Features
Interview With Janet Evra: The Bass, Gear, Languages, Joni Mitchell, and More
Photo courtesy of Janet Evra
Janet Evra is a vocalist, bassist, guitarist, songwriter, and bandleader. She sings in English, Spanish, Portuguese, and French and performs in jazz, indie jazz, French jazz, bossa nova, samba, and Latin jazz styles. She lives in St. Louis and is the Artist in Residence at The Sheldon Concert Hall. She released two albums in 2024: an all-original album, “Kiss Me and You’ll Find Out,” and a bossa nova standards album, “Love in Rio,” with saxophonist Chad LB as her special guest (both albums on Plum Jazz Records). She is currently working on arrangements for her next record.
KB: Did you always want to be a singer and musician growing up?
Yes, absolutely. I’ve always loved to sing. I started on piano and cello as a child, and then got into guitar in secondary school. I learned bass as an adult and fell in love with it.
KB: The Bass… Why did you pick this instrument? What is so special about it?
I love playing the bass as a vocalist because I get to create and control the vocal melody at the top of the song and the bass at the bottom. That counterpoint is really satisfying!
KB: Which basses have you used in your career, and which one are you using now?
I bought a secondhand student 3/4 bass about ten years ago to learn on, and over the years we’ve become good friends – ha! A few years ago, a local luthier replaced the bridge and gave it a new setup. I’m not sure what the brand is. When I fly out to play festivals, I enjoy trying out fancy basses provided as backline, but I haven’t tried one yet that I’d be willing to commit to for the price!
KB: Which gear and equipment do you use with the bass?
I’m a Fishman gal. I have a Fishman Full Circle pickup on the bass, and I tour with a Fishman Platinum Stage EQ so I can set and control my tone a bit from the stage.
KB: How would you describe your music and why should people listen to it?
I call my music “singer-songwriter jazz” or “indie jazz”. I use a lot of jazz harmony and Latin/bossa/afrocuban rhythms, and I like to include solo sections and sometimes “heads”, but I use more “pop” or “indie” song structures. Lyrics are at the heart of my music too – each song tells its own story.
KB: You sing in several languages… When did you start doing that, and do you speak the languages too?
I have always loved languages. I was born and raised in England, and I learned French in school. In the UK, it’s easy to pop over to Europe; I went on holiday to France with my family many times and practiced my conversational skills! I also learned a bit of Spanish and Portuguese. Now I enjoy singing in all these languages… each has a unique flavour that complements the music.
KB: Are there artists you would love to collaborate with or wish you had?
Well, Joni Mitchell is my all-time favorite artist. She’s done some amazing collaborations with jazz musicians… and, of course, Jaco Pastorius played on several of her albums. If I could collaborate with anyone on the planet, it would be Joni.
KB: Who are some of your favorite bassists?
As a singer and a bassist, of course, I love Esperanza Spalding. I’ve had the opportunity to collaborate with two of my other favorite bassists, Marcus Miller and Mohini Dey; I co-produce a social media video series called “St. Louis Music Box”, and I’ve had them both on as special guests. (On Youtube – St. Louis Music Box feat Marcus Miller “Ooo Child” and St. Louis Music Box feat Mohini Dey “Get Down on It”). Marcus and Mohini are both amazing, of course. And then Edgar Meyer… that record he did with Bela Fleck, “Music for Two”, is one of my favourite records. And there are so many more!
KB: What is your approach to writing songs, and bass lines in particular?
It really depends. Sometimes I’ll discover a bass line that I like, and I’ll build it into a groove, then add a chord progression, then a melody, then lyrics… Other times, a lyric will pop into mind, and I’ll start there and sort of work backwards, building a song to support it. For example, one time I just thought of the lyric: “I like to write love songs at one in the morning”. Just poof, there it was! And I thought, I like that, let’s write a song about staying up late and writing songs.
KB: What are you currently up to?
I live in St. Louis, and I’m the Artist in Residence at The Sheldon Concert Hall. I tour in the USA and Europe, and I’m in the studio a lot. In 2024, I released two albums: an all-original album, “Kiss Me and You’ll Find Out,” and a bossa nova standards album, “Love in Rio,” with saxophonist Chad LB as my special guest (both albums on Plum Jazz Records). Now I’m working on arrangements for my next record.
KB: What are some of your favorite or most memorable shows/gigs?
I love the concerts I’m doing through my residency at The Sheldon. But in general, I love big festival gigs. I love performing, of course, but I also love the “small world” experience and the feeling of camaraderie and community with the other musicians at festivals. I remember two years ago I played the Rochester International Jazz Festival, and the van picked us up at the airport and dropped us off at the hotel, and the guy in front of us checking in was Randy Brecker. I’ve recorded and performed with Randy before, so I said, “Hey Randy!” and he said, “Hey Janet!” and it was so cheery. That sort of thing happens a lot.
KB: Is there anything else you’d like to add?
Thank you so much, Karen and Bass Musician Magazine, for this lovely interview!