Liza Constable

Gigged last weekend with the Big Blue Ox Swing Band. Friday night in “The Basement”, Noho. Haven’t played a bar in forever. That familiar sour beer smell. No worry about tempos. No lindy dancers, no west coast swing. Sometimes it’s nice to play it however it comes out, and play the moody stuff that I can’t do for dances, or weddings.

Saturday we played the Northampton dance with the full band. Horns were glorious, that’d be Lise and Adam. Love it when I sing things I don’t expect, because of what’s happening around me. I can’t not respond. Listening to Louie Prima has changed me. I love his abandon. Like on “Five Months”, or “Pennies from Heaven”. He really rocks. Also that bit of work I did with Murphy’s Blues. I had to relearn how to sing. I didn’t know how to push and create tension. Uptempo, aggressive, is harder, getting loose, still strong, and still in my true voice. The lyrics are usually tossable — it’s more about rhythm and tone than content. Those sad love songs have always been easy. Give me Hoagy Carmichael anyday. I can feel those.

St. Dan, our bassman and Mr. Enthusiasm, sent me pics. Grunge lighting. Tried to clean up the color in photoshop, but the highlights get blown out. From left to right: Lee Blackwell, Lise Brown, Liza Constable, Dan Goitein, Adam Scotera, Ellen Cogen (pinch hitting on piano for Chris Haynes who was home waiting for his baby boy to arrive).