This Rock n' Roll BlackGrrl's High Life

Gild The Black Lily — a review from Country Music People (UK)

1queenesther — Wed, 05 May 2021 13:59:25 GMT

This review appears in the May 2021 issue of Country Music People. Thank you for reading this version.

Queen Esther is now living in New York but, she is very much a woman of the South. Raised in Atlanta, her music, a mix of country, gospel, blues, and Americana, is very much rooted in the South and the history of black American music. The singer’s new album is the usual quality mix of cover versions and originals.

Queen Esther has a great passion for music as we can hear on a song like John The Revelator. This track dates back to 1930 and Blind Willie Johnson. It’s a gospel/blues call and response song and Queen Esther brings gospel fervour to the song. The minimal backing track of only a drum and a few handclaps lets the vocal blaze through the classic song.

We get the country side of Queen Esther on a remake of the old song She Thinks I Still Care which here becomes He Thinks I Still Care. The original was written by country legend Dickie Lee with Steve Duffy and almost every country singer of any importance has recorded it most notably George Jones. Queen Esther’s soulful voice is perfect for this classic song. The backing track melts into the background letting listeners concentrate on her voice. The singer also tackles the 1927 country/blues track Lonesome Road which is a perfect song for her. Her vocal merges well with the backing track which includes a neat acoustic guitar solo.

Anyone familiar with Queen Esther’s music will know she is a fine songwriter. The new album has two versions of The Whiskey Wouldn't Let Me Pray. First, we get the electric version which jogs along in a country/blues way with Queen Esther’s vocal really capturing the mood of this high-quality song. Over on the acoustic version - which ends the album - the song has a more blues feel. A superb song.

Back with the cover versions: Queen Esther sings The Eagles’ Take It To The Limit, which originally appeared on the classic album One Of These Nights. The sparkling new subdued arrangement with Queen Esther’s lonesome, powerful vocal may be the best cover version - so far. Wonderful.

Gild The Black Lily is packed with very high-quality music from the wildly underrated singer. This is the kind of album that should have a fairly broad appeal to fans of country, blues and gospel. Queen Esther has one of those great voices that demand to be heard. Her music embraces the history of black music and her soulful voice is a bit like an echo from the past embracing blues, gospel even the great Motown era. Gild The Black Lily has its roots deep in the past but seems relevant today, this is an essential buy. — Paul Wiley (4 1/2 out of 5 stars)

The Bluest Crown

1queenesther — Tue, 03 Nov 2015 16:41:37 GMT

Eternal hottie Yul Brynner in Cecil B. DeMille's The Ten Commandments, with costume design by Edith Head.

Once I assembled my Black Americana band for our maiden voyage into the European club and festival circuit this fall, I had to come up with a name. Not just any name. THE name. Tricky stuff and no easy feat: a band name is all-encompassing. It has to sum up the sound and the look and the feel of the group, all in one fell swoop. I had a black female rhythm section -- bassist Mimi Jones and drummer Shirazette Tinnin. I really wanted to get this right.

Of course, crowns were the first things to pop into my head. Initially I wanted them to be black. But why? And then I remembered an image I saw in bas relief as I drifted through the Egyptian wing at The Met. I had to sift through photos from Cecil B. DeMille's epic wonder The Ten Commandments before my persistent memory had a chance to collide with my imagination and that one persistent thought.

What I was reaching for was the khepresh, a royal ancient Egyptian headdress. Unlike costume designer Edith Head's shimmering facsimile above, it was usually made from leather and it was initially worn by New Kingdom pharoahs in battle.

Naming the band The Blue Crowns would effectively be my way of putting that khepresh on my head and readying myself for war. Make no mistake: to be black and to be a woman and to fully understand intersectionality and your place within it means that you are constantly under siege. To make art that addresses this, art that flies in the face of convention, is something of a battle cry. It is most certainly percieved of as a threat by the status quo.

Consider this: I'm a black woman, I'm from the South and I'm playing mostly original songs I describe as Black Americana -- what some call Afro Americana -- which is loaded with twang and soul. I think the term Black Americana is an oxymoron. Some people consider it to be anathema. And that's just the tip of the iceberg. Whether I'm singing in front of an inattentive audience or auditioning for a tableful of jaded casting agents, it's all a war of attrition. Thankfully, I've lived in New York City long enough to get really good at this kind of combat. I simply keep showing up and wearing them down with what can only be described as an avalanche of love. Eventually, they cave in and I win. And then, its on to the next conquest.

This music will be no different. I will literally drown anyone that is against me.

Queen Esther and The Hot Five at the 10th Annual Jazz Age Lawn Party - Saturday, August 15th

1queenesther — Sun, 09 Aug 2015 15:39:23 GMT

It's hard to believe that this little party -- with some 10,000 revelers for the first round in June -- has been going on for 10 years. Where on earth did the time go?

Yes, this is the event of the summer season. Yes, it's gobs of fun. Yes, there will be no general admission tickets sold at the door. Yes, it always sells out -- that's why everyone buys their tickets as early as possible. Yes, it's probably sold out already (and has been for weeks) but you should probably check here.

The Hot Five:
Jesse Gelber, piano
Noah Jackson, double bass
Charles Goold, drums
Alvin Walker, trombone
Seneca Black, trumpet

See you on the Island!

We invite you to toast the passage of Summer with us and celebrate 10 years of the Jazz Age Lawn Party. With less than two weeks to go, tickets are going fast, but there is still a chance to be part of the fun if you’ve been on the fence! BULLETIN! - We’ve reconfigured our layout, optimizing shady areas under trees just for picnic blankets!

Browse our newly expanded Vintage and Artisan village, including:

Carole Amper/Toucan Hats

Goorin Bros

Wildfell Hall Vintage

Grumpy Angel Designs

The Original Prohibition Clothing Company

Dave's Vintage

Zelda Magazine

Dora Marra for Headdress NY

Noble Savage Vintage

Mary Jane Lane

Dazzle Me!

Art Deco Society of New York

Penumbra

Enjoy our new and improved enclave of eats; “TASTY TOWN”; featuring*:

Café Dreamland and Lounge – (available to “Bee’s Knees” and “Bonnie and Clyde” package holders)

Coco & Co – Fresh, young coconuts!!!

Daly Pies – including: Chocolate Guinness, Honey Custard, Salty Lime, Spiced Plum, & Caramel Peach pies by the slice, and a Pie/Sundae Collaboration w/ Ice and Vice – (available to VIP ticket-holders only )

Empanada Lady – A taste of old Havana! - Vegetarian, Chicken, and Beef Empanadas

Empire Biscuits – Savory and Sweet Southern-Style Biscuit Sandwiches

Fire Belly BBQ – The Orient comes to Governors Island! - Korean Barbecue Tacos, Korean Barbecue Burritos, Bibimbap Rice Bowls, Korean Barbecue Nachos

Ice & Vice – featuring: “Milk Money” (Toasted Milk Ice Cream w/ Sea Salt Chocolate Ganache), Love & Hate (Root Beer Ice Cream w/ Ginger Molasses Soil – wowsers!), Mahjong (Jasmine Tea & White Peach Sorbet), Reverse Root Beer Float (Vanilla Soda w/ Love & Hate Ice Cream) – (available to VIP ticket-holders only )

Lobster Joint – New England Lobster Rolls, Lobster Club Rolls, Lobster Sliders, Chips, Coleslaw, Gazpacho

Local 215 – Hearty crowd pleasers including: Mac & Cheese, Pork Fritters, Meatballs and more.

Perfect Picnic – “Classic Picnic“ - (2 Meats, 2 Cheeses, 2 Waters, Marinated Olives, Jam, 2 Cookies or Caramels, Plates, Cutlery, and complimentary tote) OR “American Picnic” (Water, 2 Baquettini Sandwiches [Goat Cheese & Fig Jam, Serrano Ham & Chives, Salami Cheddar & Arugula, Turkey, Cheddar & Arugula, Cheddar & Chutney, or Smoked Duck with Cherry Jam and Arugula], Small Bag of Chips & a Cookie in a complimentary tote)

The Vintage Ice Cream Guys – Line up at the truck, just like when you were a kid! Good Humor Ice Cream Bars and Snow Cones – just don’t get tongue freeze!

*Vendor offerings subject to change

And, of course, the world’s finest Jazz Age music for your dancing pleasure, featuring your host, MICHAEL ARENELLA & HIS DREAMLAND ORCHESTRA, as well as:

Queen Esther and Her Hot Five

Tamar Korn

Molly Ryan

Gelber & Manning

And a special thanks to Emmi Roth Cheese, Divina Olives, Trois Petits Cochons Paté, and La Panzanella Crackers for their generous donations:

Tickets and packages are still available for the August 15-16 events. Ticket packages include General Admission,“Jazz Baby,” “Bee’s Knees,” “Bonnie & Clyde.” “The Gatsby” VIP package brings deluxe perks including table and bottle service. These packages can be purchased at www.JazzAgeLawnParty.com. To commemorate the 10^th anniversary, the Jazz Age Lawn Party presents “The Sheikh of Araby”, an exclusive private tent for eight to ten guests located right off the dance floor, with full table service and luxury appointments, and which can be reserved by emailing DreamlandVIP@gmail.com

Holy Blues and Solo Performance

1queenesther — Mon, 08 Dec 2014 17:38:55 GMT

As an artist, the more hats I wear creatively, the more likely it is that I'll stay employed. A few weeks ago, I auditioned for Healing Arts Initiative (HAI) and their On-Site Performance Program after some time away from the organization. HAI is a city/state government funded organization that provides art/music to mental health and educational facilities, hospitals, hospices, etc. I initially worked with them when I first came to the city as a jazz/blues vocalist. That's when they were Hospital Audiences Inc. I would hire my own collective and go into some pretty incredible situations. The gig I did on Riker's Island with a bassist and guitarist -- mostly Billie Holiday's body of work -- will stay with me forever.

This time around, I auditioned as as a solo performer -- just me and my Baby Taylor -- and at the beginning of the month, I found out that I've been accepted to their artist roster.

I'm expanding my repertoire as a performing songwriter to include country gospel and gospel blues -- also called holy blues -- because it's the sound that raised me. I know I'm veering towards it because I miss my people deeply, and I really miss the Lowcountry. The upshot of it all is that the songs are so straightforward and uncomplicated, I'll be forced to get my guitar chops in order. And it's inspired a lot of interesting songs that I hope to put into my next album.

During performances, there is an HAI monitor on the premises to assess your work for their files. My first gig -- 60 minutes of holy blues in the rec room of an elder care/mental outpatient facility deep in the heart of Brooklyn -- happened last week. Here is what they wrote.

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Audience Response: Stupendous. This group of residents and staff members overwhelmingly loved this. Tina, a staff person who stood in for Iola; our regular contact, who is currently out on medical leave, highly praised this performance and couldn't thank Queen Esther enough.

Additional Comments: This wasn't the overly produced, swelling, ramped-up, modern gospel that accompanies the ubiquitous Sunday morning, religious radio shows. It was a breathtaking recreation of raw-to-the-bone, plaintive and excruciatingly heartfelt, unadorned, old-time, rural gospel music; the spiritual equivalent of Robert Johnson's worldly, piercing, early delta blues. I personally felt transported to some unassuming, rustic, backwoods, Black American church of the 1930's. Queen Esther's relation to this music through her background, (born and raised in South Carolina), and innate, exquisite sensibility, was evident, as she spoke between songs, probing the audience's
knowledge of the music, while filling in a bit of the not-widely-known history of this vital and uniquely American art form. This was a beautiful, artistic and daring performance.

TONIGHT'S GIG: JC Hopkins Combo w/Queen Esther + Charles Turner -- and Hugh Masekela -- at Minton's!

1queenesther — Wed, 15 Oct 2014 15:24:20 GMT

Join JC Hopkins Biggish Band for a very special evening featuring revered South African trumpeter HUGH MASEKELA on Wednesday, October 15th at 7pm. The band will be pared down this week to accommodate Masekela and includes vocalists Queen Esther and Charles Turner, Chad Lefkowitz-Brown and Julian Pressley on reeds, King Solomon Hicks on guitar, Dezron Douglas on bass, and Shirazette Tinnin. Masekela joins the bandstand with his long-time brethren of over 50 years, incomparable pianist, LARRY WILLIS and one of the early pioneers of Cape Jazz and founder of SafroJazz, MORRIS GOLDBERG, plus his continuing inspiration for Sony recording artist who has called Masekela her mentor since childhood, SOMI.

Queen Esther's Black Americana Album "The Other Side": The Country Music People Review

1queenesther — Wed, 01 Oct 2014 16:31:55 GMT

FYI: This review appears in the October 2014 issue of London, England's Country Music People. Thank you for reading this version.

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QUEEN ESTHER/The Other Side (five stars)

Sunnyland / I’ve Come Undone Again / Jet Airliner / Oh Sun / Sadness Everlasting / Somebody Else’s Baby / Will You Or Won’t You / My Big Iron Skillet / The Other Sde / Love Is A Wrecking Ball / I Feel Like Going Home / I’ve Come Undone Again, version 2 / Jet Airliner [The Black Americana Version]

Producer: Queen Esther, EL Recordings 52:35

Secrets do have a way of leaking out, and one that desperately needs to be heard is Americana/country/ jazz singer, Queen Esther. The very talented songwriter has a superb old school soulful voice, which years ago would probably have taken her high into the charts. Queen Esther began her career in 2004 with Talkin’ Fishbowl Blues, a neat mix of blues and country, which ended with an interesting version of Tammy Wynette’s classic Stand By Your Man. In 2010 Queen Esther climbed on another horse, jazz, which resulted in another fine CD, What Is Love? Now we have Queen Esther’s most country album, The Other Side, which contains some stunning traditional country, a dash of country/blues and some well selected cover versions. Every song is sung with passion and fire, by this underrated female singer who should be a musical giant.

Opening delight, Sunnyland, begins as an acoustic country/blues song, but then becomes more upbeat as the electric guitar bursts in. Queen Esther’s wonderful vocal has hints of her gospel and church roots in the south of the USA. The country tracks start with the incredible heartbreaker, I’ve Come Undone Again, an original song. Queen Esther’s vocal and her songwriting skills on this track indicate strongly that this is where she should be. The CD’s best country song is touched with old school genius; Sadness Everlasting would have been perfect for George Jones. Queen Esther’s knowing vocal, which has a touch of sadness, is perfection, with a superb steel guitar solo as well. For me, this track is one of the best traditional country songs of the decade so far. Not far behind it is another traditional gem, Somebody Else’s Baby, which would have been a good song for Connie Smith to tackle.

Queen Esther’s amazing CD includes several cover versions, all of them high quality songs. The Steve Miller Band’s 1977 hit, Jet Airliner, which was originally written in 1973 by Paul Pena, emerges as a blazing blues/rock song. Queen Esther attacks this foot-tapper with great gusto. The Queen also does a strong version of Wanda Jackson’s My Big Iron Skillet, which dates back to 1969. Heard in 2014 the song sounds almost like a feminist anthem, with Queen Esther sounding like she understands the dark drama of this underrated track.

Other highlights are the country/gospel of The Other Side, and the acoustic country/blues song Love Is A Wrecking Ball. The album winds down beautifully with a killer version of the old Charlie Rich song I Feel Like Going Home. It’s a brave singer, who tackles one of Charlie Rich’s most perfect songs, but the new version also hits the target, with Queen Esther’s passionate vocal set to move anyone who hears it. The simple piano backing track, with Queen Esther’s emotional vocal is a dream end to a disc which has no faults.

So the secret is out, Queen Esther is a major talent in several area’s, but her greatest talent is as a writer and singer of the more traditional country song. Hopefully this is the road she is planning to travel down for many years. The Other Side is a major work, by a vital, important artist who has been ignored for too long, hopefully now is Queen Esther time. -- Paul Riley

TONIGHT'S GIG: JC Hopkins' Biggish Band featuring Queen Esther and Charles Turner at Minton's!

1queenesther — Sat, 13 Sep 2014 20:54:00 GMT

Since May of this year, I've been in residency in Harlem every Wednesday at Minton's -- the place where be-bop was born -- with JC Hopkins' Biggish Band. Thanks to businessman Richard Parsons and noted chef/restauranteur Alexander Smalls, this legendary establishment has been revitalized and is now the epicenter of what many consider to be a resurgence of new jazz in the city.

It has been an absolute privilege to sing and perform in a space where so many revered musicians and vocalists have shined so brightly. I am humbled to share the stage with so many gifted musicians that compel me to go further than I ever thought I would vocally. All of that soloing from so many horns for so long has bent my ears in all the right ways. There's no going back now.

I'll be at Minton's tonight with the band, along with vocalist Charles Turner, starting at 7pm. For more information, click here.

In the meantime, here's a slice of all of us, in action: J. Walter Hawkes the trombonist, accompanying me on ukulele with this timeless classic I Cover The Waterfront.

INFOGRAPHIC: How the money flows back to songwriters and publishers

1queenesther — Tue, 01 Apr 2014 04:15:41 GMT

For me, when it comes to this business of music, school is always in session. It's interesting to see how everyone in the music industry officially gets paid when the money starts flowing, especially songwriters that own their publishing.

Everything Starts Right Now

1queenesther — Tue, 01 Apr 2014 03:34:53 GMT

I got my new Black Americana album -- The Other Side -- this afternoon. I've been working on this music off and on and on and on for so long, it's kind of embarassing. Finishing it is the culmination of so much that when it finally got to my living room, I was so overwhelmed, I simply sat quietly and let this overwhelming sense of gratitude ooze its way out of my soul until all i could feel was pure joy. I didn't play guitar on this one (that's what's next!) but I did produce it and aside from three covers, I wrote the songs. How this album came together is something of a blur. Pinching off of paychecks and tax returns. Calling in all kinds of favors. Bartering vocals for more studio time. Turning myself into a generic wedding singer. Whatever it took, within reason. And finally -- finally! -- it's finished.

All month long, it felt like Christmas Eve. And now here I sit, stuffing envelopes to send out a little of that "holiday" magic to the initial few -- the musicians who worked on it, my consiglieri Garry Veletri and long time loved ones in Texas and beyond. It'll take a few weeks to get it up on CDBaby and all over the place digitally, which is why the official release date is May 1st. The PR/radio push starts in April so there probably won't be any reviews in print until July or August, if I get any reviews at all. But no matter. I finished it. Thank God Almighty, I finished it. The fact that it's done is so overwhelming, I'm not even remotely freaked out about anything else.

While I was woodshedding and spring cleaning waiting for the UPS guy today, I couldn't stop thinking about JefLee Johnson and this particular song -- because everything really does start right now. It almost feels like he was telling me this as a statement of fact.

I've got a fantastic publicist and a radio promoter. I'm hyped, I'm ready. Let the games begin.

Oh - and if you'd like to hear what it sounds like, please click here.

FINALLY -- preview 5 songs from my next album!

1queenesther — Sun, 16 Mar 2014 22:43:59 GMT

Here's a few songs from my next Black Americana album The Other Side -- available for pre-order by April 10th. Yes, it'll be released in mid-May. (YAY!)

Making it online? How about making it, period?

1queenesther — Tue, 18 Feb 2014 15:26:34 GMT

As I give serious thought and planning to my next release and how I intend to market it, I see blurbs like this that instinctively make me push pause and give my situation the once over. Those once overs are a reflex at this point. That sounds paranoid but it's probably a good thing.

Interesting to note that according to this infographic, indie musicians make most of their income by touring and selling cds at shows. I'll co-sign that. I think its strange that this doesn't mention songwriting contests like ISC or Unsigned Only that offer money, gear and press to unsigned artists -- or well-established, well-respected behemoths like the Independent Music Awards that have lots of categories (like best album art) and offer a megaton of exposure if you win. Nothing gets your music heard -- by industry hotshots and fans alike -- like winning contests.

What's missing -- for me, anyway -- is the musician with his own studio that not only makes his own albums but writes, arranges and composes for theater/musical theater/cabaret/TV/film. The position of producer is mentioned but what about music supervisor? There's music licensing to consider, if you own your publishing. (If you don't own your publishing as a songwriter, you're giving it all away.) And what about musicians who are also teachers? I know a lot of musicians who teach (privately and in university) when they aren't gigging or doing session work and they make a great living at it. With insurance!

I'm not so sure that anyone that's actually paying attention to what's happening in the music industry right now is working towards actively submitting their music to a label. Macklemore sums it up best in this interview with Chris Hardwicke on the Nerdist podcast (if you haven't heard the whole thing, you really should):

Chris: I'm sure you've been approached a million times at this point, but you still don't want the infrastructure of a label?

Macklemore: Yeah, there's no reason to do it. With the power of the internet and with the real personal relationship that you can have via social media with your fans... I mean everyone talks about MTV and the music industry, and how MTV doesn't play videos any more -- YouTube has obviously completely replaced that. It doesn't matter that MTV doesn't play videos. It matters that we have YouTube and that has been our greatest resource in terms of connecting, having our identity, creating a brand, showing the world who we are via YouTube. That has been our label. Labels will go in and spend a million dollars or hundreds of thousands of dollars and try to "brand" these artists and they have no idea how to do it. There's no authenticity. They're trying to follow a formula that's dead. And Ryan and I, out of anything, that we're good at making music, but we're great at branding. We're great at figuring out what our target audience is. How we're going to reach them and how we're going to do that in a way that's real and true to who we are as people. Because that's where the substance is. That's where the people actually feel the real connection.

And labels don't have that.

So you sign up for a label. There's not some magic button they're now going to push and it means that people are going to like who you are. Or that they're identify with your vision or your songs. It actually comes from sitting down, staring at a piece of paper for months or years on end, trying to figure out who you are as a person, and hoping that it comes through in the end. But a label's not going to do that for you.

Everybody has their idea of what it takes to "make it" in the entertainment industry. If you're the kind of person that thinks making it means you have to be as rich and famous as Beyonce or Kanye to be successful in this business, you're not just missing the boat -- you're nowhere near the water. When you understand this business of music on a basic level, you know that you can make a great living at it if your hustle is strong. Especially if you don't live in an expensive place like New York City.

And by the way -- if you want to understand this business of music, the book This Business of Music (considered the bible of the music industry) is a great place to start.

The Next NYC Gig: The Sweetheart Soiree, February 15th

1queenesther — Sat, 08 Feb 2014 23:21:35 GMT

FYI: I'll be performing an evening of love songs (Lady Day's rare sides!) on the third floor of this elegant, well-appointed mansion with my trio for the evening -- Hilliard Greene (bass), Marvin Sewell (guitar) and Wayne Tucker (trumpet).

**ALL TICKET SALES ARE FINAL. NO REFUNDS AVAILABLE**

Return to romance at Michael Arenella's SWEETHEART SOIRÉE. To celebrate the Soirée's fifth flirtatious year, we have, in collaboration with ST-GERMAIN, chosen a most posh and exclusive rendezvous point - NORWOOD, a perfectly preserved, landmarked 1947 mansion. A strictly private club, enjoy a rare opportunity to experience this stylishly bohemian hideaway as our guest.

Whether with an amour, wedded to one you adore or hoping to meet the one you're looking for, this promises to be an evening of enchantment and delightful intrigue. Plenty of plush seating, artisanal French cocktails featuring St-Germain and wooden floors for dancers will assure a most chic and intimate affair.

A passionate programme of entertainment will be featured over four floors of this lavish Victorian manse:

*MICHAEL ARENELLA and His Sextet, your devoted host and beloved bandleader
*NICOLE RENAUD, the luminous accordionist and chanteuse
*Jazz royalty, QUEEN ESTHER and trio
*Tap-dance darlings THE MINSKY SISTERS

Enjoy a dance lesson for both singles and doubles at 9:30PM with the ever-dapper and undeniably adorable RODDY CARAVELLA.

A gorgeous gratis portrait in our St-Germain KISSING BOOTH.

Guests are welcomed with a complimentary ST-GERMAIN COCKTAIL.

Cupid-approved cocktails alongside fabulous wines will be available for purchase at three unique bars. Complimentary gourmet hors d'oevres and sweet treats will be featured throughout the evening.

SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 15TH
DOORS AT 9PM
LIVE ENTERTAINMENT FROM 9PM - 1AM
ALL GUESTS MUST BE 21 AND OVER
BLACK TIE/EVENING ATTIRE IS ENCOURAGED.

...a thousand words (and then some!) from last night...

1queenesther — Tue, 31 Dec 2013 18:40:22 GMT

Accompanied by her quintet The Hot Five, Queen Esther sings the timeless classic Stardust in the library of The Player's Club for The Salon's New Year's Eve Eve fete...

...and absorbing a solo from Patience Higgins. What a beautiful night. Happy New Year, everyone.

The Next NYC Gig: New Year's Eve Eve!

1queenesther — Mon, 30 Dec 2013 05:47:37 GMT

Queen Esther interview in Combustus magazine!

1queenesther — Wed, 04 Dec 2013 16:13:54 GMT

I gave an in-depth interview to writer/journalist Monika Zameta for Combustus magazine in October, 2013. To read it in its entirety -- and to hear the song I Feel Like Goin' Home from my soon to be released Black Americana album The Other Side -- please click here.

Stand By Your Man (...for a few seconds...!)

1queenesther — Sun, 13 Oct 2013 16:12:17 GMT

How cool is this? Someone -- rasupreme of Instagram, to be exact (THANK YOU!) -- captured a few seconds of me singing that Tammy Wynette classic Stand By Your Man at Sekou Sundiata's WeDaPeople's Cabaret last night at Aaron Davis Hall with Marvin Sewell on guitar, so I thought I'd share it with the world.

I cover this song on my first self-released album Talkin' Fishbowl Blues. Sekou believed -- in this really heartfelt way, I might add -- that the way I sang it turned it into the ultimate black woman's anthem. He was convinced that I made it belong to black women in a way that people wouldn't really understand unless they heard me sing it. So of course, he wanted me to sing it all the time, especially when I'd perform with him in Harlem. I didn't always say yes -- it took some convincing to sway me. Now that Sekou is gone, I sing it all the time.

He was right, of course. It is a black woman's anthem. Or maybe it's that way because that's what I mean when I sing it. How cool that my next album will be original country/rock songs.

Thankfully, Harlem Stage videotaped the entire evening so hopefully, I can show you the complete performance very soon. In the meantime, enjoy this little snippet...!

The Psychology of Music

1queenesther — Sun, 15 Sep 2013 14:25:48 GMT

the ongoing upshot

1queenesther — Sun, 15 Sep 2013 04:23:44 GMT

i didn't win in my region for the mountain stage newsong contest this year (womp-womp!) but my songs were automatically entered into the general round (the deadline is tomorrow) and i'm still in the running for the people's choice winner (voting ends on 9/17), so let's see what develops.

there's a lot of songwriting contests out there. apparently, i've got work to do.

in the meantime, if you'd like to vote for me in the people's choice category, please click here.

I'm a regional finalist in the 2013 Mountain Stage NewSong Contest!

1queenesther — Thu, 29 Aug 2013 14:52:51 GMT

i sent three songs from my next black americana/country/rock album as an afterthought to this contest a few weeks ago -- i seriously don't even remember which ones i sent -- and was genuinely surprised to get their warm, generic congratulatory email. i dropped them a line to find out which songs were in play and as luck would have it, they're my favorites: love is a wrecking ball, will you or won't you and oh sun. apparently, they sifted through a jillion songs and i'm one of ten in my region. from here, they choose one from the ten of each region, which will leave six finalists.

interestingly, i have until saturday to submit a video of me playing one of my songs. whoever gets the most hits will be a people's choice finalist. i was going to play one that i already submitted but then again, i just wrote one that i feel strongly about. it's not very folky or fingerpicky at all but i mean it when i sing it -- and i suppose that's enough. God help me.

that'll be real special, cranking up my pignose amp and singing without a mic in my little makeshift harlem manse, what with all these touchy white people in my building now that want to live quiet, sanitized city lives, with no negroes. how oxymoronic can you get? harlem is still a ghetto, in spite of their best intentions. if they want the suburbs, why are they here? you can only imagine exactly how i intend to serve it up to the first well-intentioned, pasty-faced sex and the city wannabe that knocks on my door and "politely" orders me to turn down the volume. good times.

here's the lowdown. and yeah, you kind of need a color coded flow chart to understand how this whole thing unravels.

The Next NYC Gig: Pete's Candy Store, September 9th

1queenesther — Tue, 27 Aug 2013 05:48:29 GMT

the band is: marvin sewell (guitar) and naisha walton (bass).

this is the first gig for my original music that will eventually culminate in a new release and a european tour next spring. there is so much joy unspeakable joy in doing what i love to do and giving it my all. i'm grateful for the discipline, the fortitude and the presence of mind that it has taken to stick with this -- but really, i was only being myself and going where inspiration led me.

onward and upward.

The Next NYC Gig: The Jazz Age Lawn Party, 8/17 AND 8/18

1queenesther — Tue, 27 Aug 2013 05:32:03 GMT

Michael Arenella and His Dreamland Orchestra invite you to the beloved Jazz Age Lawn Party on Governors Island. Now in its eighth year, the event has become the quintessential outdoor celebration of the Jazz Age and its living legacy.

Under a canopy of century-old trees, caressed by fresh sea air, a sprawling green surrounded by historic architecture is the setting for this trip through time - a dream of the 1920s nestled right in the heart of New York Harbor.

Widely anticipated by flappers, sporting gents and tiny tots alike, the event has been revered year after year by The New York Times, The New Yorker and countless media around the globe.

A delightful array of offerings abound throughout the day, including:

PERFORMANCES:
*MICHAEL ARENELLA AND HIS DREAMLAND ORCHESTRA the world's premier Jazz Age dance band, specializing in the Hot-Jazz of the 1920s. Conductor, composer, musician and singer Michael Arenella presents a personally transcribed songbook for your listening and dancing pleasure

*THE DREAMLAND FOLLIES an Art Deco spectacle evokes Ziegfield-esque grandeur *RODDY CARAVELLA AND THE CANARSIE WOBBLERS this fun-loving dance troupe conjures the rebellious yet exuberant spirit of Roaring '20s youth

*GELBER & MANNING feuding vaudevillian lovebirds quarrel, coo and make beautiful music together

*QUEEN ESTHER her vocals pay tribute to jazz royalty of yore

*PETER MINTUN world's greatest piano man

*THE MINSKY SISTERS tap dance darlings delight with fancy footwork

ACTIVITIES:
*ANTIQUE GRAMOPHONES bring to life original recordings from the 1920s

*DANCE LESSONS learn the hottest dance steps of the time

*VINTAGE PORTRAITS you ought to be in pictures, snapped in our Sweetheart Booth or perched upon our Paper Moon

*BATHING BEAUTIES AND BEAUS PROMENADE pull that itchy wool number out of the closet and parade it for all to admire

*1920s MOTORCAR EXHIBITION get up close and personal with flivvers and Tin Lizzies

*TUG O' WAR categories include ladies, gents, co-ed and kids

*CHARLESTON DANCE CONTEST see who's the Bee's Knees in this lighthearted dance off

*THE HIGH COURT OF PIE CONTEST categories include "Mom's Best" "Best Savory" "Most Original" and "Hobo's Choice" (For entry email: govislandpie@gmail.com)

*KIDLAND carnival games and prizes for junior gents and flapperettes

OFFERINGS:
*NEWLY EXPANDED wooden dance floor set up right on the lawn!

*ST-GERMAIN ELDERFLOWER LIQUEUR presents a variety of refreshing cocktails and sangria

*BROOKLYN BREWERY BEER, old fashioned lemonade, soda, juices, water, iced coffee and tea to whet your whistle

*GOURMET FOOD MENU featuring an assortment of freshly prepared, era-inspired entrées and picnic fare along with treats and snacks including ice cream, hot popped corn and more!

*VINTAGE CLOTHING VENDORS AND ARTISANS a veritable village of lost treasures and inspired creations to take home

*DREAMLAND GENERAL STORE for your comfort and convenience offering blankets, parasols, hand fans and assorted sundries

Yes, it can be done...

1queenesther — Tue, 16 Jul 2013 11:28:21 GMT

I LOVE this infographic because it's so easy to see how money can come from every direction if you work the art of the hustle. The problem is, some musicians just don't know what that is, exactly. There really is a way to work smarter, not harder. (Writing songs -- music and lyrics -- and owning your publishing is key.) It's definitely much bigger than "get out there and promote yourself" -- and ultimately, that's a lesson for everyone.

The Future of Music Coalition's list of 42 different sources of income is more than viable, too. The thing is, it takes way more money than this to live in New York City. I'm not so sure about sponsorship or streaming but crowdsourcing is a great idea. Anything to turn a hobby into cash.

Wall Street Journal Review: Swingadelic's "Toussaintville"

1queenesther — Fri, 14 Jun 2013 13:07:17 GMT

I didn't want anyone to miss this great review in the Wall Street Journal for a beautiful big band album that I was honored to be a part of, so I've posted it here in its entirety. Enjoy!

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Wall Street Journal Review: Toussaintville by WILL FRIEDWALD -- 6/13/13

Swingadelic/Swing 46
349 W. 46th St., (212) 262-9554
Saturday, June 22, June 23

What's in a name? "Swingadelic"—a relatively compact big band, with three saxes, four brass and four rhythm—is an astute handle for this swinging orchestra with a distinctly 1960s vibe. The group's last album, "The Other Duke," celebrated Duke Pearson, a soul-jazz composer with pop leanings. Its new release, "Toussaintville," does the same for the legendary New Orleans songwriter. Allen Toussaint's work is favored by pop and blues artists, but not enough by jazzmen), a situation that this package will surely remedy. Swingadelic specializes in reinterpreting hits (both vocal and instrumental), like Mr. Toussaint's "Java," in a way that shows funk and swing are more closely related than many might suspect.

It's been argued in these very pages (see Eric Felten's "How the Taxman Cleared the Dance Floor," from the Journal of March 17, 2013) that the big-band era was killed not by changing tastes or economics, but because of an ill-advised, if not disastrous, tax law. Had it not been for the dread "cabaret tax," big bands would have continued to evolve after the war as they did before it. There's little doubt that the big-band format would have been more widely assimilated into R&B and even rock 'n' roll. Look at Ray Charles and James Brown, who employed traditional brass, reeds and rhythm sections. Or try to imagine the Motown operation without the big-band sound.

Crossing over was hard enough. But some managed to do it. A lifelong resident of New Orleans (at least until Hurricane Katrina forced him temporarily to New York), Allen Toussaint is one of few traditional songwriters to enjoy widespread success on the pop-music landscape of the past 50 years. Mr. Toussaint's songs are primarily known as hits for artists other than the composer himself—a radical idea in the post-Bob Dylan world, when most pop artists are expected to write everything they sing. His chart hits and classic tracks for performers as diverse as Boz Scaggs ("What Do You Want the Girl to Do?"), Glen Campbell ("Southern Nights") and the Paul Butterfield Blues Band ("Get Out of My Life, Woman") reveal a multilayered diversity that can only occur when singer and songwriter are two different people.

Swingadelic's new album pushes that idea along. Lee Dorsey's 1969 hit recording of a Toussaint classic, "Everything I Do Gonna Be Funky (From Now On)," is surely one of the early national anthems of the funk movement. Like several tracks on "Toussaintville," Rob Susman's arrangement of the song utilizes elements of baroque style and counterpoint, as if to say, "Everything we play gonna be fugal from now on." Also associated with Lee Dorsey, "Workin' in a Coal Mine" ranks alongside Sam Cooke's "Chain Gang" as taking the most extremely undesirable states of existence and making them danceable. It's one of many vocals tracks by Swingadelic's pianist, John Bauers, who conveys that singular combination of weariness and readiness to party that the lyric requires.

"Up the Creek" is a rare Toussaint waltz, and inspires an especially fluid clarinet solo by Audrey Welber, as well a growly trumpet solo, and "Ruler of My Heart" features a passionate vocal by Queen Esther. Still, the closest the Toussaint songbook comes to a truly romantic ballad is "Get Out of My Life, Woman." Despite Queen Esther's excellent singing, this is a catalog more for an ensemble than a star vocalist, more of a band book than a songbook. In case you're wondering how Swingadelic's leader and bassist, Dave Post, was able to find the energy to pull this off, the answer may be found in Mr. Toussaint's two biggest hits: "Java" and "Whipped Cream" (perhaps the two most popular instrumentals of the 1960s). Clearly, everything gonna be caffeinated from now on.

The Next NYC Gig: The Jazz Age Lawn Party, 6/15 AND 6/16

1queenesther — Tue, 28 May 2013 15:08:52 GMT

Please note: I will be singing my heart out on June 15th AND June 16th. Tickets are limited and this event will sell out. Get yours now. See you on the island!

The (8th Bi-Annual!) Jazz Age Lawn Party on Governors Island
SATURDAY & SUNDAY
JUNE 15TH & 16TH
AND
AUGUST 17TH & 18TH, 2013
(rain dates June 29th & 30th and Sept. 14th & 15th)
11:00AM to 5:00PM

Gilt City exclusive ticket packages (very limited) go live on May 22nd at: www.GiltCity.com/NewYork
Advance General Admission tickets: $30 Available Here
Tickets at the door: $35 Cash Only
Children under 12 free!
Please note: Only Advance General Admission and Gilt City ticket-holders are guaranteed admission to the event. Tickets purchased at door are available only as attendance capacity permits; availability not guaranteed.

The Next NYC Gig: Tribute Night - George Jones, 5/23

1queenesther — Thu, 23 May 2013 03:22:43 GMT