Words-Art Jefferson
Photography-Erikbyerik and Martyn Strange
Singer, songwriter and musician Cecilia Stalin is among the selected talents in the golden league of today’s artists playing a critical role of bridging the musical archetype of the past masters, continuing and fostering that legacy while simultaneously pushing the sounds forward to the present period. Although a child of jazz, many people around the globe know the Swedish born vocalist’s work with the Grammy award winning, Billboard topping electronic band Koop. However, that is only a splash of her musical palette. For starters, she has worked with the jazz legend Charles Tolliver, recorded for Swedish National Radio, not to mention BBC and has performed concerts in the prestigious Royal Festival Hall down to legendary London venues such as Ronnie Scotts, the Jazz Café, Roundhouse and more. In 2006 she released her debut CD “Straight Up” which was recorded with her own quintet, proving the ability to her hold on as a leader. Since relocating to London in 2007, Cecilia Stalin has worked with Mike Skinner of The Streets fame, Nate James, Alesha Dixon, toured with Cinematic Orchestra and the list continues. As an industry vocal coach, she has trained actors such as Eamonn Walker for his role in the Etta James based movie “Cadillac Records” starring Beyoncé. With such a wide variety of genres under her belt, it was only logical for the manifestation of her project “Step Like A Giant” which celebrates the music of the imperial John Coltrane. Doing what she does best, Cecilia Stalin has recruited contemporary producers such as Daz-I-Kue of Bugz In The Attic, King Britt, Keyon Harrold (50 Cent), Herb Middleton and more, merging the past with the new.
The famous saying states, “to know your future, you must first know your past” and with music forever changing at warp speed Cecilia Stalin’s presence is more important than ever. She is one of our modern marvels whose talent is not only appreciated but crucial in the continuing progression of music as a whole.
AJ-Many people around the world know you, especially with the work that you’ve done with acts such as Koop, but as a singer and songwriter, traditional jazz plays a big part of your background. Was jazz music something that was always around you growing up in Sweden? When did you discover the music and who were some of the musicians that struck you then?
CS-My dad, who’s a stride pianist on his free time, was the biggest jazz influence on me growing up. As a toddler my parents used to put me under the grand piano when I couldn’t fall asleep and my dad would play me to sleep. So growing up he exposed me to a lot of the older jazz music like dixieland, New Orleans style and old blues. Some people that I definitely remember like Fats Waller, Art Tatum, Oscar Peterson, Ella Fitzgerald, lit up my face and Billie Holliday made me quite emotional, so they all made an impression on me in their own way. I’m so incredibly grateful for having that exposure as a young child and can’t stress the importance to have access to music and musical instruments when you’re young. My parents definitely spurred that creativity in me.
AJ-Your debut album “Straight Up” was released in 2006 which is a really beautiful record. You encompassed quite a wide variety of jazz styles from bebop to swing to even some funk and boogaloo. After working with so many collaborations before that point, was it a feeling of being able to fully stretch out when recording the debut album with your own quintet?
CS-Yes. It was very important for me to show people who I was. Not as a part of Koop or other artist I had worked with but as my own entity. I was so scared of what people might think and how they would receive the album, since Koop had been such a big part of my musical career at that point. So when I found out that I had been nominated for a Jazz Award for my debut album, I felt as it was the best confirmation of me doing my own thing.
AJ-Talk about your album “Step Like A Giant” and the impact of John Coltrane on you personally.
CS-This project was born deep down in my heart when I first heard “Naima” by John Coltrane. I fell deeply in love with the melody and then even more with the lyrics after learning more about him. Ever since, I have been spiritually working with the music of John Coltrane and it’s now come out in new shapes, forms and ideas.
This my way of reaching out to people today that haven’t been introduced to the music of John Coltrane, who haven’t been introduced to jazz in a way that appeals to them, to people who don’t know jazz at all and for everyone to understand what John did for the musical platform we all use today! (hiphop/grime/soul/neo-soul/nu-jazz/broken beat/house/dubstep/garage/blues/pop/rock and all the ones in between). Their voice was music. They used it to fight against the injustices that were happening then (like racial discrimination, war and poverty) just as today. They also created new ways of expressing themselves without frameworks to hold them back and that’s what I feel we need to do too. We need to speak up, be brave to push the boundaries and never get intimidated to tell our own story to make progress. So this is my way of paying my respect to the amazing musicians that’s paved the way for me to be able to do what I do.
AJ-You’ve worked with cutting edge electronic producers like Daz-I-Kue from Bugz in the Attic on this project we well as producers like King Britt. In your career, you have managed to always combine various musical elements whether it be electronica, Hip-Hop, nu-jazz, ect…Many traditional jazz artists at times tend not to travel down that path deliberately. What inspires you to constantly branch out musically opposed to strictly staying within the jazz circle?
CS-I think I’m way too curious about music itself! I live for a musical kick, whether that’s harmonically, vocally, style wise or concept. There are so many incredible musicians out there and my ignition is the people that take that extra step whether it’s in politics (Lincon, Obama), spoken (Kahlil Gibran, TCQ), musically (Arvo Part, Stevie W), vocally (Minnie Riperton, Ella Fitzgerald), painting (Rothko, Warhole), sculpture (Alberto Giacometti), news (Malcom Gladwell)…the list is endless! Don’t get me wrong, I looooove doing a straight ahead swing gig but at the end of the day I want to have the freedom to do whatever I like without being judged on someone’s framework and pretence of what ‘jazz’ is so I mix it up…lol.
AJ-What was the experience like working with the legendary Charles Tolliver and what did you learn from him considering that he’s a masterful jazz musician?
CS-It was great! His big band arrangements are fantastic. He’s a perfectionist and won’t demand anything less from a vocalist then an instrumentalist and that really spoke to me because that’s what the music demanded. It was nerve wrecking but the greatest reward when you felt like an equal, doing a scat/improv chase with a horn player at 220bpm. Also, I have a crush on big bands. I just absolutely love the challenge of being a part of that unity!
AJ-Tell me about the group Lucia which you’re a part of as well.
CS-Haha. Lucia is a celebration we have in Sweden, celebrating the Saint of Syracuse. Lucia spread light and food to the poor people hiding in the dungeons in Sicily, so she put a crown of candles in her hair so that she could use both of her hands to carry food. We now dress up in white gowns, candles in our hair and sing Swedish/English hymns/christmas carols for the people on the morning of 13 December. It’s a beautiful event and I wanted to keep that tradition going but didn’t have time to join a big choir so I got some of my friends and jazz singers to start a 5 piece acapella group with me and for cheekiness, we re-arranged some of the classic songs and brought in a double bass player. We now have been asked to perform in Sicily for this year!
AJ-What do you have coming up for the new year in terms of shows and music?
CS-Well I just spent a couple of weeks in NYC and did a great show in Cleveland and another fantastic show in NYC at the Rockwood Music Hall with an incredible band. I’m in talks with a few clubs around the US at the moment so I’m looking forward to returning to New York later this year too. Besides that I’m starting to build onwards with my management, Jazz FM and Serious (event promoter that books the London Jazz Festival) here in the UK. My personal aim is to record some new music and play a few festivals this summer. Any takers?!?!?