Brittany Allyn: The Spirit of Jazz
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One of the best jazz places is a place called F. Scott’s. It’s in Green Hills, a part of Nashville. And my friend Beegie Adair will play there, when she’s not touring, most of the time on a Thursday night, and I love going there, hearing her and her band, and they have excellent food and an excellent wine list. You can get it all right there.
Criallo’s in nearby Franklin, TN. I perform there with my producer, Chris when our schedules allow. It’s amazing food – great vibe - knowledgeable staff - nice wine list and jazz too. Here, they feature solo artists and duo’s rather than bands.
Evolution is an alternative white - a blend of nine different grapes. The fact that it’s not just a Chardonnay, not just Gewurztraminer, or Pinot Gris is the very thing that makes it so delightful. If I could compare my music to a wine - this would be the one.
Talking to a passionate and talented voice, we explore innovative energy and collaboration.
We hear from Brittany Allyn about the confidence it takes to finally make her own album.
Listening to your music was great fun. ..It was bluesy and included ballads with wonderful words on top of some really great players. Do you think people will hear this and really think it’s jazz?
Oh, I think there are many places that it might go in a record store [Laughing]. But, yes, I feel this is very much jazz. And as long as people enjoy the music, I’m OK with having it out there.
You’ve been singing back-up for musicians from all genres up until now in your career. What was the moment you knew you were going to make your own CD?
Well, I think I always knew I was going to make my own album. What was strange was the more experience I got in the studio and as a song writer, instead of that making it happen sooner, it kept making me put it off. My standards kept getting higher. That’s not a bad thing.
Finally, when we decided actually do this album, I was really glad for having waited. And, it wasn’t stressful because I felt really prepared and I was actually able to enjoy it.
How is confidence involved when you start to create something new?
Working as a background vocalist you are sort of a chameleon. You have to essentially become the voice you are singing behind—phrasing with them, breathing just the way they do.
It’s a fun thing and it’s an interesting ability but sometimes as an artist it makes it a little more difficult. You have to step back and say ‘well I’ve been everybody else this week who am I?’
I think that took me awhile to get that confidence in terms of my own direction and know what I looked like as an artist myself.
When you are collaborating, how do you maintain the balance of confidence and the ability to draw on others?
There is a confidence in your own ability but there also has to be a confidence to say, hey they know more about playing the guitar on this style of music than I do, that’s why I hired them, so you let them contribute.
It’s fun to be in that position—where you know what you’re looking for, and you know that the person can deliver what it is you want. Everyone gets in the room. There are all these bodies in the room and their working off each other. That’s what music is, that exchange.
I think jazz is one of the best, probably the best format, for that in terms of how music is recorded today. In a lot of other formats the whole band doesn’t track at the same time. I think that’s unfortunate, because that collaboration and drawing from others is so important.
You started your career with Lorrie Morgan on the historic Opry stage. Tell us about that.
As a kid, my parents and grandparents were country music fans. My father owned a charter coach business that did tours all over the country. And, as kids, for money, we could clean up buses when they came back from trips. One time I found a book.
This bus had gone to Nashville and it was a book of all the artists that were Opry members. And I remember paging through that. Some of them I had heard of, but most of them I hadn’t. I started saving up my money and I would go buy albums—based just on their picture or their bio.
Years later when started playing on the Opry, I realized that the songs that were the favorites of mine were never hits. They were just cuts on the albums, and I thought these were ‘the ones’.
It was really interesting, learning about these artists, knowing the history of the venue, and then playing on it meant so much.
I always thought I would perform on that stage, I just didn’t know how I would get there.
Fortunately, I’ve been able to perform there many times with Lorrie and other artists.
Listening to those old songs and choosing the ones you liked. Did that help you find your own voice?
I think so. Often times the things I would gravitate towards were, and still are today when I hear new music, things that have a classic appeal. It’s a style of writing, almost that Tin Pan Alley/ Great American Song book, sort of lyric – really wonderfully crafted but still having heart. Those were the songs that I would gravitate towards.
How do you know when you’ve been successful?
I feel successful because I did what I ultimately wanted to do musically. I think so often in the industry today there is compromise – choices made by committee. I think that is so unfortunate, because everything is sounding more fabricated and less real.
That’s the greatest success for me that you can say, “Hey this is me. This is me musically. No apologies. No concessions”.
the spirit of jazz.. is that creative exchange that only happens live
You and I have talked before about the desire not to categorize music, so what is it about jazz? Is it being in the moment? A genuine voice being able to play?
I think that is the spirit of jazz—that’s really true. I think jazz is roots music. It’s a music style; any roots format is recorded that way. There is that creative exchange that only happens live. It’s bodies in a room. I just don’t believe it can go down any other way and create the same emotion.
I’m not going to qualify myself or categorize myself as a jazz musician, but it’s definitely a huge part of what I do and what I love.
So many musicians have had success in one format, but they are really diverse and have all these influences. And, when they finally record something on their own, you hear all of that. It’s very exciting.
You’ve worked with a range of people—from Steven Tyler to Willie Nelson. What have you learned from working with them in terms of improvising?
You can talk about Willie Nelson as an improviser, certainly he is. His phrasing is amazing, unlike anyone else. He plays guitar like he sings almost, it’s so unique to him. No matter what he records it’s Willie Nelson.
And, an artist like Steven Tyler - is always Steven Tyler - it’s not some act. The image is so strong. He’s Steven Tyler on stage and off - Willie’s the same way.
I’ve also had the privilege of working with George Jones, another great vocal stylist. It’s enjoyable to sing duets with him, to sing around and play off of what he does.
What’s great is that’s what artists like them want from you—for you to be who you are. “Show me who you are - that’s what I want to bring out in you.”
When that’s happening, it’s very creative and spontaneous.
Can you hear that genuine and spontaneity in a recording?
Certainly. You can’t explain it, or put your finger on it, but when music is recorded that way, I think the audience knows. It resonates somewhere with them.
Who should we talk to next?
I do have a friend who is a wonderful jazz pianist who lives here in Nashville and has many recordings. Beegie Adair. I would recommend her. Her instrumental music is just great.
Brent Mason has just been on about every country album in the last ten years but when you hear him you hear his own voice it’s awesome—improvisational guitar playing. He and his brother Randy have just done this CD. It’s really cool.
