Gabriela Anders

An interview with AMZ's Donn Jehs

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AMZ - Let me start by asking you a few questions that came up after reading your bio. You're kind of an international youth. You've been all over the world.

Gabriela - Well there's a couple of mistakes in my bio, actually. Because of my English I don't always express myself properly. I didn't live in Japan I only visited there twice for five days. My friends say "like wow" when they read it on the website. "I didn't know you could be two places at same time." It was just a misunderstanding. People would ask me how was life there. When I saw the bio I didn't see what other people saw. I actually recorded the album here for Japan.

AMZ - You do spend time going back and forth between Argentina and New York though?

Gabriela - Yes, well my family is there.

AMZ - Did you think of doing a duet with your dad as a jazz saxophone player.

Gabriela - On one of the records I did for Japan my father did play on three tracks. That was really cool.

AMZ - I saw Kirk Whalum did a song with you on the album. I know he's on the same label but wondered if you thought about having your dad play.

Gabriela - Yes, well you know what happened. We did this album in LA and I was guided by the producers and it was the first time I was working with a producer so they kind of told me who I should have on the album. I would have loved to have my dad on the album and he's really good too! He did play on one of the albums I did for Japan. Maybe for the next album.

AMZ - Ten of the songs on the album are written by you. Where do your ideas come from?

Gabriela - Personal experiences and things that happen in life, not to me, but to friends, family. I mean everything inspires me when I stop to think about it.

AMZ - One reason I ask is there is a song on the album that is my favorite song, "Why Is Love So Unkind" and I wondered if it was more personal than the others?

Gabriela - I'm so happy you noticed that song. I love that song. Yes, that is very personal. It's kind of an angry song. Sometimes things that are lighter inspire me. Sometimes there are things that hurt me more.

AMZ - I wish that one was coming out as a single.

Gabriela - I do too, but I think it's a bit too angry. I remember when I presented the song the reaction was like ... it was so direct. But I really wanted this song on the album.

AMZ - When you write, do you write in Spanish or English?

Gabriela - Some days I wake up in an English mood, some days in a Spanish mood. I have more songs in Spanish because that's my native language. Spanish is to me such an incredible language. It's passionate. It's straight from my heart.

AMZ - Would there be a possibility of doing an album in Spanish?

Gabriela - Yes, I will be starting work on a Spanish album in January, actually. Did you like the song in Spanish?

AMZ - Yes I did. I didn't understand a word of it but I enjoyed it. But we have Spanish-speaking reviewers on staff so when your album in Spanish comes out we'll be sure to review it. When you scat are you scatting in Spanish?

Gabriela - Well it's not really any language but I do use sounds comfortable to me and those sounds are Latin, I imagine. They don't sound like an American is scatting. I have a different sound. I have a lot of influences so it's kind of in between.

AMZ - When you go into the studio does your scat change over time?

Gabriela - I don't think about it, but when we did the album we used the first takes on the scatting. That way it sounds like life, like I would do it in concert. Good or bad. On the song at the end of the album I was really sick when I did it but we ended up using it. The producer said he really liked the "vibe." I was surprised. He wouldn't let me do it again.

AMZ - Let me back up a bit now. I mentioned you remind me of "Natalie Cole" and other reviewers have said you sound like "Sade" but what also came to mind was something perhaps before your time, "Sergio Mendes and Brasil 66."

Gabriela - His album a few years ago was simply amazing. My sound is very Brazilian or like "Basia." It depends on the song I guess. I've heard so much jazz from the forties. Like Coltrane. I grew up with it. I like being compared to other artists. They are all so good. Now if I was being compared to my neighbor singing under the shower that would be horrid! The artists I'm compared to are so gorgeous and talented, I love it.

AMZ - Well you're not hurting in the looks department either. I'm sure many of our male readers would like to know "is Gabriela available?"

Gabriela - Well actually I'm in love right now.

AMZ - I guess a lot of love songs floating around right now?

Gabriela - Exactly. Then in six months, maybe a lot of rotten songs <laugh>.

AMZ - I wanted to ask about "Girl From Ipanema." Some songs are considered men's songs because of the lyrics.

Gabriela - Actually some people asked me why I didn't change the lyrics. But you think about it. What am I going to say at the end, "the boy is lovely?"

AMZ - I imagine some folks will read into your doing this song like Melissa Etheridge might do it.

Gabriela - I know. But to be honest with you when I did it I wasn't thinking about it. When I took it to Warner Brothers they said, "Are you aware you're singing to a woman?" The thought had crossed my mind but the song is such a cool song, what am I going to do, ruin the song? I don't want to mutilate a song. I'm not so worried about those things. I never thought about it. I had a producer, you would have thought he would have told me. <laugh> I just wanted to respect the original poetry of the song. In the end it came out really nice.

AMZ - Are you going out on tour?

Gabriela - Yes. I'm doing a concert in San Francisco and they're working on some kind of tour but I don't have the details yet.

AMZ: Well you need to come down south where it's warm.

Gabriela - I know. I did a concert in Miami, in South Beach. Oh my God, I couldn't believe how incredible that place is. People were very supportive and appreciative of my music.

(a small interlude follows in which I try to convince Gabriela she really need to come to MY town to perform)

AMZ - Well if you don't take dad on tour you ought to take Kirk Whalum.

Gabriela - He played on "Girl From Ipanema" too and I'm actually playing in San Francisco with him. You know, live is a little bit more Latin than the record, a little more edgier. I rearrange songs like "I'll Be Loving You" -- at the end it goes into a salsa. I add a little stronger Latin flavor.

AMZ - When you're relaxing who do you like to put on the CD player?

Gabriela - Well last night I was listening to Coltrane. I love him and I love listening to female singer-songwriters like Fiona Apple, a lot of jazz, a lot of salsa.

AMZ - Are you a dancer on stage?

Gabriela - Oh no, I'm no dancer. Believe me I have no talent. I have my steps but I have no grace. I tried taking dance lessons but the teacher would stop in the middle and throw me out. I was a disaster. That's why I dance inside my house.

AMZ - I want to thank you for taking the time to talk with us, it's been a real pleasure.

Gabriela - Thank you!