Lady (Birth) Day Concert

Posted by Serafima Fedorova in Music

Janel Blanco. Photo by Ashley Costello

April 7 will mark a century since Billie Holiday was born. As an icon of jazz, the singer and songwriter has had immeasurable impact not only on the genre itself, but also on American Music in general. For the occasion, SFUAD Contemporary Music Program will hold a tribute concert on that day to celebrate. The event begins at 7 p.m in the Forum, and promises an evening filled with an appreciation for jazz. The evening show will begin with a screening of the 1972 film, Lady Sings the Bluesbased on Holiday’s autobiography and will be followed up by a live performance of five contemporary music majors accompanied by jazz faculty with their renditions of Holiday’s songs.

Cabria Scott. Photo by Ashley Costello

“We like to call it Billie’s birthday concert,”said Horace Young, Contemporary Music Program chairman, who organized the event and will be playing for the show. Five students were recruited by Young to perform. He explained that the students chose the pieces randomly out of a selection of “signature songs within the music industry songs that really defined Billie’s presence as an artist. Songs that left a lasting impact.”These include “Good Morning Heartache” which will be sung by music major Cabria Scott, and “Them There Eyes” to be performed by Janel V. Blanco-Jean-Bart.

“I think it can be interpreted as her referring to a lover, but it can also apply to her drug habit,” said Scott about the lyrics. Though Holiday successfully started her career as a singer at age 18 and was considered one of the best voices of the time, she also struggled with heroin addiction and alcoholism. This took a toll on both her health and voice, causing her to die of liver failure at the age of 44. “Maybe they’ll see her battles. How it all connects to her life story—the music and the movie,”concluded Scott, “Her range was so small but her emotional connection to the songs she wrote was greater that someone with a five octave range. That’s what I appreciate about her.”

Elise Stoffer. Photo by Ashley Costello

Blanco-Jean-Bart, on a lighter note, will be singing “Them There Eyes,”more of an uplifting and flirtatious song. “I think that we’re all singing the songs we’re meant to sing,”Blanco-Jean-Bart said, “this one holds its place in the range of songs were doing. It has its own intensity and provides a sort of balance.”Blanco-Jean-Bart described her approach to performing as incorporating the vocal and musical elements of Chaka Khan and Ella Fitzgerald’s version of the song. “It’s very happy, flowery, sunny and that’s the way I decided to approach it,”she explained. “It’s not a heartbroken song—it’s a honey moon phase.”

Rachel Dupard, with Holiday’s more serious song “Strange Fruit”will delve into the ominous subject of lynching during the mid-20 century. “It was a very controversial recording in 1942,”explained Young “It’s considered the very first American piece of music recorded as a protest song, a commentary on race relations—an appalling part of our history.”

Elise Stoffer, who will perform “Fine And Mellow,” talked about Holiday’s lyrics, which portray a woman speaking fondly of a lover who abused her. Holiday herself has gone through several abusive relationships, most of which introduced her to narcotics. “The song leaves a lot of room for interpretation,” said Stoffer “I just hope I’m able to make the music my own while staying true to Holiday’s message.”

Tawanda Joaquim. Photo by Ashley Costello

Tawanda Suessbrich Joaquim will be singing “God Bless The Child,”another successful song, the lyrics to which evoke Holiday’s own financial struggles throughout her career. “Her messages are very clear. It’s about being in the moment and feeling it and not caring what anyone else thinks of you,”says Joaquim. Billie Holiday managed to overcome abusive relationships, racist and sexist attitudes, as well as financial issues to perform on stages across America. “I am inspired by her,”added Joaquim. “She was tormented by a lot of demons but could still create so much beautiful music. It puts her life in a very real perspective.”

Though the order of the songs is still under consideration, each one follows Billie Holiday through a historic, jazz setting that influenced both her life and music. “She was a trailblazer in many ways,”commented Young. The singers, too, acknowledge the strength and individuality Holiday displayed in the face of such adversity. In their performances, they hope to address the narrative of her life and add in their own elements to such iconic songs.