With her album of covers, Born in Time, now out, it seemed the perfect time to catch up with Racelle Garniez to find out about her influences, her start in music, travels and collaborations, and everything else that makes her one of the most eclectic, interesting and exciting music makers working today.
Hi Rachelle. Can we start with a bit of background? Can you tell me about how you started in music, your early European travels, and the path that has brought you to where we find you today?
Hey hi! Thank you for the interview! Music has been an integral part of my life since before day one. My mother is a classical pianist who’s also heavily involved with chamber music and ear training and worked closely with singers, still going strong at almost 90 years of age.
I’ve been singing and playing piano and guitar and whatever feels right for as long as I can remember. I was fortunate to have been exposed to a fantastic collection of albums, including the original Three Penny Opera but also Lotte Lenya, Duke Ellington, Scott Joplin, Stravinsky, Odetta, Bulgarian folk singers, musical theater cast albums, and more. I grew up going to musical theater, classical concerts, plays, dance performances, and poetry readings. I was really lucky that way.
Being a bit of an oddball to say the least, I had no interest in pursuing any kind of formal training, and from a young age was drawn to listening to the radio. Like Lou Reed says in the song, my life was saved by rock-n-roll, and by other stuff too, because I’ve always been interested in all kinds of music and was lucky enough to have access to excellent and eclectic radio programming that was available on the 1970’s and ‘80s New York City bandwidths. Punk rock, disco, 1920’s classics, it was all there. I originally dreamed of becoming a fiction writer, but realized that the isolation was not going to be healthy for my brain and that it was time to light out into the world for a while.
My father’s family lived in Brussels and Paris, which offered some home bases during a year spent mostly traveling around Europe and eventually picking up a guitar. I was 17. My first real busking experience happened accidentally in Venice during the Carnival, playing with a young woman harpist. It was fantastic on so many levels, and we made a lot of money too. Upon returning to NYC, a couple of years later, I picked up an accordion as a joke to do a performance at Danceteria. I like to say the joke backfired. The instrument became weirdly popular at that very moment, and I was earning a living well before I could actually play it. I like being thrown into the deep end and endeavor to keep some of that feeling going consistently in terms of playing and singing.
You have collaborated and performed with a host of famous names, not least Jack White and Thomas Dolby, and had your songs covered by numerous artists. What has been the most exciting or perhaps unexpected moment in such circles?
Trash Pop goddess Palmyra Delran and I made a punk pop children’s album of original songs some years ago called KinderAngst. We created a warning label for the cover, explaining that adults might not understand some of the subject matter, all a bit tongue in cheek. We had a blast making the record. It’s geared toward kids who rock and to the inner problem child that resides in most of the most interesting adults. We covered a Debbie Harry song, and she made a cameo appearance singing lead on the track. Recording background vocals blending along with her voice was an absolutely surreal experience, given the countless hours I spent as a teenager passionately singing along to every song on Parallel Lines – sometimes in harmony – which, in my opinion, is one of the best records ever made.
As you are known mainly as an original artist, what made you want to release Born in Time, an album of largely covers, and why did the time feel right to do so now?
I’ve been working with producer Andrew Morse on and off for many years; we’ve made several recordings together, and he’s been a real champion for me, as he has been for so many musicians. Andrew approached me a while back with the idea of making this album, with a list of songs he had chosen, most of which I’d never considered, some of which were familiar friends, a couple of my originals thrown in, too. He asked if I had any other tunes in mind that would fit the feel, old-time, melodic, melancholy, and humorous all at once. I chose a couple that I’d loved forever, and then some brand new choices fell right into place. The album is a real collaborative undertaking.
Andrew has a way of appearing in my life when the time is right. I hadn’t been writing as much for the past couple of years, so being presented with this beautiful collection of classics to dive into truly served as a catalyst, an inspiration to start creating more songs. It’s like being handed a bouquet of mind-expanding flowers.
How hard was it to choose which songs made it onto the album, and have you opted for faithful renditions or found new ways to interpret them?
There were only a couple we recorded that didn’t make the cut. I never ever imagined I’d be singing a Bob Dylan song, just because it’s all a little bit too cult-like for my taste, and some of the lyrics about women are really tired. But he is one of Andrew’s great heroes, so I gave it a shot. It’s a cool song because there are several versions with alternate lyrics, and this is appealing as it takes away from the usual sacred Gospel-like canonization of his lyrics. I messed around with the feel to locate it on a swampy New Orleans alleyway – an idea that Andrew initially detested – and it became one of my favorites on the record, and was perfectly suited to be the title track.
There is definitely a classic retro jazz element to the feel of the record, though some of the songs stay true to the original feel, such as “I’ll Never Be the Same” and “Lilac Wine,” which are songs so perfectly made that there’s absolutely no reason to tinker with them. Others, like “Sheltering Palms” and “Raglan Road,” were re-grooved and reharmonized just a touch, adding some flavor and color to the mix.
Andrew put together the rhythm section of Paul Nowinski and Charley Drayton and asked me to select a piano player. Jon Cowherd was my first choice, and luckily, he was available. We recorded everything live at the legendary Sear Sound studio in New York, one of the last classic studios left standing. John Sneider came in later and added a super vibey trumpet. All of the musicians are superb, a real treat to collaborate with them. I got a big kick out of singing in French, as it is my first language. It was especially satisfying to cover the two classic cuts, “Je Cherche Un Homme” and “C’est Si Bon,” both of which were Andrew’s picks.
You are also in a band that has a unique take on the music of Tom Waits. How did that come about, and who else is involved?
VKB Band aka Vicki Kristina Barcelona Band is a trio along with fantastically cool wonderful singer-songwriters-instrumentalists Amanda Homi and Kirsten Thien. I joined after Joy Askew, the original keyboard player, left the band. Terry Radigan was in the guitar chair at the time; she was followed by Mamie Minch, who still sometimes plays with us. Kirsten is the official guitarist. We are dedicated to what we refer to as redecorating the songs of Tom Waits, and we always make sure to credit his co-writer Kathleen Brennan, most of the songs we play are written by her as well.
Amanda, Kirsten, and I come from vastly different musical backgrounds and bring a diverse array of influences into our arrangement ideas. Our sets generally include an original by each of us, which sets the band apart from being a typical tribute or cover band. The main attraction of our sound is gorgeous and glorious three-part harmony singing. And we draw from a treasure trove of multiple and unexpected instruments. Plus, we put on a really good show!
Given that you have already worked with many well-known and well-respected musicians, is there anyone on your wish list that you hope to work with one day?
Oh gosh. So hard to pick one, and so many on that list that are no longer alive on the planet! At this very moment, I’d like to sing a duet with Miley Cyrus. I loved her backyard session videos. To make some music with Brian Eno would be a real wish/bucket list experience.
Are there any plans to tour the songs you recorded for Born in Time, or will they find their way into the regular live set when the time feels right?
The songs are indeed weaving their way into my set lists, and they seem very happy about that! There is definitely a plan in the works with the intention of crossing over from my usual alternative Cabaret haunts into the more mainstream jazz circles. It seems like there is a bit more fluidity in the world of genres these days, which is a good thing.
And finally, where do things go next? What plans and hopes do you have for the future?
So many hopes and dreams, they’re always intertwined, and many have yet to be revealed. I’m always down for writing songs for specific artists and specific voices. I’m a huge fan of Cecile McLorin Salvant. Also, would like to get cracking on some short stories in the form of a magical realism memoir. At this point in my life, the isolation factor of writing is not gonna be such a bad idea. I’ve got some ideas percolating, one of which is a serial horror musical that would be episodically available on Substack or suchlike. I’ve already told you more than I know.
Thank you so much for taking the time to let me into your world. Best of luck with everything.
