Serena Jost: Who Says The Cello Is Not Cool

Serena Jost talks life as an Storyteller Cello player

Up To The Sky is due for April 2018

Interview conducted February 7, 2018

By Dan Locke

 

Serena Jost writes and performs songs that are at turns seductive, edgy, affecting, and otherworldly.  A dynamic singer and cellist with a hauntingly beautiful voice, she is a unique performer whose music evokes vivid emotional landscapes. She recently completed a new solo album of songs for voice and cello recorded at St. Peter’s Church in Chelsea, NYC. Recorded by  Adam Gold and mixed by Chris D. Butler in Brooklyn, Up To The Sky is due for April 2018 release. Her previous album, A Bird Will Sing, was produced by the legendary Anton Fier (Golden Palominos) and recorded with her band, Julian Maile, Rob Jost and Robert DiPietro.  Brad Albetta (Martha Wainwright) produced her debut, Closer Than Far.

Unratedmagazine: Tell me about your backgrounds? You grew-up between the Midwest and Switzerland.  How was that?  What was your childhood like?

Serena Jost : My parents are Swiss immigrants so I grew up as a Swiss Midwesterner. We spoke Swiss German at home and followed a lot of Swiss traditions and made regional food, all of that. But since we were in Michigan, I also identified with being a Midwesterner. I was always aware that I was more than “one” thing, and I think this really contributed to my sense of being both insider and outsider. I’m grateful to have spent so much time in Switzerland as a child and young person ~ and feel both European and American. Living in NYC really means you can be more of whatever you are, so I feel very at home here.

Tell me about how you found your cello?

My family took vacations in Northern Michigan in the Grand Traverse Bay area. We rented a cabin in Atwood right on Lake Michigan. As my family played music together, we sometimes gave mini-concerts for our hosts. The patriarch of that family was this amazing teacher, an elderly man named Stanley Smith. He mentioned that he had a cello in his basement, and we went downstairs, and there it was, wrapped in an old army blanket. It needed some work as it had been dormant for decades, but it’s a great cello, made probably around 1910. A few years ago, just before Mr. Smith died, I reached out to his daughter, Charlene, and found out more about the cello. This cello has always been pretty special.

How did you learn how to play cello?

I started in a public school music program. My brothers chose the violin, like our father, but I knew I wanted to play the beautiful big thing. We did Suzuki Method for awhile and then in middle school I started private lessons. I always loved the sound and physicality of the instrument. Playing an instrument is a lifelong learning and discovery process, so I’ve had a number of amazing teachers including Dorothy Lawson (Ethel) and did chamber music and jazz education programs. My parents were encouraging of my musical talent. But I think ultimately you have to find your own voice with anything, and playing with other people here in NYC really has been so important to my development.

Tell me about the development of your musical style?

When my family played music, I was often tired of the more simple bass lines, so started singing an additional line within the music to entertain myself. Later, as I played with bands like Rex (Southern Records) in NYC, I really felt like I wanted to write around the cello instead of playing the part of the sideman. And as I have always loved singing, I started to do both at the same time. It’s an amazing feeling, the blending of my own voice and the cello voice. I’ve also always been very athletic and love the challenges of coordination and doing distinct things at the same time. When it’s happening well, it’s true unity, since your cello touches your sternum.

What genre of music are you?

Can I be several things at the same time? I think that it’s hard to answer that question gracefully. My music shifts around a fair amount, sometimes it’s more folk, other times it’s quite experimental ~ we could maybe say it’s avant folk. Some people have said neo-renaissance, which is nice. I’m interested in all genres of music and really influenced by everything from indie music to world music to fine art to dance. Lots of different rhythms, grooves and harmonies. I go wherever I want, actually, really wherever the music takes me. I follow leads and seeds, it’s my mission to learn as much as possible about this unknown thing in the dark and to locate it and bring it forth. I like the idea of listeners bringing their own perspectives, too.

Serena love you as a member of Rasputina.  I saw you twice. How did you get into the band?

I had just arrived in New York and didn’t even have my cello with me yet. Someone I had just met offered to have my cello shipped to their address, his name is Bhaskar, and another person dropped by his house and asked who’s cello it was ~ and they were a friend of Melora’s. I’d actually come to the city to pursue visual art, so it was serendipitous. Rasputina was the first band I was ever in and really just the beginning of my path.

How did Rasputina pick their name?

As I recall, we were searching for a name and Rasputina member Julia Kent, an amazing cellist and very astute person, came up with the name. So perfect!

Also tell me about DJ duo scratch ‘n sniff

Well, one New Year’s Day, my good friend Cassis and I were having brunch, riffing, sort of just saying all kinds of things, and we came up with the idea of have a DJ project where we’d simultaneously be baking cookies. It was such a total blast to be part of! We “mixed” sounds and “mixed”cookie dough, baking the cookies in real time to the sounds that we were creating. We had a little toaster oven along with our gear ~ a super high energy situation because we were live mixing tracks from various sources while baking and giving away cookies at the same time. We toured a lot and had a lot of success in Europe, collaborating with other musicians including a string quartet for a gig at a castle.

How do you describe your music?

Making music for me is a spiritual quest, a search into the unknown. To be a musician is always to be at the beginning. When I write it can be separate from my thinking mind, as things come to me from the beyond. I think of ideas like birds flying by, they come, they go. Sometimes things come fully formed and more often, I start with something and work it a lot. You have to be willing to be lost. My music can be beautiful, sound sort of ancient or metaphysical, and can also be fun and playful. I hear people say my music is otherworldly, poetic, uplifting. My new record, Up To The Sky, is a solo cello and voice project. It was super profound to record it in Saint Peter’s Church, which was built in 1838, and to feel the many people who had been there over so much time. I also perform and record with my band, Julian Maile, Rob Jost and Robert DiPietro, all outstanding musicians, who also influence my sound and inspire me.

What type of music did you listen to growing up?

I heard a lot of classical music because I grew up in a college town, East Lansing, and Michigan State had an amazing array of concerts. We had some incredible classical musicians in our home (one of whom played Bach on my student cello which forever changed me). I sang in choir and some musicals and got into harmony singing with friends. My parents also listened to some jazz, but not too much mainstream music. One sound source for me was a shortwave radio that we had, I would take it to bed with me and hide it under my pillow, listening into the night. We didn’t have a TV so it was my portal. All kinds of music played on the stations, and I also spent a lot of time listening to languages that I couldn’t understand on that radio. I just love tuning in to the sound. In high school and at Earlham college I started listening to punk, rock, pop and even more international music. My college had a huge music library and so my palette exploded.

You are a storyteller whose lyrics grabs you.  What does it take to tell a story with music? Who influences you and why?

Thank you, that’s very nice. I have always loved writing and writers. Telling a story with music is different than simply telling a story. There’s a way to play around with meaning, it doesn’t have to be explicit because the music is also carrying meaning and message. I guess I’m not too into straight narrative, and that’s largely because I spend a lot of time with poets! I’ve been going to poetry readings for years, which really takes the lid off your head. I also read a lot. The beauty of songs is that the lyrics might be direct or just gently suggest a state or experience. I’m in love with songwriting because of the marriage of words and music, this place where writing and composition join to create imaginary worlds that become real.

How did you get to lead a 50 cello performance on Governor’s Island with co-composer/cellist Matthew Robinson in July of 2015?

I love that you know about that! Matthew (Opal Onyx) and I met and totally hit it off. He’s just amazing, not only as a player, but as a visionary artist. We had the idea and started with some musical frameworks. We built on that by inviting other cellists to join us on the magical island. It was a beautiful experience, cellos outside on a hill near an old fort. We might do it again…

How did you find your band members?

I have been extremely fortunate to play with many wonderful musicians, including Brad Albetta (Martha Wainwright) and countless others. My longtime band, Julian Maile (guitar; Losers Lounge), Rob Jost (bass; Tony Scherr, Ursa Minor) and Robert DiPietro (drums; Norah Jones, Ursa Minor) are a dream band. Julian has been with me the longest and Rob and Robert came after. We really have incredible chemistry. I can bring a song to rehearsal and they just drop into it and reveal it to me further. We don’t do things the same way each time and there’s always a sense of vitality, risk and exploration in our shows. I love them each for the sound they bring and adore them personally.

You tried out for NPR Tiny Desk how did that turn out?  And what did you learn?

It was a great experience. Rob and I did it the first time, playing Silver Star, and then I did a version of The Waves on guitar with a video filmed in my bathtub. Watching the videos on the Tiny Desk site, I learned that there a so many amazing creators out there!

For your Saint Peter’s Church recordings, you worked with Chris D. Butler and Adam D. Gold, how did you find them?

Adam Gold is married to my good friend Greta Gertler and I know them from the scene. Adam has an understated presence, very deep and tuned in, and so was incredible to record with. Chris Butler I met via Michelle Casillas (Ursa Minor) and he was just the right person to mix the project. We worked really well together and he’s got the most outstanding ears. He really understood where I’m coming from with this recording. It’s a record of a solo live performance which includes not only all the good things but also the rougher or more imperfect things that are happening. Butler understood that I wanted to keep it raw, vulnerable and honest and he brought out the best in the music.

How did Marie LeClaire end up making a video of “Almost Nothing”?

Marie is another friend and when I told her about my idea for the piece, she wanted to help make it. Jim Paul pointed us toward the location and helped out, too. We were a small but tight team. I painted the sheets in the video, they were hanging all over my living room!

You also play guitar.  What make model and year?

I mainly play a Blue Ridge Parlor guitar. It’s a BR-360, not sure of the year.

Any plans for any touring?

Yes! I’m really looking forward to touring Up To The Sky late Spring/early Summer 2018 in the US and Canada. I’ll be going to Europe and the UK in the fall, too. I love touring for concise periods, and enjoy meeting new people and having a different audience every night.

What type of clubs/places do you like to play in (size)?

With this record, I’ll be touring smaller clubs and also perform in churches and house concerts. Singing in a church is hard to beat and house concerts are such a great thing for musicians. You really get to stretch and people are there to listen. I love the freedom and the non-commercial setting. Venues are wonderful in a different way, because random people come to shows and usually you’re playing in places with very interesting histories. I love to play bigger places too.

What music fests would you like to play in?

I’d like to play UK music festivals, like the Cambridge Folk Festival and also get to Switzerland for some big shows. How about Coachella?!

Tell me about any endorsements you have and may how do got them?

I have zero endorsements. I would like a shoe endorsement! I’m available!

How would you explain your live performance?

I guess whether I’m performing solo or with my band, I try to connect with greater forces and stay open and present. Sometimes you catch special waves and things can be wild, fun, profound or soothing. A dynamic experience is the most important thing.

If someone was listening to you for the first time, what 3 videos or songs would you tell them to look/listen to and why?

The “Almost Nothing” video might be a nice place to start. Then how about my song “Stay”, a solo cello and voice song? There are versions of “Nearly Beautiful” both on my website (track) and on YouTube (Joe’s Pub video), another popular song.

Who is your favorite female singer and why?

Up there for me are Elis Regina, one of Brasil’s greatest treasures and just a complete virtuoso, and Sandy Denny for her soul and spirit connection. What about Joni Mitchell and Ella Fitzgerald, both pure genius? And opera singer Dame Janet Baker has utterly sublime tone and what about those with phrasing which just blows me away, like West African singer Oumou Sangare or Bjork? The list goes on, I guess I have many favorites!

How do you see your band in the next 5 years?

Making more music, having better opportunities to play and tour. Performing for more people in settings where I could do some stage shows would be wonderful! Leading the charge via music for causes that are important to me is something I dream of being able to do as we increase our momentum.

Any guilty pleasures your fans would be surprise you listen to?

I really love produced candy pop like Katy Perry. She’s awesome. I listen to salsa when I’m cooking and tune into “hot this, hot that” radio stations when I’m driving around NYC. I love my Shazam app for when I’m in CVS or another store just to see (whether it’s good or terribly bad!), what is this?

What is on your bucket list?

I’d like to travel more, get to places like India and Japan or the north of Canada where there are those incredible icebergs. I’d like to be in a position to set up an organization to benefit girls who are hit especially hard. Acquire some more cellos! Sing all time! Buy land and build a house, with a studio, not sure where yet, but I look forward to that. I’d like to do a full length performance piece where we create settings/environments for each song, a sort of dramatic song cycle. I’d love to work with a filmmaker on a soundtrack and collaborate with more great artists across different genres.

What is on your phone for music now?

A lot of different things: Arthur Russell, David Bowie, Thurdercat, Jupiter & Okwess, Left Banke, Linda Perhacs, Aquilo and my friend Zach Brock are recent plays.

Anything in closing you would like to say?

Thanks so much for this interview. It’s been really fun. I’d also like to thank all of the people who support my music. I’m especially grateful to people who come to live shows because music is really a collaboration between the audience and the performers. I’m so excited about this new recording because it’s unlike anything I’ve done before and I hope it will reach a lot of people.

Thank you for chatting with Unratedmagazine. DL

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