| December 2000 SoundStage! Talks with Lisa Lauren
SoundStage!: On your first release, What Comes Around (1998 [Planet Jazz Records 643287]), your focus was mainly on your musical interpretation of some very well-known pop songs, including a half-dozen Beatles' tunes. How does your new project, My Own Twist, differ from your last CD? Lisa Lauren: A lot of people expressed interest in hearing more originals. I was inspired by that and went ahead and wrote eight songs for this record. Not to disappoint any fans who liked the '60s covers, there’s also "Here Comes the Sun" and "Sweet Seasons," one of my all-time favorite Carole King tunes. There’s definitely more guitar influence, a choice I made intentionally because I love guitar (and wish I played it!) and I love Fareed’s playing. I think there’s also more "edge" this time, and I’ve veered more into pop territory, less into jazz. SS!: Can you update us on the status of the new release? LL: Still looking for a label to release it and may just have to go the way of Ani DiFranco and do it myself. She is a wonderful example of independence in the music industry. My Own Twist is already getting airplay in Australia, so I know the response would be great once it can be heard. In the meantime, I’m releasing a Christmas CD single that should get my name -- and music -- back into circulation, and maybe just give me the buzz I need. SS!: What is it that inspires Lisa Lauren creatively? LL: Like most songwriters, I’m always jotting down ideas no matter where I am -- in the dentist’s office, in the car (not recommended), when I go hear other musicians. Often a certain drum groove will catch my ear, and I’ll write around that groove, sifting through all my unfinished songs for one that will fit the feel. Some songs come quickly, and some I write and REwrite for months. I’m a very positive person and a lot of my original songs convey that (hopefully) without getting too sappy. (I also have a melancholy side that I’m saving for another record.) I find inspiration most from life around me -- the choices I’ve made and still make, the people that surround me and what makes them interesting, what it means to be a woman and a mother and a struggling artist. SS!: What keeps you so positive? LL: What else is there? As my manager always says to me, "You've gone too far out in the water to come back now." I have no choice but to keep moving (or swimming or what sometimes feels like dog-paddling) forward. I always use my David Sanborn story as a perfect example of combining positive thinking and risk-taking. A big Sanborn fan, I got the idea of having him play on a tune for my CD, after one of my band members said that a lot of musicians do recording sessions all the time and we just never hear about it. Of course when I mentioned David Sanborn, he said, "well, maybe not someone THAT big!" But I remained unfazed. SS!: As SoundStage! is dedicated to writing about the performance of audio equipment, many of our readers are fanatical about sound quality. The source of the music signal is arguably the most important part of musical reproduction. What do you attribute the exceptional sound quality on What Comes Around to? LL: I’d have to thank Scott Steinman, my engineer and co-producer. He is not only passionately meticulous about the way everything is recorded, but he is equally meticulous about the way it is mixed. He re-mixed many tunes on his own time, determined to get them to be what he considered perfect. I can’t help but think his affection for the project (who can deny the quality of Beatles’ tunes?) and our longtime friendship made a difference, though he really is a perfectionist in every project he takes on. Perhaps you’d like to ask him yourself -- I’m sure he’d love to tell you! (not being a "gizhead" myself, I’m afraid the technical aspects get lost on me). SS!: Can you compare the experience of performing live versus being in the studio? LL: Live, there is the undeniable high of hearing people appreciate your music, which doesn’t quite compare to one person on the other side of the glass in the control room going, "Nice take." Yet, there’s something so very special about the creation process in the studio that’s like no other experience. There’s always that element of surprise that can be thrilling. There’s a certain power involved in being able to play it back over and over again and make changes if you want -- something that a live setting can’t offer. Often, I’ve recorded songs without ever having performed them live and I wasn’t quite sure how they would come out. "It Sucks To Be You" was one experience that startled -- and then delighted everyone involved. SS!: You've been able to work with some very talented musicians, such as acclaimed guitarist Fareed Haque, and Grammy Award-winning saxophonist David Sanborn. Would you mind sharing a few thoughts on the collaboration between yourself and the other musicians you worked with on My Own Twist? LL: Getting back to "It Sucks To Be You"-- that was one song that started with my melody, lyrics and a chord chart. I just came in the studio, sat at the piano and sang and played it for the rest of the band. You could almost see their creative juices flowing as they picked up their instruments and began to play the song. I have to credit Fareed for coming up with the vibe on that track that just overflows with creativity and freshness. This time around I had more of a "band feel" since I had been working more regularly with the main rhythm section, which made it both a comfortable and casual working environment. Doing more original music was fun and probably a bit more satisfying than the cover tunes, and once again Fareed came through with his wealth of ideas. SS!: What has been your most fulfilling musical experience to date? LL: Well, David Sanborn has got to be the most exciting , although since he was overdubbing his part and we weren’t actually playing together, that doesn’t count! I’d have to say the recording of "Dear Prudence" because it changed my whole outlook on what I was capable of accomplishing as a recording artist. I had been using a lot of different brilliant soloists on the CD, Howard Levy (harmonica), Jim Gailloreto (soprano sax), Chris Miller (viola), Richie Fudoli (alto flute), Steve Eisen (tenor sax), and David Sanborn (alto sax) and I wanted to have a guitar soloist as well. My percussionist suggested Fareed Haque and though I had met him only briefly, I had heard a lot about his wealth of talent and experience. I had played "Dear Prudence" hundreds of times without guitar and thought I had the arrangement down pretty solidly. But Fareed came in and the sparks started flying. I had never seen so much creative energy bursting out of one person - and subsequently recorded onto the tracks. My bass player was a bit miffed by all the changes Fareed was making but I, on the other hand, was mesmerized by the transformation of the song that was taking place. As I drove home I could barely contain myself because I was so excited about what had transpired musically. That song remains one of my favorite songs to play live, especially since Fareed is now in my band! SS!: Thanks for talking with us Lisa. I, for one, certainly hope that a major record deal is forthcoming (note to all record executives: hint, hint). Scott Steinman, engineer/producer, on What Comes Around and Lisa Lauren: The reason What Comes Around sounds good is because the songs and arrangements are good, the playing is good, and the singing is good. Lisa had a strong vision for the record. Although recording classic (and yet to be classic original) pop tunes, Lisa chose to work with accomplished jazz musicians, players with great ability, sensibility, and personality, not to mention great sounding instruments. Always a good start for a recording. That being the case, my job is pretty easy in that I try not to interfere. Since everyone is sounding good in the beginning, I get good mics out there carefully placed, lots of Neumanns and AKGs but not exclusively. I favor stereo miking to retain accurate imaging in the recording. For example, I used a pair of Neumann KM-86s set up as a Blumlein pair, crossed bi-dis, for Drum overheads and an X-Y or ORTF pair on piano. I'll run the mics right into the recorder after the mic-pres often without a console channel and avoid any electronics not being used. I recorded to a Sony 3324A Dash recorder which sounds superb. It has an exceptional audio path. Though the recording was made to digital, aside from the recorder things are mostly analog. We recorded and mixed on Studiomedia's Trident Series 80B console. They've done well in the spirit of the old Trident studios in England to modify, modernize, and upgrade the desk while retaining its personality. It’s very musical sounding. I worked a bit of vintage tube sound into the mix using some Pultec EQs and an old LA2A limiter for example. I like the blend of working with nice analog gear and digital storage though it can be tricky because that vintage stuff isn't as quiet as newer gear and needs to be in good repair. Overall I try to let the music mix itself. I balance the tracks so that they deliver the original dynamics of the performance as much as possible. Again I do as little as possible only adding electronics and processing as necessary to build on the vibe and cohesiveness of the music. For example, I'll hand ride the vocal rather than squash it. This way the vocal sounds natural and better in general. But the true reason the record sounds good is that Lisa is an exceptional artist. She's an accomplished singer and player who brings a lot to the table with original songs that are quite inspired and covers, especially the treatments on Beetles' tunes, that are both fresh and unique, all while keeping the essence of the songs intact. Lastly, I love working with Lisa and I'm proud of what we did on What Comes Around, her debut CD. (See, I know it’s a CD but I still like to call them records). ...Bruce Bassett GO BACK TO: |
Lisa Lauren is
a pianist, singer and songwriter residing in Chicago, and her music can be heard on radio
stations around the world. Her first CD, What Comes Around, featuring David
Sanborn, was released independently, and after an unprecedented show of radio airplay for
a non-major-label artist, Lisa was subsequently picked up by Miramar Recordings.
She’s now looking for a new label for her follow-up CD and in the meantime has
released a Christmas CD single, "Christmas Wish." For more info, see Lisa’s