Interview: Jess Klein’s music has an integrity of purpose and a vison for joy

Most people live and die with their music still unplayed. They never dare to try. – Mary Kay Place

There appears to be very little in the way of pretence in Jess Klein’s songs. The emotions are raw and genuine, her voice expansive and distinct, whether singing about love in its many guises, family matters or social concerns, she delivers them all accordingly with an edge or a dulcet tone. She has always dared to try, for better or worse, which is why her music and life are never unplayed.

I first encountered Klein in the late 1990s as she opened for another performer at the Iron Horse Café in Northampton, Mass. Her enthusiasm was irrepressible even though she was a relative unknown then, singing before an audience that may have been more concerned with their burgers. But as her set went on, more people began to take notice, even skipping dessert.

The best guess from a distant view of the last century is most of the songs she sang that night were from her debut album. But it was the way she sang not what she sang that sticks to the memory like honey on a teaspoon. More than a quarter century later, a second opportunity arrived to see her perform at Ted’s in Wilmington, North Carolina, the state she calls home after spending many of the previous adult years in Boston, New York and Austin. She was accompanied by Russell Kelly, whose command of the guitar was impressive. The musical connection shared between them was plainly evident.

Earlier that evening, with each of her CDs spread out on a table, one by one she offered a little insight as to what was going on in her life at the time the albums were recorded and commented on some of the memorable songs.

“Wishes Well Disguised” (1998) was her debut, some of the songs undoubtedly played during that ’90s night in Massachusetts.

That was the beginning of me even writing songs,” Klein recalled. “I had just graduated from a liberal arts college in upstate New York, and it had a songwriters’ series. It seemed all the songwriters were coming from Boston, so that’s where I went. That was such a long time ago, I think I was just learning what it was like to be an adult. One song on that album is ‘The Wading Pool,’ and is actually the first song I ever wrote. At the time, I was living in Kingston, Jamaica as a student studying abroad, documenting dub poets. It’s about a relationship with a boy who was breaking my heart. Writing that song and performing it, I think, was the first time I knew what I wanted to do with my life. That’s why the song means a lot to me.

I don’t want to inherit the waters from you. So don’t tell me that I’m blessed for putting up with you. Sometimes I wish I had more spite, The brainchild of less insight, Because that’s what would really hit you In the wading pool.

“Draw Them Near” (2000) The suggestion that this album seemed to be about taking things more seriously, but not too seriously brought plenty of laughter.

I went to Nashville to produce that album, the first one on Rykodisc. It was my first experience working with a label and having them bring in top-shelf session players like Will Kimbrough and Ken Coomer. I was just 26 at the time and being given the opportunity to see myself as a national touring artist versus someone who just played around the Northeast. It was a huge step forward in my career. Anyway, I was naïve and shy back then. Once I was in New Orleans for this conference and just stayed in my room one day and came up with ‘Little White Dove.’ When I was with Voices on the Verge with Erin McKeown, Rose Polenzani and Beth Amsel, this was the song we performed on “Good Morning America.”

So my love, my love, All that noise is a little white dove. In my pocket, in my pocket, Take it from me, Otherwise I’m gonna set that little dove free.

“Strawberry Lover,” (2005)

“I moved to NYC to write that album, actually in between Boston and New York. It was a rough place to live financially but it pushed me to stretch out artistically. It was a struggle, for sure, but it helped define where I wanted to go with the music. What I try to do is make an impact from more of a universal view. ‘Shonalee’ has always been a favourite. It has to do with a waitress at an all-night diner, but it’s probably just as much about me. Another one I like is based on a traditional Mali song called a diarabe. I heard it on Ali Farka Toure’s album “Talkin Timbuktu” and wrote this nonsense sort of lyric over it and called it ‘Soda Water.’ I’ve been told it’s very sensual.”

Said my castle in Nice Sits on a cove, on a beach Where a girl can move slow In a pace she wants to know Honey’s dripping from the trees Order me a soda water Rifles swinging at my knees Order me a soda water.

“City Garden” (2006) was her New York City album.

I wrote that album before leaving New York. I’d go out on tour then come home and have to do temp jobs. It was exhausting, like if the good part of me artistically was feeling so pushed the bad part was feeling burned out. I had a hard time keeping it going, which probably comes through in some of the songs. Also, Rykodisc had just dropped me so I was trying to re-frame how I looked at things. If I didn’t have that bigger level of support from a label, how was I going to keep going? I haven’t thought of ‘The Holy Land’ in a while. I think I was looking more at the concept of a holy land as a safe place being with someone in a personal relationship rather than religiously, more of a meditation on love as a spiritual experience.

Run like thieves, die for riches. Gilded doors and blood-soaked ditches. But the colours of the trees Are meant for you and me.

“Bound to Love” (2009) On this album, you have new band members like Professor Feathers. Sounds like a character from “Sesame Street.”

Yeah, when I moved to Austin all the musicians had nicknames. I gave him that name but the others like Scrappy came with theirs. ‘Postcard’ is about growing into yourself. I really like ‘Fool,’ a co-write with Abi Tapia that I recorded as a duet with Slaid Cleaves. Sometimes it’s hard to tell if you’re going for a statement or just writing a song about basic human emotions.

I always loved to drive away. I placed my bets on the life I’d never seen. There were reasons to stay But none of them were worth Givin’ up a rambler’s dream.

“Behind A Veil” (2012) She wrote this after her phone auto-corrected a word in a text message to a friend. It read “veiled,” so her friend suggested she write a song with that word in the title.

My dad was dying at the time I wrote that album. I had to learn to grow up in a lot of ways I hadn’t had to before. Like on ‘Beautiful Child’: God grant me the strength to thank him for all he gave me All I want is to hate him for saying goodbye. I wrote that after he passed. Also, the place where I lived in Austin was a sort of artists’ community, and it was being torn down to put up high-rise condos. Everything was getting turned upside down and ripped away. My heart was broken by this dude.

Some would call that having a Saturn aspect. It forces you to make changes if you don’t on your own.

One that I liked very much was ‘Wilson Street Serenade.’ It’s very meaningful in the context of all that was going on.

I stare into the bathroom mirror And I fight to light a brand new fire But all the sparks they drop like tears ‘Cause it’s your reflection I desire.

“Learning Faith” (2014) This is the album of hers that with great songs and it rocks besides. Listening to it was one of those Wow! moments that caused me to wonder what I’d been missing in the years since that time in the Massachusetts club.  

This was another one recorded in Austin. I really liked the idea of having a band to give the songs a heavier punch, like everyone was with me trying to make the point in a song. Like you said earlier about everyone has their own impression of what a song means to them. The longer I do this the more interested I am in collaboration not being all about whatever I thought it was in the beginning. Where does this go if I put four people in a room who are really good? What will happen to the song?”

What’s up with the all-black cover and plain white lettering for the title? Is that supposed to be the reverse of The Beatles’ “White Album.’ That produced a peal of laughter.

I wanted it to look like a bible but I don’t think that worked out. I did like the inside cover (an expressive picture of her playing guitar). We were actually trying to go off this super quirky electronic record by a blues artist. I wish I could remember the name; anyway, the artwork was really cool.

One song on the album has that twist the knife, droll observation about a popular high school girl who looks perfect and is ‘So Fucking Cool’ she has the boys falling all over each other to get her attention.

How I wish I could fake it like her. She’s got the hundred-dollar jeans and she’s staring down her plastic nose at me.

There’s no question she went deep into the heart of her songwriting skills to produce an album that sounds immediate. It could have been recorded at any time from the ‘60s to the present and still have the same impact.

“Learning Faith” has this edginess to it, like it had been inside me trying to come out. The time had to be right, though, and Austin was that time. Making a living as a musician isn’t the easiest way to go about your life. It does require a certain amount of faith to continue when things come at you from all sides. There have been several times I’ve questioned my career choice. But every time I’ve come close to feeling defeated, I’ve pulled myself back up and come out of it stronger. And the more times I choose to keep doing it, the stronger it makes me feel.

If I had known what it would take I would have turned and run away instead of standing here learning faith, learning to let it fly.

“Bootleg” (2015) The first of these shows was the CD release for “Learning Faith,” recorded at the Strang Brew Club in Austin. The band was: Jess Klein (acoustic and electric guitar), Billy Masters (electric guitar), Dave Madden (piano and organ), Brian C. Mendes (drums) and Professor Feathers (bass). This was the third record produced by the Professor, who obviously was tuned in to what Klein wanted the world to hear.

What can I say? This was a new band and it was a pleasure to have them with me. It was an exhausting time for me but rewarding, too. It was just such a blessing to play with other good musicians and see where they’ll take something of mine, see how it changes the feeling of the songs, deepens it or lightens it.

‘Chicken Soup for My Grandmother’ (spoken word single) (2018) Klein found out about her grandmother’s grave being vandalized by a phone call from her mother. Many of us have the fondest memories of the love our grandmothers gave to us through their cooking. The aroma of fresh homemade bread in the kitchen when you come downstairs after a sleepover is powerful.

I was shocked, scared and angry. I started thinking about my gramma’s life as a Russian Jewish immigrant, and how she helped raise me and began writing the song about her. It became a spoken word piece that I have since performed across the US and Europe.

At the age of 4 she’d sailed an ocean, Clinging to her mother and her younger sister. Bundled up tight at night they’d whisper Stories and folk tales in Yiddish and Russian Dreaming of meals their grandmother made them Steadying themselves against the rocking motion Praying for shelter where they’d never been.

“Back To My Green” (2018) This album was recorded before moving from Texas to North Carolina with her husband Mike June, also a songwriter. In Tennessee, we have a name for folks who begin life in the North then move South before landing somewhere in the middle. They are called “halfbacks,” in a welcoming way.

My husband and I had toured through North Carolina a lot, and people seemed really friendly so we moved here. We’re both from the Northeast and our parents are in Florida so it seemed like a good halfway point. Austin had become so expensive and crowded. So, the album reflects that feeling of life seeming easier here than Austin. I started writing for the album in 2016, which accounts for all the political stuff. ‘The Gates of Hell’ is the world we’re living in.

I’d rather meet the devil than stay here in this crazy circus town.

You would think that circus town is Austin, but it’s not. She’s singing about America.

‘Mammal’ is another song with ruthless, horrible people in it.

I’m a part of nature Born in blood And when I die, my body Will return into the mud But my human spirit, Something divine Something un-contained By all your numbers and lines.

‘Kid’ is in waltz time and is about following your heart.

And leave all the questions to heaven above. And when you get to where I am you’ll see it so clearly The goal of your journey was love.

“The Berlin Brothers” and “L.O.V.E.” (2023) You think you know an artist, by “know” meaning their musical tastes are what they play and record. Come to find out there’s some Motown in Klein’s background. That’s what she listened to growing up in Rochester, NY. You never would peg Jess Klein as a jazz singer, though, but really why not? Isn’t there a little bit of jazz, the desire to improvise in everyone?

That’s a side project that I do singing jazz standards. I wanted to learn to sing those old songs from “The Great American Songbook” since they’re so beautifully written.

As the story is told, songwriters Jimmy McHugh and Dorothy Fields were out one evening taking a stroll on Fifth Avenue in NYC when they came upon a young couple window-shopping. They realized that the couple could not afford to buy jewellery from Tiffany’s, but nevertheless, as they drew closer to them they heard the man say: “Gee, honey I’d like to get you a sparkler like that, but right now, I can’t give you nothin’ but love!” Later that night, they wrote one of the biggest hit songs from the Tin Pan Alley era in one hour.

Well I can’t give you anything but love, baby That’s the only thing I’ve plenty of.

“When We Rise” (2023) Here we have yet another tale of the pandemic’s effect on songwriters. Klein went back to Austin to record this album. Life experiences were hard to come by with lockdowns and masks hindering human interaction.

I needed something to feel productive, somewhere to put all the stored-up energy. It was a different process because my producer and I were meeting over Zoom. Mainly, I did a lot of co-writing, which is not typical but I wasn’t in the kind of space where I could fully form a song on my own. It was a serious time but I also wanted to have some songs that were just fun, kick up your heels like ‘Annie’s Place.’

In a world of blurry lines Broken rules and then dimes Somehow you still held an ace, Cause you could work it out with a little bit of wine Mondays at Annie’s Place.

I really like ‘In the Arms of a Song.’ It almost feels as if it should have been the title of the album.

It’s funny you brought that up. I was going to use that for a title. I don’t know why I changed my mind. In music anything is possible, any story can be true, and any feeling has a place to live. That’s why I started writing music and it’s why I still do. To have a place in the world where you can curl up with a good song.

In the magic of some sweet sound I’d be lost in the reverie that I found And I knew there was a place where I belonged In the arms of a song.