Living in the USA:
"I'm affected by my surroundings. Living throughout the year in New York City it's different in the U.S. because A) there's a much larger population and B) there's less social services so you see the people really struggle. It's just much different, and with people losing their jobs in the current economy, you feel it, especially in the U.S. It's just a worrisome time so I think to create music that people enjoy and will uplift their spirits is really important. Jazz in its heyday was joyous music that made you want to dance. Ultimately when I perform I try to create this joyous music."
Putting the puzzle together:
"At that time I was making Second Side I was really influenced by Milton Nascimento who is Brazilian pop but not pop as in Top Forty - beautiful songs with harmonies and rhythms different from what we hear in the American Songbook. That discovery was incredible and now living in New York I've just fallen in love with the albums I grew up listening to like Oscar Peterson and Jackie McLean. It's just such feelgood music - Gratitude is definitely going back to my jazz roots. I've been singing a lot more. Composing lyrics is almost like piecing together a puzzle of words - it's similar to jazz in that when you're improvising you are trying to fit the perfect note within the framework."
Brandi Disterheft just completed a video of the opening track on Second Side, "Sketches of Belief." Go to www.youtube.com/ watch?v=-EyKk0r9b7U to see the finished work.
