Interview with Janis Siegel of The Manhattan Transfer. An interview by email in writing.

Dear readers, get to know more about our US/EU Jazz – Blues Festivals and the activities of our US/EU Jazz – Blues Association in the capitals of Europe, we will soon publish program for 2024, enjoy in the July – August – Brussels, Berlin, Prague, Warsaw, Sofia, new addreses this year, also in Amsterdam, Budapest.

JB: – First, let’s start out with where you grew up, and what got you interested in music. How exactly did your adventure take off? When did you realize that this was a passion you could make a living out of?

Janis Siegel: – I grew up in Brooklyn NY,in the Flatbush area .At home we listened to the AM radio mainly, but at that time in NY one could hear many different and varied styles of music -pop, Motown, Great American songbook , Latin , world for instance . I started singing professionally at the age of 12 ,when an aunt gave me a guitar as a present. We made several 45s , did local gigs , played and arranged our music.

JB: – How has your sound evolved over time? What have you been doing to find and develop your own sound?

JS: – I don’t know whether or not you’re referring to The Manhattan Transfer’s sound or my personal sound. For my own sound, I approach this physically and mentally and spiritually. Exercise, finding enjoyment in the music, and looking for songs and lyrics that mean something to me. For our group sound, it comes in selecting songs together, shedding them, and finding something new through each other’s eyes and ears.

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JB: – What routine practices or exercises have you developed to maintain and improve your current musical proficiency, in terms of both rhythm and harmony?

JS: – I am very curious about other cultures’ musical styles and so have taken a deep dive into Brazilian and Latin music . This has taken me into studies of different languages and striving to be authentic in these various styles of rhythm and harmony.

JB: – How do you prepare for your recordings and performances to help you maintain both spiritual and musical stamina?

JS: – We all shed our individual parts as much as we can before we head in to record. And if we’re lucky, we get a day or two of solid vocal rehearsal as well. Stamina on the road is something we take very seriously … personally, I work assiduously on my cardiovascular health, balance and my flexibility . I also study with a voice teacher and warm up before performing or recording.

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JB: – In your opinion, what’s the balance in music between intellect and soul?

JS: – I feel they pleasantly collide to create ‘heart.’ The heart reaches both of these, I believe. The intellect is sparked by the more heady songs (various Vocalese) whereas the pure emotional songs that move us as the singers, (which are all of them) goes straight to the heart and soul. The soul is transformed and somehow moved to music in general. We need healing and I believe many of us gravitate to music to escape or soothe.

JB: – There’s a two-way relationship between audience and artist; are you okay with delivering people the emotion they long for?

JS: – Absolutely. It’s a natural give and take. It’s not forced, it just happens.

JB: – How can we get young people interested in jazz when most of standard tunes are half a century old?

JS: – They are called Standards for a reason. For me, it is the first thing I request of them. Listening to the great singers that came before them is vital I feel. When I teach, or any of us, teach surprisingly, most of the young singers are exposed to the pure jazz/Great American Songbook (jazz, being a more refined, interpreted form of music) , I feel , it comes with age. and ripens.They tend to copy jazz singers and scatting of the greats, and that’s fine. Means they gravitate to it.. It needs an understanding of chord progressions though and I see many, many young singers are getting educated in music Academys, to learn theory and deeply understand the music …They are rising up…

JB: – John Coltrane once said that music was his spirit. How do you perceive the spirit and the meaning of life?

JS: – A lifelong quest/journey to find peace, contentment, and mindfulness within yourself.

JB: – If you could change one single thing in the musical world and that would become reality, what would that be?

JS: – If I could change one thing in the musical world, it would be the importance/influence the business aspects play in music reaching people, be it recorded or live performance.

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JB: – Whom do you find yourself listening to these days?

JS: – I am currently obsessed with the band Young Gun Sliver Fox, a bit of a throwback to the soft rock era or the late 70s/early 80s…. AND the latest Kurt Elling/Charlie Hunter project!

JB: – Let’s take a trip with a time machine: where and why would you really want to go?

JS: – I would want to go on the first solo voice tour of Bobby McFerrin as it would be amazing to hear him developing the ideas for that type of performance.

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Interview by  Elléa Beauchêne