Janice Borla Vocalist

INTERVIEW Janice Borla Vocalist Interview with Janice Borla student profile. When we began eighteen years Taken by Jazz Improv ago, our participants were mostly adult. In recent JB: I have always been more interested in jazz years, we have seen much more interest on the as an instrumental art form, and so I’ve gravi- JI: Tell us about your creation of the Janice part of high school – and even middle school - tated to the jazz vocalists who improvise. Earlier Borla Vocal Jazz Camp? How has it grown? students, which I think reflects the progress insti- on it was Ella, Sarah Vaughan, Mel Torme, and How has it met, exceeded or fallen short of your tutional vocal jazz education has made in reach- Anita O’Day; then Mark Murphy, Al Jarreau, expectations? ing more students and in embracing the develop- Bobby McFerrin, Jay Clayton, Ursula Dudziak, ment of jazz improvisatory skills as a priority. It Judy Niemack. Not only are they great improvis- Janice Borla: The opportunity to create a work- also reflects a new generation of vocal jazz edu- ers, but they also tap into the instrumental jazz shop for jazz vocalists came for me in 1986, cators who themselves have jazz improvisatory repertoire itself. They have inspired me to follow when I was invited by the Saskatchewan School skills, and therefore encourage their own stu- that path, which in turn led to my delving deeper of the Arts to add a vocal component to its al- dents to seek further educational opportunities in into some of my favorite instrumental jazz im- ready existing instrumental jazz camp in Sas- that regard. Our growth has not been in the num- provisers – Miles Davis, Wayne Shorter, Bill katchewan, Canada. Within three years the en- ber of participants, but in the event itself. Over Evans, Herbie Hancock, Keith Jarrett, and Or- rollment had grown from 12 to nette Coleman. Now, I’m as 33, so I had to come up with a happy singing tunes without way to accommodate that many lyrics, functioning purely as a students. The result was the horn would. I’ve come to real- basic format that the camp still ize that I am really a “vocal follows today: a self-contained instrumentalist” – an instru- staff of faculty artists - three mentalist whose instrument is vocalists and eight additional my voice. Currently I am in- instrumentalists – accommodat- spired by the recordings of Joe ing up to three dozen partici- Lovano, John Abercrombie, pants with a weeklong curricu- John McLaughlin, John lum of workshop activities and Scofield, Dave Holland, Kenny nightly faculty performances, Werner, John Patitucci, Bill all tailored to the solo jazz Stewart, Dave Douglas, Chris vocalist. Realizing that it would Potter, and Scott Colley. work well here in the U.S., I presented the first camp under JI: Many believe that playing my own name here in 1989. At in clubs and learning on the that time high school and col- bandstand is an important way lege vocal jazz education was to develop one’s abilities as a focused on providing ensemble jazz artist. Could you talk experience, and I envisioned about the benefits and limita- the camp as a needed resource tions that the academic envi- for students to learn how to ronment provided for you in function as solo jazz vocalists, your earlier musical develop- with ample opportunity to ex- ment and aspirations? plore jazz improvisation. Part of its mission has always been JB: All of my musical training to “raise the bar” for aspiring was in the classical tradition: jazz vocalists - to regard them- first on keyboard, then as a selves as musicians willing to vocalist. While I grew up at a prepare and train and study and listen as any the years the nightly concerts have evolved into time when jazz was commonly heard in film other musician if they wish to engage in what is a full-scale concert series attended by the general scores and on television as well as recordings, I in essence an instrumental, improvisatory art public as well as camp participants. Each year didn’t really focus on singing jazz until after I’d form. We’ve enjoyed solid enrollment every our audience grows, as does community and finished school. That being said, there were as- year since. We limit our enrollment, to ensure civic support for the event. The Mayor of Naper- pects of my musical education that are crucial to that the student-instructor ratio remains low ville annually declares “Vocal Jazz Week” to my music now. I was fortunate to have access to enough for everyone to derive maximum benefit. coincide with the event. In 2003, its fifteenth excellent vocal training at an early age, so my Typically, we turn away students each year. The anniversary, it was honored with a featured on vocal technique is solid and automatic. I was present paradigm works so well that I’m not The News Hour with Jim Lehrer, broadcast na- also fortunate to study keyboard with a teacher really interested in expanding the enrollment. Its tionally on PBS. who stressed the study of harmony early on, so relatively small size promotes a tremendous my ears are totally accustomed to hearing chor- camaraderie among the students, who provide a JI: What jazz artists or recordings initially dal relationships – perhaps the most important lot of moral support for one another as they ex- sparked your interest in jazz, and how have you part of my preparation for jazz singing. Later, as periment with improvisation and new vocal ap- worked to incorporate those concepts into your a graduate student at the University of Illinois, I proaches. Over the years, I’ve seen a shift in our approach over the years? sang in a 12-voice touring chamber ensemble, V7N1 Jazz Improv ®, REPRINTED WITH PERMISSION www.jazzimprov.com the “Ineluctable Modality,” that performed venturous and the harmonic progressions less that an artist must remain true to his/her own avant-garde “new music” by such contemporary formulaic. To some extent the title of the CD personal artistic vision regardless of the critical composers as Mauricio Kagel, Morgan Powell refers to my fondness for angular melodies. The outcome. Even highly-respected critics view the and Iannis Xenakis. I gained lots of experience material I selected for this project runs the gamut music through the lens of their own experiences singing with straight tone and a variety of impro- from the bop lines like Parker’s “Segment” and and tastes, while the creative artist is ever inter- visatory approaches, and I’ve retained a taste for Monk’s “Ask Me Now,” to Frank Foster’s sin- ested in stretching the range of vision for us all. I experimental music ever since. ewy “Simone,” Kenny Wheeler’s “Gentle released Agents of Change, an album with a Piece,” Jeff Beal’s “Jazz Habit,” as well as my decidedly instrumental, improvisatory bent at a JI: Could you share your experiences and com- own “Askew In the Cradle.” I think I’ve been time when jazz vocal releases, ostensibly mar- pare or contrast the leadership styles of several singing melodies like these for years, but the keted for mass appeal, remained largely en- of the artists with whom you worked – Clark shift here is that I realized that I love singing sconced in the vocalist-sings-standards approach Terry, Charlie Haden, Terry Gibbs? instrumental tunes without lyrics, and I decided and left improvisation to the instrumentalists. So to follow that impulse. So of the ten tracks, six I knew I was bucking the tide, and wasn’t sure JB: Actually, these are musicians with whom are sung as wordless vocals. Guitarist John anyone would “get” what I was doing, or care. I’ve worked during specific events, rather than Mclean, who also functioned as producer, took But I wanted to make this album purely as an being a “sideman” in their bands, so I can’t nec- the ball and ran with it. Knowing that I wished to artistic statement, a documentation of where I essarily address their leadership styles. That may participate as an equal member of the ensemble was musically at that point. So it was especially be one of the biggest disadvantages of being a rather than merely as a solo voice with accompa- gratifying to receive critical praise for the things vocalist: you aren’t as a rule hired by a leader as niment, he created several arrangements for the about my music that were most important to me. a side-person unless the gig calls specifically for project, including the opening track of “Alone In fact, jazz journalists with whom I discussed a vocalist. Consequently it’s a challenge to gain Together,” that embedded me more deeply into the album remarked that it was selected for re- the gigging experience that the average jazz the tunes than is customary for a typical vocal view in part because of its departure from the instrumentalist gets, the period of recording. Voice interacts in various ways with norm. For me, it was a “pure act,” a matter of “apprenticeship” that young players typically Art Davis’ trumpet or John’s guitar – unisons, having enough faith in my own artistic abilities spend working with an established leader. By counterpoint, improvised duets – with plenty of and instincts to just relax and do what felt right and large, a vocalist must lead his or her own blowing space throughout. Pianist Dan Haerle, for me. group in order to work. bassist Bob Bowman, and drummer Jack Mouse, who have played together as a trio for years JI: You’ve recorded for several labels, including JI: Could you cite one or more key understand- despite their geographic disparity, are all highly DMP and Sea Breeze.

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