Peter Wockner interview with singer, pianist and composer Sarah McKenzie 29th September 2014

Historical article recovered from a Wayback capture dated 2018-02-24.

Peter Wockner:

Can you mark the moment in time when you decided to seriously pursue singing as a career?

Sarah McKenzie:

I heard Oscar Peterson play Night Train at the age of 13 and something in me resonated with the music. In that moment I thought, if I could copy Oscars playing exactly note for note I could be a great world class musician! That was a little naive in my thinking, but not so far from the truth… Transcription is one of the best ways to learn the language of Jazz.

PW:

What or who turned you on to jazz?

SM:

My Australian Rock and Roll piano teacher Peter Thompson and Oscar Peterson.

PW:

Who do you count as the major influences on your singing style? Are they necessarily vocalists?

SM:

At first my love of singing came from my love of the piano players; Oscar Peterson, Gene Harris, Kenny Barron and Bill Evans. Now I count my singing inspiration from musicians like Shirley Horn, Sarah Vaughan and Dianne Reeves. They were masters of the voice, just as much so as any instrumentalist. They worked on their voice every day. Singing is a craft.

PW:

You were successful in winning the Best Jazz Album in the 2012 ARIA awards. How important is this kind of recognition?

SM:

It is an honour to be recognised for any body of work, and I certainly worked hard to bring ‘Close Your Eyes To Life’ It is an honour and it is very important. It is also important to keep growing and learning, and acknowledging that music is not about winning awards. It is a deep journey.

PW:

What are the most important elements for you in interpreting a song?

SM:

Technique - having the freedom to artistically get the notes you need to interpret the song Since coming to America I practise long tones/scales/arpeggios/studies 45 minimum every day so that I can rely on my instrument.

Colour - the voice uses the breath so many different colours of sound can be created. Nasal, glottal, breathy, clean etc. These are tools at a vocalists disposal. What kind of colour will best deliver the meaning of this phrase?

Phrasing - Which words will you emphasise in a phrase to convey the meaning you are trying to get across? “I am a fool in love” for example, I would have ‘fool’ elongated, made slightly breathy so as to really make you believe I am that fool in love. You have to make people believe.

You cannot rely on a ‘voice’ alone. For the truth, the real ‘voice’ is in the mastery of the artist.

PW:

Can you describe the process for you when writing a song? Is it lyrics before melody or does it come out hand in hand?

SM:

My songs are usually written from my tiny apartment in downtown Boston. I have a keyboard that looks over a parking lot. But it’s a nice parking lot! I always let the song come to me. I never write the song. If it does not come, I do not write.

I usually hear the melody and chords first and almost at the same time let the words fall from my mouth. Writing is the one time I don’t over think anything. Writing and drawing.

PW:

I know some songwriters who work and re-work the bones of their material over long periods of time? Does it come easy to you?

SM:

Songs usually come in a burst of inspiration. That doesn’t mean they are complete. These days I will have the song within an hour or two. Then, it becomes like a building. You have all the elements, the inspiration is gone, and now you have to construct and work to make the sentences tell the story in the most logical and beautiful way you can. That is the art of it that takes a little more time. It’s like having an editor look at your work I guess. For me there is a difference between the two. The inspiration and the construction. Inspiration is fleeting, construction is how it will last.

PW:

What is your take on how jazz is perceived generally by your generation?

SM:

Ha! Probably a whole bunch of notes strung together with a funny sounding beat! Well, that beat is called Swing.

I think Jazz is just a word really for ‘freedom of expression’. It is a genre that crosses age boundaries and because it is ultimately about expressing yourself freely, there will always be people feeling mysteriously drawn to it despite their age or generation.

PW:

What can we expect from your Sydney Sound Lounge performance?

SM:

A lot has happened to me during my last two years in America. So, as a result a lot has happened to the music. It is most important that I connect with audiences and really tell the stories I am bringing to life in a deep and authentic way. Audiences can expect a performance steeped in tradition, but with a fresh approach to the stories of my life.

PW:

Despite the prevalence of female jazz singers, jazz on the whole is a very masculine art form and is still very much dominated by males. This seems to be changing albeit very slowly. How do you feel about that? Do you ever encounter anything but equality on the bandstand?

SM:

I am very passionate about equal rights. I guess you could call me a feminist too, but ultimately all I want is to see everybody treat each other in an honest and respectful way. Only in embracing each other and celebrating our unique differences will we ever truly be equal.

On the bandstand I only ever want to connect to my audience, my band mates and something that is much greater then myself. Those are my only encounters on the bandstand.

PW:

You are now based in Boston. Do you have any medium term goals for your career?

SM:

Search for a deeper connection in my music. At the moment I’m reading Ralph Ellison and studying other Black African American literature to get a deeper understanding of the music I am identifying with. The blues is a big part of my sound and I want to make sure I am being authentic and really understanding the pain and the place from which it came.

I always have several projects at the one time so as to not get bored. I am also about to research the life and Music of Shirley Horn from a concert series next year and I am also talking to an arranger for some POPs Orchestrations.

In the short term I will be flying between Boston and L.A to meet with different labels and also a legendary producer I cannot reveal yet. Many great adventures in the pipeline.