I got a chance to ask the prolific singer songwriter Ginger Leigh a few questions in regards to her craft and her new release"Better Than Well" ,which is a live recording of her show at the Saxon Pub. 1- You have been playing music around Austin for awhile now and I have caught several of your gigs and have always been impressed with your live show. You have a cd out that was recorded live at the Saxon Pub titled
" Better Than Well". Let's talk about this,because I spent some time listening to it and am impressed with a number of things. First question...who engineered this live recording? [ They did a masterful job ]
The entire process of recording "Better Than Well - Live at the Saxon" was quite a journey. We originally recorded in October, but things got a little crazy that day. There was a KUT awareness benefit called Twang Dang Doodle that got moved from Threadgills to Saxon due to rain. Every scheduled show at Saxon dropped off to allow for this to happen, but I said "No Way!" We had been promoting it pretty hard and I had camera crews and engineers ready for action. So we worked together to do the recording. The audience was there, supportive, and wild, but we weren't able to get all that we wanted due to time constraints. So, this caused us to have to record again a month later in November on a Monday night in lieu of Bob Schneider. My fans and friends came out in droves that night and brought a stadium worth of energy with them. The first night of recording I had Richard (long-time sound man at Saxon) handling the recording and my personal stage man, John Covington running the house sound, while Chris Burns was checking on the recording gear periodically to make sure all was well. The second night of recording, Steven Wills ran the house sound, while Chris Burns managed the recording. Chris Burns is a genius at mixing and mastering. Due to the fact that we had to push the release date out, Chris worked fast and furiously to mix the record, using pieces from both shows. He was absolutely wonderful to work with in the studio and I commend his ability to find the perfect balance and be incredibly efficient.
2- you play a number of venues all over God's creation. Why did you choose to record a live show at Saxon Pub here in Austin?
I've spent a lot of my career performing around the world, focusing outside of Austin, where a career-musician can actually make a decent living at music. But I've been based here since 1993 and have had periods locally where I held a residency at the Saxon Pub. It is a venue that I place in the top 5 favorites in the world. The sound is good, the stage is visible from most of the room. But more importantly it represents the core essence of Austin music. Part of my decision to record there was to attach (or re-attach) my name to the Austin music scene. I have been more concentrated on other parts of the world and figured it would be a strategic move to record there. In addition, I've somehow ended up with the reputation of being more of a rock musician, when in reality I've got a whole lot of Texas in my sound. There isn't a better place to help define a "Texas" sound than the almighty Saxon Pub!
3- tell us who plays in your band regularly, and who plays on the live cd. One and the same?
As is widely understood amongst Austin players, this is a musically incestuous town. We all share players, so I find it's very difficult to keep the same guys on stage at every show. Though I would prefer to have a consistent band, I have at least two people for each instrument upon whom I can call for shows. My closest man is Mark Williams (a.k.a Gumby) on bass and cello. He's been playing with me for a couple of years now and is on stage with me at 90% of my shows. But when he is out playing with Dan Dyer, I use Kris Brown on bass. Kris is also a front man of his own group and a great guitar player. They are both on the CD. Mark on bass, upright, and cello. Kris switching between electric guitar and bass. I also feature John Pointer on this new CD. He is an anomaly in his own right! John and I met and became close when studying together in Rome in 1996. When we returned to Austin, we began playing shows together, which lasted for a couple of years until I began performing in The Ginger & Sarah Band. Now many years later, I have Mr. Pointer back on stage with me. He is featured on the new CD on acoustic guitar, cello and vocals. He even throws in a little bit of his human beat box genius on "Best of Me". John and I have a connection that is indescribable and I am honored that he has chosen to work with me again. The most common rotating spot is the drummer. On the CD I have Frank Favacho, a short-lived love affair, as he has made a new year resolution to stay at home with his wife and children and stay off the stage. I'll miss playing with him, but I have some of the best drummers in town to take his spot. I've played for years with Nina Singh and Perry Drake. But the next few shows will feature Kevin Remme on drums. I look forward to that!
4- who IS Ginger Leigh? Where did she grow up as a kid?
Ginger Leigh is a Scorpio in Western astrology and a tiger in Eastern astrology! Though I really don't pay much head to that, it is certainly a strong-willed and adventurous combination which when reading descriptions of both, I see all of my traits as strongly as if they were written specifically for me. But who am I? There is a line in my song Jetstream that says it all "We are we are on the day we are born..." I was performing at a very young age. I was also very much into art. What I loved about both of those abilities was that I had something to give. I still feel that way. Creativity was a gift given to me and there's nothing better than to have the opportunity to turn around and share it with others. For as long as I can remember, I wanted to be successful in music. I didn't want the fame as much as I wanted to have a voice in the world, to be able to bring change to people's lives. As for the visual artist in me, my first project was when I was about 10 years old when a friend asked me to draw his grandfather for the sign on their family restaurant. It's still there today! I continue to create art, graphically. I have many clients for whom I design materials, websites, and so on. I mainly keep this going because it's like keeping up your chops on an instrument. I stay up-to-date with technology and what's hot and what's not in the world of Marketing. I work closely, for example, with a lot of clients and friends in the music business. I designed www.warrenhood.com amongst many others. I work for the Nancy Fly Agency designing promotional materials, T-shirts and Posters for Bruce Robison, Del Castillo, Patrice Pike and more. I also do a lot of design work for one of my closest friends and colleagues, Wendy Colonna. I handle a lot of graphic work and business dealings for Interior Designer, Jane Reece at R Designs. I love business. I have a strong balance in my brain between being an artist and a business woman. I tend to be a workaholic; atypical to most people's idea of musician, I am up as early as possible in the mornings and I get straight to work. As a child, I was exactly this. An early riser with a knack for performing, creating and scheming business ideas!
5- tell us about your upbringing.Who else is musically inclined,for example, in the family tree, and what age did you first get bitten by the music bug?
Music comes from my mother's side of the family. My Great-Grandfather was the bandleader for a Dixie Land band until he decided to settle down and raise a family. His one and only child was my grandmother, Jane Henry, who carried the musical gene from her father. At the age of 16 she had a live radio show based in San Antonio with her father accompanying her. Her big band, Jane and the Boyfriends, played at every hot spot imaginable. She was also the only known female vocalist to tour with Glen Gray's Casa Loma Orchestra. She and my grandfather, Jack Cones, married and had three beautiful daughters, Jill, Jann, and Jackie Cones, who also went on to be performers. Together the Cones Sisters (http://www.theconessisters.com) had a full-bloom career in Texas, with plenty of "almost famous" stories of back and forth to Nashville for a period of time I can remember as if it were yesterday. As children we grew up at all of their shows, back stage, on stage, in the audience. When I was 9, our parents helped us develop our first band, The Gospel Gang, which consisted of me, my cousin Mickey (10) on guitar and vocals, my brother Mark (12) on bass and vocals, and two friends of the family, Jimmy (7) on drums and vocals and Kirsten (9) on keyboards and vocals. We had a weekly rehearsal and played paying shows at parties and functions. Every time I hear the song "Don't it make my brown eyes blue...." I smile at the memories of singing that one over and over again at that age on stage while people who seemed very old to me (ha!) would dance. My cousin, Mickey Jack Cones, is now a successful producer in Nashville with whom I intend to record a single later this year.
6- what was your first musical instrument ?
Does playing the tambourine in the Gospel Gang count? Like many children, I took a handful of piano lessons, which I highly recommend to anyone as a first instrument. It helps you understand sheet music and how to compose harmonic chords and the such. We had a piano in the house, so I often found myself working out songs there, though I am no pianist! I didn't seriously pick up the guitar until I was a senior in high school when a friend and her family gave me my first guitar (which I still have) for high school graduation. I had taught myself most of the important chords on a borrowed guitar prior to that, but owning my own guitar gave me the opportunity to take it more seriously. I taught myself songs out of books such as 10,000 Maniacs and k.d. Lang. I also hacked away at writing my own songs, which in hindsight were awful! But at least I was trying.
7- speaking of musical instruments, let's chat about gear. What do you play on stage? Make,model of guitars, for ex, and is there a specific reason you choose them,is it tone, or neck action,and do you alternate instruments inyour live shows?...also, what mics do you prefer live, as opposed to studio? what make strings,and gauge do you use?
I would say I'm a stronger acoustic player than electric. I'm a very rhythmic guitarist and tend to beat the heck out of my guitar. I use medium gauge strings, but even still I tend to break them often. I prefer Martin guitars, though I love the beefy sounds of some of the Taylors and Gibsons out there. My hands are pretty small so I have always felt like the necks were to thick, maybe I just haven't tried enough of them, but in 2000 I bought a Martin with a smaller neck and which I played hard for many years. The cut-out is chewed up from the pick strumming and the back has holes in it from so much use. Just a few months ago, I set out to raise funds for a new Martin, which was successful because so many fans and friends pitched in to help get a new baby! I wouldn't have this new guitar if it weren't for those who believe in my music and know how important the gear is. My guitar is an extension of myself, like an addition to the body. I owe it all to them! I was able to get a D-16 Rosewood. It has a very bold and deep sound which resonates for days.
I also have a few electric guitars. Though I just sold my Gibson SG, I own and play a Fender Strat and a Schecter. I am not sure why I am so lucky, but both of them were gifts from very dear friends and I love playing them, not only for their sounds but also for the love that came with them when gifted to me. The Strat is fun to play when I want to bend the sound using the wammy bar. The Schecter is a semi-hollow body with multiple pick-ups and variations that create an incredibly full sound, allowing we to strum it more like an acoustic guitar. I play them through a Peavey Classic 30 tube amp, which is small in size but weighs a ton. Many of my colleagues including Patrice Pike and Suzanna Choffel play through the same amp. As for microphones, I always bring my own Shure 58 just because I don't really want to be making out with other strangers who used the same mic the night before! I run my microphone through a Boss Delay pedal and a Digitech Vocalist, which I call my "Step Sisters" because it creates harmonies of my voice when I stomp the pedal attached to it. It's very important to use vocal effects as infrequently as possible and choose to use it in the most tasteful way. But it adds a great deal of depth to a show, allowing me to add layers when necessary. I also own a cordless Sennheiser mic that I like to use when I do more jazz-oriented shows so that I can walk out into the audience, sit in laps or sing from atop the bar!
8- who does your tech work,i.e.,repairs your gear, and do you have a person who travels with you who does tech or roadie work?
The most recent work done on my Martin was by..........He is awesome and very affordable. He built Gumby's bass guitar and is incredibly knowledgeable and talented. Lately, John Covington has been stage managing for me, though we haven't had the pleasure of touring together yet.
9- let's talk amps. what do you use? Do you use a different amp at home as opposed to your live gigs?
I'm not a big "gear" person. I try to keep it very simple. So, no. The amp I mentioned in question # 7 is the only one I use. The Peavey Classic 30 does the trick every time! I've had others; Marshalls, Line 6's, etc, but I've either sold them or they were stolen. My favorite so far is the Peavey, hands down!
10- what do you record on at home when you compose?
If I'm being lazy, I use an M-Audio hand-held MP3 recorder. If I'm all set up, I either record directly to my computer via an M-Audio interface to Cubase or I use my Boss BR-1180 Digital 12-track recorder that I then output into Cubase for mixing.
11- what studio locally do you use, and who are your favorite engineers in town to work with?
My recent experience with Chris Burns at Burns Audio was outstanding! I haven't recorded in his studio yet, but I look forward to it. As an engineer, mixer and a Mastering man, I say he is one heck of a guy to be reckoned with! I have worked 2 records with Merel Bregante at his studio. He is an amazing engineer and has a plethora of microphones to work with. I've had Mark Hallman at Congress House do almost all of my mixing and mastering. He's a genius too! I've been very fortunate to work with a lot of great talent in Austin, including Spencer Gibb who co-produced "Charge Laughing" back in 2002.
12- I own a pirate radio station in Western Gambia. We are looking for Austin music to play and I need 5 songs from your entire rep...what are those 5, and why do you choose them?
From "Better Than Well - Live at the Saxon" I would have you spin the title track "Better Than Well" which is a mid-tempo feel good song with a catchy hook that makes people sing along. "Jetstream" is the second one I would choose. It has proven to be my fanbase's favorite new song. It's very emotive and epic. The third song would be "Rain Down" from the CD "Don't Be Shy", which is also very catchy with a simple groove and a ton of melodic sound. 4th, I would suggest Mexican Man from the CD "Sugar in My Coffee." Mexican Man was a surprise hit. I wrote it just for fun, not expecting to ever play it live. At one show, I chose to pull it out and the audience went nuts for it much to my surprise. It quickly became the most requested song at all of my shows no matter the demographic of the audience, nor the location. It's too long for regular radio, but you could spin it! And lastly, my anthem. "Charge Laughing" from the CD with the same title, is about taking life with positive stride. It's about throwing your head back and laughing about the blunders, the struggles, and the difficulties which will always present themselves. It is what we do with it that makes the difference.
13- name your other musical releases, titles, and year released.
Better Than Well - Live at the Saxon 2010
Don't Be Shy 2008
Sugar in My Coffee 2006
Vivo 2004
Charge Laughing 2002
Vera Takes the Cake (from The Ginger & Sarah Band) 2000
Do What You Will (from The Ginger & Sarah Band) 1998
GingerLady 1997
14- who would you love to work with locally that you haven't yet?
I have had so much fun working with a lot of my sister singers here. I tour often in Italy, which is like a second home to me, and have taken Trish Murphy, Patrice Pike, Wendy Colonna, and Carolyn Wonderland there for shows (I've also taken John Pointer, but he ain't no sister singer...He's my brother!). Carolyn and I should be back together in Italy this July. I would love to co-write and perform with Ruthie Foster and Bob Schneider, two of whom I think are uniquely talented and prolific. Bob's so darn smart and sexy that I would really enjoy seeing close-up how he works. I had always hoped to work with Stephen Bruton who was a friend. But unfortunately, we never had the chance.
15- name 4 Austin restaurants, and the dishes you love to order most there.
I'm an atmosphere gal! So I often choose my favorite places based on that AND good food. I really like the Paggi House, more for its atmosphere than the over-priced food, which is tasty but pricey. I like going there for a happy hour glass of wine and mussels and fries! I love Uchi for many reasons. I don't have one specific dish I order, rather I ask the waiter to decide for me. Every morsel of sushi is a journey for the taste buds. They blow my mind with some of the most delicate and creative food around! For lunch, I enjoy the Enoteca at Vespiao. Their pasta with truffles, mushroom, cream sauce is a decadent delight reserved for when I'm feeling skinny and can afford to take on the fat content! I love Italian food, but tend to be a bit of a snob about it, so authenticity is everything. I wish I could pick up The Venetian Hot Plate in Port Aransas and plop it down in Austin! Stellar food, but Vespiao does a pretty darn good job! Although Perry's Steakhouse is not locally owned (originated in Houston), I love the decor. They put in millions of dollars in the interior design, every surface was thoroughly thought out. The service is impeccable and the food delicious. Again, I'm a happy hour girl, so I love sitting at the bar with one of their specialty martinis (Grey Goose with one olive stuffed with blue cheese and the other olive stuffed with roasted garlic) - a meal in and of itself - and any of their bar menu items from tempura battered lobster to gourmet sliders to escargot done just right! Otherwise, I do a lot of cooking, so there isn't often the need to eat out!
16- the song" Better Than Well" has a really cool lyrical cadence to it. The guitar has some jazz inflections that work perfectly with the song. When you write a song like this, do you co-write with your band-mates, or do you write almost every part of the song, from lyrics to hooks to drum parts,bass,etc?
I typically do not write the parts for the band. They usually come up with their own parts. Sometimes, however, I write a song at home using drums loops to break me out of my habitual strum patterns. I'll record it and share it with the guys and they take it from there. I usually speak to them of the meaning of the song, the story or emotions I want to portray. That's the extent of my directions to them and they always follow up with the perfect soundscape for the song. Specifically, however with "Better Than Well," I had written it just one week prior to the second recording date for the album. I sent them all an MP3 and we went to work on it at rehearsal two days before the show. John Pointer had a lot to do with directing the overall musical vibe of the tune, while each member of the band fiddled around until we came up with just the right parts. I owe a lot to them on this song! I gave them a shell and together they put a pearl in the oyster. That magic developed the title track to the CD!
17- when you compose, is it the music in your head first, lyrics, or both at once?
I'm an avid reader. I tend to read more non-fiction, historical, political and CIA type stuff. But every now and then, I read a novel, which tends to stir up my creative writing mind. Many of my songs were triggered by something I read. Or maybe it's just that reading other people's use of language and imagination wakes up my own writing mind. So, often, there is a line or a concept that I read or hear or it just appears for me somehow and that's where I begin. When that happens, I usually grab the Martin, poor a glass of wine (if it's 5 O'clock somewhere) and my notebook. The chords, the lyrics, the melody all happen at once, but I have to start with that one concept or phrase and then it takes off from there, usually happening very quickly.
18- wow...you do a cover of "Poetry Man", a semi-forgotten masterpiece by Phoebe Snow. I commend you on your taste in covers, Ms Snow looks down from heaven and applauds you,rest assured...why did you choose this, and what other covers do you do?
I thank you for the compliment. It's not easy to cover such a masterpiece. Phoebe Snow is alive and well, having released her live CD in 2008 and she is still performing sporadically around the country. When I moved to Austin in 1993 for University, my father dubbed the 1974 Phoebe Snow vinyl onto cassette. I spent countless days with my VW convertible top down, blasting Phoebe's record as loudly as that little cassette player could go. I was 19 years old, the record was 19 years old. Most of my vocal training was unofficial, having grown up in a musical family, thus it was focused more on country and big band. But my father's taste in music was incredibly influential. From him, I heard some of the best stuff out there from Sade and Steely Dan to Bonnie Raitt. When I received the cassette of Phoebe Snow, I immediately fell in love with her unique stylings. I think I trained myself to sing every note along with her at the top of my lungs with the wind in my hair! I would love to record an entire tribute album to Ms. Snow someday.
When I choose covers, I often do songs that feature my jazz voice and the part of me that's more cabaret, if you will. I have taken James Taylor's Steamroller Blues and turned it into a flirty, showy song. It depends, though, on where I'm performing it. There's a version on youtube of it with me and Carolyn Wonderland in Slovenia. I love to sing in Spanish, so I cover Quizas, Quizas, Quizas which was written by Osvaldo Ferres circa 1947 in Cuba. I do a cover of Kirsty MacCall's 'In These Shoes" which is a riot! I cover a lot of jazz standards, such as Summertime, having had my own jazz/swing band back in the 90's. As a matter of fact, we recorded each of these songs at the Saxon Pub, but I did not release them on the new CD. I plan to release them for download only sometime this year. There are, however, two other covers on the new CD. "Come on Funny Feelin'" is a Rodney Crowell song with more of a country twist and a positive message and there is "Good Ol' Boy" which was written for the Cones Sisters over 20 years ago. Although we're not sure who the writer was, I grew up hearing this song and decided to cut it on the CD. It's a sweet jazzy tune with an old-school catchy feel.
19- what is the quiet life of Ginger about? what do you do around town when you aren't living music ?Romance? pets?
I tend to live out loud on my blog, Facebook, Twitter and youtube, so there isn't much that is kept quiet. As a matter of fact one of my projects, which started as a hobby and has grown quite a following, is The Adventures of Jane and Ginger. You can see webisodes of international travel, interior design, friends, family and more. http://www.janeandginger.com. My little man and sidekick is Toni, my Mini-Schnauzer who appears often in the videos and is usually howling along to my song "Time To Move On" when he's allowed at the show. Ah, you ask of romance! My number one partner in crime is Jane Reece. The way I see it, the relationship I am in is not a specification for my sexuality. I'm a true lover of life and the people in it. I am a hopeless romantic who loves men and women equally and I abhor social definitions. I'm not insulted by titles, I'm frustrated with them because they tend to narrow a person into a restrictive box. And this Tiger-Scorpio doesn't like a cage!
I spend my time socializing with my friends who vary in demographics; male, female, young, old, gay, straight, religious, non-religious, none-of-the-above's. I gravitate toward open-minded people who have love and intelligence to offer to the world and who challenge my thinking and let me challenge theirs. I enjoy having people over to my house, cooking for them, drinking copious amounts of wine and doing interpretive dance to whatever song shows up on the player, usually led by Jane! Like adult teenagers allowing ourselves to be brave and silly. It's good to let loose and laugh. Otherwise, I tend to spend my days working too much, but I love every second of it. I educate myself with books, I write, I design, I edit video, I stay connected with people all over the world. If I choose to go out on the town, it usually involves going out to a nice dinner with friends or maybe rocking out to the well-done covers of Skyrocket.
20- who are your musical influences ?
As mentioned above, Phoebe Snow entered my life around 19 and had a major impact. Before that, I was turned on to so many styles of music by both sides of my family. Aside from my typical teenage love-affair with Madonna and Michael Jackson, I would listen for hours to the Judds, Sade, Bonnie Raitt. At some point in high school, I fell in love with Bette Midler's style of stage performance and dreamed of having the opportunity to put together that type of contemporary variety act. I would also say that Etta James has a lot to do with my vocal styling, but over all, hands down, my mother and two aunts were the biggest influences. That likely goes without saying, but I can honestly say that when I hear myself, I hear them. More in a vocal way, not in a musical genre way. But watching them my entire life showed me that making music is about the audience, it's about the listener and that person's experience. You must give your song, your story, your body, your emotions to them. It is for them that I sing.
21- who are your favorite Austin artists ,and what songs of their do like most?
I'm listening to Bob Schneider's new CD at the moment and love "The Bringdown". I'm full-heartedly blown away by John Pointer's talent, his intensity, and his genius. Dan Dyer's "Love Chain" is a hot song that sticks in my head all of the time. Of course, I adore the music produced by my sisters Patrice Pike, Wendy Colonna, Suzanna Choffel, Sarah Sharp, Carolyn Wonderland, Shelley King...There's no way I can narrow it down because they are all so uniquely different, prolific and wonderful. Talk about unique, how about Hedda Layne, who doesn't get the credit she deserves in Austin? Hedda's music is more electronically based and her voice is big and wild almost like Tina Turner meets Barbara Streisand. On her latest record there is a song titled "Stay" and it takes you to CHURCH!
22- last question...the toughest one... you are stranded on a desert island ,and as part of tribal rituals, you must choose a mate. There are only 5 available. Moe, Curly, Larry,Shemp, and Tila. Good luck!```````````
Well, Shemp was considered "The Ugliest Man in Hollywood," but I'm not all that superficial. What turns me off most about him is he had a major phobia of airplanes, automobiles, dogs, and water. I don't think I'd choose to mate with a man who would be terrified and not so good-lookin'!
Larry seems a bit to talkative and annoying to me. I'd probably get sick of his crazy hair and his non-stop jabber, so no thanks!
Moe was a natural born intellect who gave up his official studies for his love of acting. From what I know he was an avid reader with an impeccable memory. There's something certainly attractive about that!
But Curly was somewhat of an athlete. A strong man who apparently could also dance as well. There's something very cute about that shaved head. He seems like a big ol' lovey. I guess, though I'm not crazy about my choices, I'd choose Curly!
And Tila? I have no clue who that is.
A list of my URL's:
http://www.gleigh.com
http://www.itunes.com/gingerleigh
http://www.myspace.com/gingerleighband
http://www.youtube.com/gleigh
http://www.facebook.com/gingerleighband
" Better Than Well". Let's talk about this,because I spent some time listening to it and am impressed with a number of things. First question...who engineered this live recording? [ They did a masterful job ]
The entire process of recording "Better Than Well - Live at the Saxon" was quite a journey. We originally recorded in October, but things got a little crazy that day. There was a KUT awareness benefit called Twang Dang Doodle that got moved from Threadgills to Saxon due to rain. Every scheduled show at Saxon dropped off to allow for this to happen, but I said "No Way!" We had been promoting it pretty hard and I had camera crews and engineers ready for action. So we worked together to do the recording. The audience was there, supportive, and wild, but we weren't able to get all that we wanted due to time constraints. So, this caused us to have to record again a month later in November on a Monday night in lieu of Bob Schneider. My fans and friends came out in droves that night and brought a stadium worth of energy with them. The first night of recording I had Richard (long-time sound man at Saxon) handling the recording and my personal stage man, John Covington running the house sound, while Chris Burns was checking on the recording gear periodically to make sure all was well. The second night of recording, Steven Wills ran the house sound, while Chris Burns managed the recording. Chris Burns is a genius at mixing and mastering. Due to the fact that we had to push the release date out, Chris worked fast and furiously to mix the record, using pieces from both shows. He was absolutely wonderful to work with in the studio and I commend his ability to find the perfect balance and be incredibly efficient.
2- you play a number of venues all over God's creation. Why did you choose to record a live show at Saxon Pub here in Austin?
I've spent a lot of my career performing around the world, focusing outside of Austin, where a career-musician can actually make a decent living at music. But I've been based here since 1993 and have had periods locally where I held a residency at the Saxon Pub. It is a venue that I place in the top 5 favorites in the world. The sound is good, the stage is visible from most of the room. But more importantly it represents the core essence of Austin music. Part of my decision to record there was to attach (or re-attach) my name to the Austin music scene. I have been more concentrated on other parts of the world and figured it would be a strategic move to record there. In addition, I've somehow ended up with the reputation of being more of a rock musician, when in reality I've got a whole lot of Texas in my sound. There isn't a better place to help define a "Texas" sound than the almighty Saxon Pub!
3- tell us who plays in your band regularly, and who plays on the live cd. One and the same?
As is widely understood amongst Austin players, this is a musically incestuous town. We all share players, so I find it's very difficult to keep the same guys on stage at every show. Though I would prefer to have a consistent band, I have at least two people for each instrument upon whom I can call for shows. My closest man is Mark Williams (a.k.a Gumby) on bass and cello. He's been playing with me for a couple of years now and is on stage with me at 90% of my shows. But when he is out playing with Dan Dyer, I use Kris Brown on bass. Kris is also a front man of his own group and a great guitar player. They are both on the CD. Mark on bass, upright, and cello. Kris switching between electric guitar and bass. I also feature John Pointer on this new CD. He is an anomaly in his own right! John and I met and became close when studying together in Rome in 1996. When we returned to Austin, we began playing shows together, which lasted for a couple of years until I began performing in The Ginger & Sarah Band. Now many years later, I have Mr. Pointer back on stage with me. He is featured on the new CD on acoustic guitar, cello and vocals. He even throws in a little bit of his human beat box genius on "Best of Me". John and I have a connection that is indescribable and I am honored that he has chosen to work with me again. The most common rotating spot is the drummer. On the CD I have Frank Favacho, a short-lived love affair, as he has made a new year resolution to stay at home with his wife and children and stay off the stage. I'll miss playing with him, but I have some of the best drummers in town to take his spot. I've played for years with Nina Singh and Perry Drake. But the next few shows will feature Kevin Remme on drums. I look forward to that!
4- who IS Ginger Leigh? Where did she grow up as a kid?
Ginger Leigh is a Scorpio in Western astrology and a tiger in Eastern astrology! Though I really don't pay much head to that, it is certainly a strong-willed and adventurous combination which when reading descriptions of both, I see all of my traits as strongly as if they were written specifically for me. But who am I? There is a line in my song Jetstream that says it all "We are we are on the day we are born..." I was performing at a very young age. I was also very much into art. What I loved about both of those abilities was that I had something to give. I still feel that way. Creativity was a gift given to me and there's nothing better than to have the opportunity to turn around and share it with others. For as long as I can remember, I wanted to be successful in music. I didn't want the fame as much as I wanted to have a voice in the world, to be able to bring change to people's lives. As for the visual artist in me, my first project was when I was about 10 years old when a friend asked me to draw his grandfather for the sign on their family restaurant. It's still there today! I continue to create art, graphically. I have many clients for whom I design materials, websites, and so on. I mainly keep this going because it's like keeping up your chops on an instrument. I stay up-to-date with technology and what's hot and what's not in the world of Marketing. I work closely, for example, with a lot of clients and friends in the music business. I designed www.warrenhood.com amongst many others. I work for the Nancy Fly Agency designing promotional materials, T-shirts and Posters for Bruce Robison, Del Castillo, Patrice Pike and more. I also do a lot of design work for one of my closest friends and colleagues, Wendy Colonna. I handle a lot of graphic work and business dealings for Interior Designer, Jane Reece at R Designs. I love business. I have a strong balance in my brain between being an artist and a business woman. I tend to be a workaholic; atypical to most people's idea of musician, I am up as early as possible in the mornings and I get straight to work. As a child, I was exactly this. An early riser with a knack for performing, creating and scheming business ideas!
5- tell us about your upbringing.Who else is musically inclined,for example, in the family tree, and what age did you first get bitten by the music bug?
Music comes from my mother's side of the family. My Great-Grandfather was the bandleader for a Dixie Land band until he decided to settle down and raise a family. His one and only child was my grandmother, Jane Henry, who carried the musical gene from her father. At the age of 16 she had a live radio show based in San Antonio with her father accompanying her. Her big band, Jane and the Boyfriends, played at every hot spot imaginable. She was also the only known female vocalist to tour with Glen Gray's Casa Loma Orchestra. She and my grandfather, Jack Cones, married and had three beautiful daughters, Jill, Jann, and Jackie Cones, who also went on to be performers. Together the Cones Sisters (http://www.theconessisters.com) had a full-bloom career in Texas, with plenty of "almost famous" stories of back and forth to Nashville for a period of time I can remember as if it were yesterday. As children we grew up at all of their shows, back stage, on stage, in the audience. When I was 9, our parents helped us develop our first band, The Gospel Gang, which consisted of me, my cousin Mickey (10) on guitar and vocals, my brother Mark (12) on bass and vocals, and two friends of the family, Jimmy (7) on drums and vocals and Kirsten (9) on keyboards and vocals. We had a weekly rehearsal and played paying shows at parties and functions. Every time I hear the song "Don't it make my brown eyes blue...." I smile at the memories of singing that one over and over again at that age on stage while people who seemed very old to me (ha!) would dance. My cousin, Mickey Jack Cones, is now a successful producer in Nashville with whom I intend to record a single later this year.
6- what was your first musical instrument ?
Does playing the tambourine in the Gospel Gang count? Like many children, I took a handful of piano lessons, which I highly recommend to anyone as a first instrument. It helps you understand sheet music and how to compose harmonic chords and the such. We had a piano in the house, so I often found myself working out songs there, though I am no pianist! I didn't seriously pick up the guitar until I was a senior in high school when a friend and her family gave me my first guitar (which I still have) for high school graduation. I had taught myself most of the important chords on a borrowed guitar prior to that, but owning my own guitar gave me the opportunity to take it more seriously. I taught myself songs out of books such as 10,000 Maniacs and k.d. Lang. I also hacked away at writing my own songs, which in hindsight were awful! But at least I was trying.
7- speaking of musical instruments, let's chat about gear. What do you play on stage? Make,model of guitars, for ex, and is there a specific reason you choose them,is it tone, or neck action,and do you alternate instruments inyour live shows?...also, what mics do you prefer live, as opposed to studio? what make strings,and gauge do you use?
I would say I'm a stronger acoustic player than electric. I'm a very rhythmic guitarist and tend to beat the heck out of my guitar. I use medium gauge strings, but even still I tend to break them often. I prefer Martin guitars, though I love the beefy sounds of some of the Taylors and Gibsons out there. My hands are pretty small so I have always felt like the necks were to thick, maybe I just haven't tried enough of them, but in 2000 I bought a Martin with a smaller neck and which I played hard for many years. The cut-out is chewed up from the pick strumming and the back has holes in it from so much use. Just a few months ago, I set out to raise funds for a new Martin, which was successful because so many fans and friends pitched in to help get a new baby! I wouldn't have this new guitar if it weren't for those who believe in my music and know how important the gear is. My guitar is an extension of myself, like an addition to the body. I owe it all to them! I was able to get a D-16 Rosewood. It has a very bold and deep sound which resonates for days.
I also have a few electric guitars. Though I just sold my Gibson SG, I own and play a Fender Strat and a Schecter. I am not sure why I am so lucky, but both of them were gifts from very dear friends and I love playing them, not only for their sounds but also for the love that came with them when gifted to me. The Strat is fun to play when I want to bend the sound using the wammy bar. The Schecter is a semi-hollow body with multiple pick-ups and variations that create an incredibly full sound, allowing we to strum it more like an acoustic guitar. I play them through a Peavey Classic 30 tube amp, which is small in size but weighs a ton. Many of my colleagues including Patrice Pike and Suzanna Choffel play through the same amp. As for microphones, I always bring my own Shure 58 just because I don't really want to be making out with other strangers who used the same mic the night before! I run my microphone through a Boss Delay pedal and a Digitech Vocalist, which I call my "Step Sisters" because it creates harmonies of my voice when I stomp the pedal attached to it. It's very important to use vocal effects as infrequently as possible and choose to use it in the most tasteful way. But it adds a great deal of depth to a show, allowing me to add layers when necessary. I also own a cordless Sennheiser mic that I like to use when I do more jazz-oriented shows so that I can walk out into the audience, sit in laps or sing from atop the bar!
8- who does your tech work,i.e.,repairs your gear, and do you have a person who travels with you who does tech or roadie work?
The most recent work done on my Martin was by..........He is awesome and very affordable. He built Gumby's bass guitar and is incredibly knowledgeable and talented. Lately, John Covington has been stage managing for me, though we haven't had the pleasure of touring together yet.
9- let's talk amps. what do you use? Do you use a different amp at home as opposed to your live gigs?
I'm not a big "gear" person. I try to keep it very simple. So, no. The amp I mentioned in question # 7 is the only one I use. The Peavey Classic 30 does the trick every time! I've had others; Marshalls, Line 6's, etc, but I've either sold them or they were stolen. My favorite so far is the Peavey, hands down!
10- what do you record on at home when you compose?
If I'm being lazy, I use an M-Audio hand-held MP3 recorder. If I'm all set up, I either record directly to my computer via an M-Audio interface to Cubase or I use my Boss BR-1180 Digital 12-track recorder that I then output into Cubase for mixing.
11- what studio locally do you use, and who are your favorite engineers in town to work with?
My recent experience with Chris Burns at Burns Audio was outstanding! I haven't recorded in his studio yet, but I look forward to it. As an engineer, mixer and a Mastering man, I say he is one heck of a guy to be reckoned with! I have worked 2 records with Merel Bregante at his studio. He is an amazing engineer and has a plethora of microphones to work with. I've had Mark Hallman at Congress House do almost all of my mixing and mastering. He's a genius too! I've been very fortunate to work with a lot of great talent in Austin, including Spencer Gibb who co-produced "Charge Laughing" back in 2002.
12- I own a pirate radio station in Western Gambia. We are looking for Austin music to play and I need 5 songs from your entire rep...what are those 5, and why do you choose them?
From "Better Than Well - Live at the Saxon" I would have you spin the title track "Better Than Well" which is a mid-tempo feel good song with a catchy hook that makes people sing along. "Jetstream" is the second one I would choose. It has proven to be my fanbase's favorite new song. It's very emotive and epic. The third song would be "Rain Down" from the CD "Don't Be Shy", which is also very catchy with a simple groove and a ton of melodic sound. 4th, I would suggest Mexican Man from the CD "Sugar in My Coffee." Mexican Man was a surprise hit. I wrote it just for fun, not expecting to ever play it live. At one show, I chose to pull it out and the audience went nuts for it much to my surprise. It quickly became the most requested song at all of my shows no matter the demographic of the audience, nor the location. It's too long for regular radio, but you could spin it! And lastly, my anthem. "Charge Laughing" from the CD with the same title, is about taking life with positive stride. It's about throwing your head back and laughing about the blunders, the struggles, and the difficulties which will always present themselves. It is what we do with it that makes the difference.
13- name your other musical releases, titles, and year released.
Better Than Well - Live at the Saxon 2010
Don't Be Shy 2008
Sugar in My Coffee 2006
Vivo 2004
Charge Laughing 2002
Vera Takes the Cake (from The Ginger & Sarah Band) 2000
Do What You Will (from The Ginger & Sarah Band) 1998
GingerLady 1997
14- who would you love to work with locally that you haven't yet?
I have had so much fun working with a lot of my sister singers here. I tour often in Italy, which is like a second home to me, and have taken Trish Murphy, Patrice Pike, Wendy Colonna, and Carolyn Wonderland there for shows (I've also taken John Pointer, but he ain't no sister singer...He's my brother!). Carolyn and I should be back together in Italy this July. I would love to co-write and perform with Ruthie Foster and Bob Schneider, two of whom I think are uniquely talented and prolific. Bob's so darn smart and sexy that I would really enjoy seeing close-up how he works. I had always hoped to work with Stephen Bruton who was a friend. But unfortunately, we never had the chance.
15- name 4 Austin restaurants, and the dishes you love to order most there.
I'm an atmosphere gal! So I often choose my favorite places based on that AND good food. I really like the Paggi House, more for its atmosphere than the over-priced food, which is tasty but pricey. I like going there for a happy hour glass of wine and mussels and fries! I love Uchi for many reasons. I don't have one specific dish I order, rather I ask the waiter to decide for me. Every morsel of sushi is a journey for the taste buds. They blow my mind with some of the most delicate and creative food around! For lunch, I enjoy the Enoteca at Vespiao. Their pasta with truffles, mushroom, cream sauce is a decadent delight reserved for when I'm feeling skinny and can afford to take on the fat content! I love Italian food, but tend to be a bit of a snob about it, so authenticity is everything. I wish I could pick up The Venetian Hot Plate in Port Aransas and plop it down in Austin! Stellar food, but Vespiao does a pretty darn good job! Although Perry's Steakhouse is not locally owned (originated in Houston), I love the decor. They put in millions of dollars in the interior design, every surface was thoroughly thought out. The service is impeccable and the food delicious. Again, I'm a happy hour girl, so I love sitting at the bar with one of their specialty martinis (Grey Goose with one olive stuffed with blue cheese and the other olive stuffed with roasted garlic) - a meal in and of itself - and any of their bar menu items from tempura battered lobster to gourmet sliders to escargot done just right! Otherwise, I do a lot of cooking, so there isn't often the need to eat out!
16- the song" Better Than Well" has a really cool lyrical cadence to it. The guitar has some jazz inflections that work perfectly with the song. When you write a song like this, do you co-write with your band-mates, or do you write almost every part of the song, from lyrics to hooks to drum parts,bass,etc?
I typically do not write the parts for the band. They usually come up with their own parts. Sometimes, however, I write a song at home using drums loops to break me out of my habitual strum patterns. I'll record it and share it with the guys and they take it from there. I usually speak to them of the meaning of the song, the story or emotions I want to portray. That's the extent of my directions to them and they always follow up with the perfect soundscape for the song. Specifically, however with "Better Than Well," I had written it just one week prior to the second recording date for the album. I sent them all an MP3 and we went to work on it at rehearsal two days before the show. John Pointer had a lot to do with directing the overall musical vibe of the tune, while each member of the band fiddled around until we came up with just the right parts. I owe a lot to them on this song! I gave them a shell and together they put a pearl in the oyster. That magic developed the title track to the CD!
17- when you compose, is it the music in your head first, lyrics, or both at once?
I'm an avid reader. I tend to read more non-fiction, historical, political and CIA type stuff. But every now and then, I read a novel, which tends to stir up my creative writing mind. Many of my songs were triggered by something I read. Or maybe it's just that reading other people's use of language and imagination wakes up my own writing mind. So, often, there is a line or a concept that I read or hear or it just appears for me somehow and that's where I begin. When that happens, I usually grab the Martin, poor a glass of wine (if it's 5 O'clock somewhere) and my notebook. The chords, the lyrics, the melody all happen at once, but I have to start with that one concept or phrase and then it takes off from there, usually happening very quickly.
18- wow...you do a cover of "Poetry Man", a semi-forgotten masterpiece by Phoebe Snow. I commend you on your taste in covers, Ms Snow looks down from heaven and applauds you,rest assured...why did you choose this, and what other covers do you do?
I thank you for the compliment. It's not easy to cover such a masterpiece. Phoebe Snow is alive and well, having released her live CD in 2008 and she is still performing sporadically around the country. When I moved to Austin in 1993 for University, my father dubbed the 1974 Phoebe Snow vinyl onto cassette. I spent countless days with my VW convertible top down, blasting Phoebe's record as loudly as that little cassette player could go. I was 19 years old, the record was 19 years old. Most of my vocal training was unofficial, having grown up in a musical family, thus it was focused more on country and big band. But my father's taste in music was incredibly influential. From him, I heard some of the best stuff out there from Sade and Steely Dan to Bonnie Raitt. When I received the cassette of Phoebe Snow, I immediately fell in love with her unique stylings. I think I trained myself to sing every note along with her at the top of my lungs with the wind in my hair! I would love to record an entire tribute album to Ms. Snow someday.
When I choose covers, I often do songs that feature my jazz voice and the part of me that's more cabaret, if you will. I have taken James Taylor's Steamroller Blues and turned it into a flirty, showy song. It depends, though, on where I'm performing it. There's a version on youtube of it with me and Carolyn Wonderland in Slovenia. I love to sing in Spanish, so I cover Quizas, Quizas, Quizas which was written by Osvaldo Ferres circa 1947 in Cuba. I do a cover of Kirsty MacCall's 'In These Shoes" which is a riot! I cover a lot of jazz standards, such as Summertime, having had my own jazz/swing band back in the 90's. As a matter of fact, we recorded each of these songs at the Saxon Pub, but I did not release them on the new CD. I plan to release them for download only sometime this year. There are, however, two other covers on the new CD. "Come on Funny Feelin'" is a Rodney Crowell song with more of a country twist and a positive message and there is "Good Ol' Boy" which was written for the Cones Sisters over 20 years ago. Although we're not sure who the writer was, I grew up hearing this song and decided to cut it on the CD. It's a sweet jazzy tune with an old-school catchy feel.
19- what is the quiet life of Ginger about? what do you do around town when you aren't living music ?Romance? pets?
I tend to live out loud on my blog, Facebook, Twitter and youtube, so there isn't much that is kept quiet. As a matter of fact one of my projects, which started as a hobby and has grown quite a following, is The Adventures of Jane and Ginger. You can see webisodes of international travel, interior design, friends, family and more. http://www.janeandginger.com. My little man and sidekick is Toni, my Mini-Schnauzer who appears often in the videos and is usually howling along to my song "Time To Move On" when he's allowed at the show. Ah, you ask of romance! My number one partner in crime is Jane Reece. The way I see it, the relationship I am in is not a specification for my sexuality. I'm a true lover of life and the people in it. I am a hopeless romantic who loves men and women equally and I abhor social definitions. I'm not insulted by titles, I'm frustrated with them because they tend to narrow a person into a restrictive box. And this Tiger-Scorpio doesn't like a cage!
I spend my time socializing with my friends who vary in demographics; male, female, young, old, gay, straight, religious, non-religious, none-of-the-above's. I gravitate toward open-minded people who have love and intelligence to offer to the world and who challenge my thinking and let me challenge theirs. I enjoy having people over to my house, cooking for them, drinking copious amounts of wine and doing interpretive dance to whatever song shows up on the player, usually led by Jane! Like adult teenagers allowing ourselves to be brave and silly. It's good to let loose and laugh. Otherwise, I tend to spend my days working too much, but I love every second of it. I educate myself with books, I write, I design, I edit video, I stay connected with people all over the world. If I choose to go out on the town, it usually involves going out to a nice dinner with friends or maybe rocking out to the well-done covers of Skyrocket.
20- who are your musical influences ?
As mentioned above, Phoebe Snow entered my life around 19 and had a major impact. Before that, I was turned on to so many styles of music by both sides of my family. Aside from my typical teenage love-affair with Madonna and Michael Jackson, I would listen for hours to the Judds, Sade, Bonnie Raitt. At some point in high school, I fell in love with Bette Midler's style of stage performance and dreamed of having the opportunity to put together that type of contemporary variety act. I would also say that Etta James has a lot to do with my vocal styling, but over all, hands down, my mother and two aunts were the biggest influences. That likely goes without saying, but I can honestly say that when I hear myself, I hear them. More in a vocal way, not in a musical genre way. But watching them my entire life showed me that making music is about the audience, it's about the listener and that person's experience. You must give your song, your story, your body, your emotions to them. It is for them that I sing.
21- who are your favorite Austin artists ,and what songs of their do like most?
I'm listening to Bob Schneider's new CD at the moment and love "The Bringdown". I'm full-heartedly blown away by John Pointer's talent, his intensity, and his genius. Dan Dyer's "Love Chain" is a hot song that sticks in my head all of the time. Of course, I adore the music produced by my sisters Patrice Pike, Wendy Colonna, Suzanna Choffel, Sarah Sharp, Carolyn Wonderland, Shelley King...There's no way I can narrow it down because they are all so uniquely different, prolific and wonderful. Talk about unique, how about Hedda Layne, who doesn't get the credit she deserves in Austin? Hedda's music is more electronically based and her voice is big and wild almost like Tina Turner meets Barbara Streisand. On her latest record there is a song titled "Stay" and it takes you to CHURCH!
22- last question...the toughest one... you are stranded on a desert island ,and as part of tribal rituals, you must choose a mate. There are only 5 available. Moe, Curly, Larry,Shemp, and Tila. Good luck!```````````
Well, Shemp was considered "The Ugliest Man in Hollywood," but I'm not all that superficial. What turns me off most about him is he had a major phobia of airplanes, automobiles, dogs, and water. I don't think I'd choose to mate with a man who would be terrified and not so good-lookin'!
Larry seems a bit to talkative and annoying to me. I'd probably get sick of his crazy hair and his non-stop jabber, so no thanks!
Moe was a natural born intellect who gave up his official studies for his love of acting. From what I know he was an avid reader with an impeccable memory. There's something certainly attractive about that!
But Curly was somewhat of an athlete. A strong man who apparently could also dance as well. There's something very cute about that shaved head. He seems like a big ol' lovey. I guess, though I'm not crazy about my choices, I'd choose Curly!
And Tila? I have no clue who that is.
A list of my URL's:
http://www.gleigh.com
http://www.itunes.com/gingerleigh
http://www.myspace.com/gingerleighband
http://www.youtube.com/gleigh
http://www.facebook.com/gingerleighband
