Brandi Disterheft, Vancouver FanClub, 1050 Granville Street, 604-6897720, Sunday, Nov. 11 at 8 p.m. Tickets $18/$15.
Juno-winning jazz musician Brandi Disterheft, born and raised in North Vancouver, performs tracks from her new album Gratitude at Vancouver FanClub on Sunday night. She spoke to the North Shore News about the new songs she's playing on her current Western Canadian tour.
North Shore News: We last talked to you just after you'd finished recording your new album Gratitude at the beginning of the year. How's everything been going in New York?
Brandi Disterheft: It's been amazing. We're on a three-week tour right now across Western Canada and we finish up at the Lincoln Centre at Dizzy's. I'm still playing a lot in New York City. I'm playing in Vincent Herring's band and I think we're going to Europe in the new year so it looks like it's going to be a really great year.
North Shore News: What are some of your favourite places to play in New York?
Brandi Disterheft: I would have to say the Lincolin Center. My band also plays regularly at the Fat Cat. There's so many clubs to play at but as a leader I would say the Lincoln Center.
North Shore News: Gratitude officially came out in September. How's the reaction been?
Brandi Disterheft: It's been wonderful. Before recording I was thinking about what kind of album I wanted to make this time because the last one was a little more of a crossover with the Brazilian pop influences. When I go home I still put on those old '50s and '60s Blue Note records, like the uplifting swinging jazz of Oscar Peterson and Jackie McLean and so for this album we went for the roots of what I grew up listening to.
North Shore News: How'd you go about choosing the musicians on the record? Do you play with them regularly?
Brandi Disterheft: Yes I'm in Vincent Herring's band as I mentioned. And Gregory Hutchinson he's a machine on the drums. It's always been a dream of mine to record with him. Renee (Rosnes), of course, is from Handsworth secondary. I grew up listening to her so it was wonderful to record with her. She has that beautiful light touch and she swings really hard so she was just perfect for the whole concept. Sean Jones is a great trumpet player - he played in Wynton Marsalis' orchestra for many years. I met him at a summer band camp. He can play anything on the trumpet. And we have Anne Drummond on flute she's one of my closest friends. She's performed with Kenny Barron She's got a new record with Benny Green. That's the cool thing about being in New York you get to play with all these legends. That's the whole purpose of going down there. She's an incredible composer and player. I'm looking forward to that album I've heard some of the mixes already and she's asked me to sing on one song too. It's not coming out until next year. She's still working on it - it's been recorded and she's in the postproduction phase.
North Shore News: Considering the traditional setup could Gratitude have been made in, say, 1958?
Brandi Disterheft: Absolutely. That's what I was going for - that traditional joyful sound but something that still applies to today and still has a modern relevance.
North Shore News: You open with "Blues for Nelson Mandela" in a trio setting with you, Rosnes and Hutchinson. How did that tune come about?
Brandi Disterheft: I had a love affair with Nelson Mandela when I was reading his book. He's an incredible man. The thing that really resonates with me was his perseverance even when they locked him up in jail for more than 30 years. He just kept moving forward.
North Shore News: You really bring in the horns on the next two tracks "Gratitude" and "Mizmahta"
Brandi Disterheft: "Gratitude" was written for my cousin, David Jahns. It has more of an Ellington-style arrangement with just the horns and no comping instruments and "Mizmahta" is Renee's tune that she brought in.
North Shore News: The next song is the first vocal track "But Beautiful." What sort of vocalists have influenced you?
Brandi Disterheft: My aunt in Los Angeles, Angie Jaree. She's recorded with Sergio Mendes. She's really been a mentor to me and I studied with her out in L.A. I love her sound. She has some of the same qualities as Nancy Wilson. It's a really unique sound. I also love the old classic singers with a little of the blues influence such as Dinah Washington and Helen Humes. Helen Humes wails when she sings, it's very soulful.
North Shore News: You wrote and sing an original composition in French "Le Regarder La Recontrer Encore." Fantastic track.
Brandi Disterheft: Thank you. I love singing in French because I don't have to be bashful I assume because half the people don't understand what I'm singing. It's very freeing. At one point I'm saying, "My whole body shivers of love bring me another blanket." It's just about unrequited love basically pleading for someone to trust that our love will persevere.
North Shore News: Is it like being in character when you sing in French?
Brandi Disterheft: Absolutely it's like a persona. Even the vowels are easier to sing.
North Shore News: "Portrait of Duke" is another trio setting with Jones in on trumpet
Brandi Disterheft: I was influenced by Ellington's album New Orleans Suite where he does portraits so I thought I would write my own portrait of Duke Ellington. I respect his music and I'm always playing it at home. It's a really fast track with the bassist as the lead melody.
North Shore News: What's the inspiration for "Open?"
Brandi Disterheft: The world seems to be changing in my lifetime and we need to be open-minded to the changes that are going on and not have tunnel vision and be open to how we can adjust. That's where "Open" came from. It has a real energy to it.
North Shore News: You close with a bass solo on "The Man I Love" and then go into "Compared to What."
Brandi Disterheft: "Compared to What" is a political song that still applies to today. I adjusted the lyrics a little bit to what I see going on around me especially in the United States "The President, he's got his war, Folks don't know just what it's for." That still applies to today.
North Shore News: How's the tour going?
Brandi Disterheft: We just had our first show with our pianist Dan Kaufman. I left New York early to avoid (Superstorm Sandy). He got caught up in the storm but luckily he came in last night. It's a real treat to play with him. He can play all the modern and also all the old school Art Tatum-influenced joyful sound. And we've got Morgan Childs on drums. He's also originally from Vancouver. Morgan's one of my favourite drummers - he swings so hard. He's a close friend. It's going to be an awesome tour.
