting that what’s being seen on TV. Or go to any church where gospel music is being sung, you will see young singers, kids even, whose voices are the match of anything on X Factor.

FN: Which do you think is the most exciting music scene in Europe nowadays?

FP: I don’t really do “scenes”. I prefer the concept of community. Scenes are about fashion, especially among the young, about herd mentality. We shouldn’t let other people dictate our tastes. In Germany, there are burgeoning gay/lesbian/trans and anarchist communities who make their own culture with spoken word, karaoke, drag and “Vogue”. In Paris, there are many North African influences, including L’Orchestra de Berbers, Angelique Kidjo, from Benin, whose music is soca, totally unique to her. And while we’re in Paris, let’s remember recently revived Grace Jones, supreme auteur and pioneer. This is the most exciting thing – the endless variety. When I am funded to travel and tour, I will be able to report more of my findings, including many of the numerous live music festivals that happen in Europe and, indeed, globally. I believe that’s what will survive in the future – live music.

Check out Faye Patton's website: http://fayepatton.com/