Thank you for taking this interview! How did you come up with your stage name?
My stage name is my REAL name! My formal name is Elizabeth and my Mom made sure I was called Lizzie and not Liz growing up. My middle name is Thomas, as this is my Mom’s maiden name. I have always felt very connected to Elizabeth for it’s queenly nature and Thomas for its down to earth nature!
What should new fans be listening to right now of yours?
My latest album New Sounds from the Jazz Age features incredible musicians including Russell Malone on guitar. Check out the dynamic sound together on “Our Love is Here to Stay,” “I Didn’t Know about You” and “You’d be so Nice to come home.” I also love my latest videos on Youtube from my return to TRIAD THeater show featuring “I didn’t know about You” & “Rainbow Connection.” And YES- that’s the Kermit the Frog song!
Can you take us through how it came to be?
My Latest release NSFTJA has a unique recording style. In the recording studio we recreated a “vintage” recording technique, to set up all instruments including the vocalist in the same room with no headphones, no separation or no booths. This approach was used during the 1930’s-thru early 1960’s in order to achieve a swingin’ live room sound. Recording this way enables you feel each other’s energy and have authentic musical conversations with one another. That’s the Magic! The main challenge with this setup is that you can’t go back after recording and re-record vocals or an instrumental solo aka “overdubs.” You have to be surrounded by the Best musicians- players with incredible intonation, timing, and freedom of expression on their instrument. And we achieved just that Sound.
Can you chat with us about what you’re excited about right now?
Oh gosh, there’s a lot of excitement. I’m generally a very positive person. There is a new energy to my musical delivery on stage and that excites me. Currently, I’m preparing for a Holiday Show on DEC 17th and there are lots of new songs and arrangements I’m working on. I will present many of my songs from my album Santa Baby in a fresh new way. I am excited about the relationships in my life and how they continue to develop and manifest incredible support and love. I just launched a Jazz Lifestyle brand called the Jazz Diva Collection which celebrates, and honors the women in Jazz. I personally wanted to not only sing and listen to this great American music, but I wanted to surround myself with Jazz. So I designed a fashion line with original contour drawings of the Jazz Divas: Billie, Nina, Ella, and even herself. The collection includes loungewear, cinched bags, and scented candles. Imagine this, you come home, put on your Nina loungewear, light the candle “Evening Jazz” , sit back and enjoy the aromas of clove & palo santo while listening to Billie Holiday. This collection is fashionable, comfortable and pays homage to these great female artists who shaped the sound that we call Jazz.
How often are you making new music?
I am working on some form of my musicality daily. When it comes to writing new music, that is creativity and inspiration. When it strikes you better be ready! It can happen at any point and I use voice memos alot to record thoughts and different ideas. As a Jazz vocalist, I listen to music from instrumentalists( I really like trumpet players), and singers new and old. I work on new songs according to my inspiration and consider the learning of a song never completed. That’s the thing about Jazz that makes it so incredible. “I can sing the same tune for the rest of my life and never sing it the same way. That’s freedom, that’s provocative – that’s jazz.” The idea is that you’re bringing all your experiences and learning to the tune each time you sing it. So it is ever changing according to your maturity and development as a woman and as a singer.
How are you keeping focused when there is so much to do!
I ask myself everyday “what is needed today to become who I want to be tomorrow.” Sometimes this is learning a vocalese solo, other days this is playing Bach inventions, and other days this might simply be resting. I believe in the power of visualization and planning. I am a very detailed creative artist and when it comes to an upcoming show or dream, I prepare by goal writing and rehearsing. Basically, doing the work. Somedays this kind of work can be boring and very demanding. But I love rising to the occasion and when I’m on stage, I can relax, enjoy and transfer all that energy into the music and my audience. That is where all the magic happens and the hard work pays off.
What is a dream of yours that you one day want to attain?
My dream is to travel the world and sing.
For Press Inquiries: bsquaredmgmt@gmail.com
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