Sasha Papernik

I've been gone for awhile from my blog, but I am proud to be back and writing about the amazing Sasha Papernik. Listening to her music made me want to get to know her a little more, so the following is an email interview that I conducted with Sasha.

B: How long have you been writing and singing your own music?

S: I've been singing since I can remember. I used to be the kid who did all the musicals in school and then I joined an A Capella group in both high school and college. I LOVED my A Capella groups. I was very serious about classical piano though, and I never had time for formal vocal training until a few years ago. When I started writing songs and performing them, I thought, well if you're gonna do this you should probably learn how to sing properly :) 

       A little side note: I LOVE A Capella, so when I read this response I was like a little kid full of giddiness!

B: Why did you begin your career?

S: I kept trying to get away from music (for practical reasons) - I decided on a liberal arts college instead of a conservatory, I went abroad for a year, but it didn't stick and I always just went right back to practicing. And so, for impractical reasons, I moved to New York and got a Masters in piano performance. While I was at MSM, I heard a lot of different kinds of music in the City and got to know musicians that weren't just in the classical field. Around the same time, I also started getting into composition. My whole musical life, until then, was spent interpreting music that had already been interpreted many times before me, and I wanted to try writing original music. I was also going through a bad breakup and writing about it. I wrote a few songs and really loved fitting words to music. 

Side note #2: Screw the practical and do what you want to do always. Thank goodness Sasha did because her music is terrific. And bad breakups (although they suck) make for some great lyrics!

B: What got you to the point in your career that you are currently?

S: Hours of practice. Literally. And resilience. 

B: Tell me a little bit about where you have been in your career and what you have been up too...

S: I feel like my career is blossoming - I've had a really great year and next year is even more exciting :) Some of my highlights this year have been recording and releasing my bilingual Victory, playing original music at Lincoln Center, giving a classical performance at The Smithsonian, singing at a gig in Las Vegas, being selected for a 2012 and 2013 Artist Retreat in the Blue Ridge mountains where I composed new songs every day, and earning a favorable review in the Washington Post! Next year, I am slated for 6 performances again for Lincoln Center's Meet The Artist series and 8 shows for the Musical Explorers program at Carnegie Hall. I'm really looking forward to it! 

Side note #3: I would love to attend one of those performances next year ;)

Lastly, I wanted to know a bit about Sasha and what else she does when she isn't playing music and entertaining us.

B: Please tell me a bit about what you do other than singing and of course, about that cute dog of yours (we are friends on Facebook and her dog, Klee, is adorable!)

S: I'm a long distance runner and running is usually what starts each of my days. I like the routine and it gives me the time to ground myself and think, like meditation. I also love black and white photography - I'm trying to carve out some time for this hobby and it goes well with my love of traveling. My long-haired dachshund, Klee, is a great friend :) I adopted him from a family friend and I've had him for a little more than 6 years. He is such a funny guy. When I practice, he sits under the piano like it's his job too :) When my band rehearses, he sits with us even though it gets pretty loud. 

Now that you know a bit about Sasha Papernik, let me tell you what I like so much about her music. First, I am a huge fan of the piano, especially when it is played by someone as passionate as Sasha. And of course, the fact that she writes her own lyrics is my absolute favorite. Her song Victory, which is the title of her latest album, really resonated with me and that is one of my favorite things about music. If I can relate to it, it is that much better. I can't forget to mention that some of her album is in Russian has she is a 1st generation Russian/American. I think that is pretty awesome too!

I urge all of my readers to check her out. Her album is available on iTunes and there is also a link on her website (website link below) to check out her music. Her site also has some wonderful video of some of the things she and others she works with have created! I look forward to hearing more from her and hopefully seeing her live someday!

http://www.sashatheband.com/live/

Vintage Blue

Vintage Blue is a band that is a must listen.  Being a teenager in the late '90s, Vintage Blue brings me back to that time. FYI: I loved it! They have a style that is fantastic, mainly because it is not just one style. These guys can do just about anything and it sounds wonderful.  I wanted to know more about this band and what makes them tick, so here is an email interview that was conducted with one of the members, Ben.


Give me a short history/background of yourself? (where did you grow up, where you live now, how old you were when music first effected your life)



I (Ben Bassett) was born on the East Coast in Pittsfield, MA but moved to the West Coast whenI was very young. I grew up in Monterey, CA and Chico, CA. Monterey is a beautiful town onthe Monterey bay near Pebble Beach and the Carmel Valley. It is one of the most scenic areasI have ever been and someday I hope to live there again. Chico is a college town and is in theNorthern California valley. It is a great place to raise a family and a very comfortable communitywhere people very rarely leave. I left California when I went away for college in the Midwest. Ihave been there ever since, moving from college (in St. Louis), to Chicago to pursue an advanceddegree.Music has been a part of my life since I was very little. My step-father had a degree in musicand was a very talented musician in his own right. We always had a piano in the house and heoften filled the house with the sound of classic rock and soul/funk tunes that he and my momreally enjoyed. When I was old enough, my step-dad, step-brother and I would team up aroundthe piano and learn three-part harmonies to Beatles tunes and other great rock n’ roll classics.Those early lessons continue to guide me today.

1       

      If you could describe your music, how would you?

We use the tagline “Contemporary. Classic. Rock.” We think that line best defines what weare. We all grew up on the classic rock of The Eagles, Queen, Tom Petty, The Doors, CCR andThe Boss, so when we started writing music together those influences naturally came through.But you cannot just emulate what has come before, you should build on it. So we tried toadd a more contemporary edge on some of the tunes with some synth, crunchy guitar andincorporated layered horns and harmonies.If you listen to our record you will see that our music covers a handful of sub-genres from ska, toblues, to folk. Because all these influences are felt on our record, there is something for everyfan of rock and roll. There is even a song with a string section!!

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         Favorite song?, band?

I HATE THIS QUESTION!!! Ha ha ha. I have so many bands and songs that I love, it really
depends on the day, my disposition and the color of my mood ring. Some of my favorite artists
that have always been on my mix-tapes are Aerosmith, Nirvana, The Doors, Foo Fighters, Frank
Sinatra, Steely Dan and SRV. While many in my band think I am crazy, I also have a TON of pop
music. There is a reason that pop music will never die. Sometimes you just want something
light and fun! As far as favorite songs … ugh. A young lady I recently started investigating
has turned me on to the newer dubstep and indie artists and I have been repeatedly listening
to “One on One” by The Bird and the Bee. It is a re-make of the old Hall n’ Oates tune. Pretty
awesome and sensual.

        What do you do besides making music?

Why would I do anything besides make music? In all honesty, making music, when donecorrectly and with feeling and emotion generally takes a lot of time and consideration. You areconstantly analyzing everyday thoughts and extrapolating lyrics or ideas. But as a band we allhave our 9-5 jobs and do the whole “job” thing. We are all very grateful to have careers thatalso allow us to pursue our love of music. Outside of that, we do the usual things, hang out,go eat and drink at our favorite spots here in Chicago. We also spend a ton of time supportingother local bands that have supported us. We try to get out and hit the local music scene asmuch as we can.

       

        What are your hopes and/or plans for the feature with your music?

Personally, I cannot imagine my life without music as a key part of it. The process of making ourfirst record brought so much good fortune into our life. We met our producer Jamie Candiloro(REM, Ryan Adams), played shows with Sister Hazel, Vertical Horizon and Richard Marx, we haveplayed several shows at some of the most prestigious Chicago music venues, and we have hadour record passed to some of the most influential names in the music industry. I continue tosoak up the connections we have made and the success we have had with this first record havedriven us to already begin work on a follow-up record. Ultimately we have no idea where ourmusic will take us, but we all would love to keep our band growing and keep moving ahead,exposing our music to new fans and new people all over the world.
     
My favorite part of this interview is the answer, "Why would I do anything besides music?" What a perfect answer. Vintage Blue is based out of Chicago, and for most of my readers, that is not very far away. So my advice, check these guys out and if you dig them (which I am guaranteeing you will) go see them.  Below is the link to their website. Their music can also be found on iTunes. I cannot forget to mention that my favorite song on their album Strike the Mics is Unchained. It's the scream, it's definitely the scream!

http://vintagebluemusic.com