5 minute read
Paula Atherton
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Q. Thanks for interviewing with us. Tell us who you are and what you do.
A. Thanks so much for interviewing me! I’m a singer/ songwriter and woodwind player (alto and soprano sax, flute, bari on occasion for recording). I started singing in elementary school in chorus and competitions, got a flute in 4th grade, and a sax in my teens. I have a traditional jazz background. My writing is more contemporary, reflecting my eclectic taste in music- some Latin, old school R&B, funk, pop and sometimes gospel music.
Q. Tell us a little bit about your journey and how you got to where you are today?
A. Growing up, I loved music so much, but didn’t really feel like I fit in anywhere with pop or rock music. I started listening to and studying jazz and that’s when I figured out what I wanted to do! I could have my own sound and my own approach to this music. I started singing with Billie Holiday recordings, went on to sing Lester Young solos, Miles Davis solos, Annie Ross trumpet vocalese (I have a high voice so that was perfect for me), and eventually worked up to singing Charlie Parker solos. Then I would take a 2-bar riff let’s say, and play it in every key on my instruments with the metronome, gradually raising the speed. I also transcribed solos to take a look at the players’ note selection on the chord change, and what it sounded like. Just picking everything apart to understand what I was listening to. Later on, I started feeling the need to make my own music, and that’s when I started writing. My writing is mostly what you hear on my recordings.
Q. Let’s talk about your album “Can You Feel It” and the motivation behind it?
A. Well, after the title track hit #1 for 3 weeks, I had to name the album after it! After all, it was my first #1 on Billboard! My 6th album, and my 1st #1- never give up people, never stop. The adversity we all face from time to time makes you who you are as a person and as an artist. I always try to release my best work. This felt like a nod from the universe that I was on the right track. I had been speaking to Greg Manning about us working on a track together. He called me a year later, and said, “I think I have something.” He sure did! We co-wrote the song together, which became the single, “Can You Feel It.”
In my quest to keep trying new things and trying to grow as an artist, I worked with 6 different producers on the album. I still want to be the main writer on the music I release. I find working with different producers takes me places I wouldn’t ordinarily go myself.
Q. Who are some of your biggest inspirations in Jazz?
A. Charlie Parker, Lester Young, Billie Holiday, Ella Fitzgerald, Annie Ross, Cannonball Adderley, Miles Davis, Lee Morgan, Roy Eldridge, Bill Evans, Lennie Tristano, David Sanborn, Mike Stern, Michael Brecker, Don Grolnick, Tony Bennett, Sarah Vaughan, Hubert Laws, Pat Martino, & Wes Montgomery.
Q. Can you give us more details on the “Seabreeze Jazz Festival” that you will be performing at?
A. It will be my first time playing the Seabreeze Jazz Festival! I will be playing with Jazz in Pink, led by keyboardist Gail Jhonson. and featuring Kim Scott, Chelsey Green, and myself. We go on at 1:35pm on Thursday, April 21st for a 70-minute show. The festival will be held at Aaron Bessant Park Amphitheater, 600 S. Pier Park Dr., Panama City Beach, Florida. The festival begins Wednesday, April 20th, and runs through Sunday, April 24th. More info and tickets: www. seabreezefestival.com, info@ seabreezefestival.com.
Q. How did you feel about your single being on the Billboard?
A. Thrilled! There are so few things that are tangible when it comes to being a musician; you practice countless hours, trying to improve everything you do. Writing and recording is so satisfying, because you actually have a song or songs that you can play, play for people, and that hopefully they will enjoy. You can press a CD. It’s something physical that shows your hard work, something that goes on forever. Charting on Billboard is very exciting, because it shows that radio is giving you spins and that people are enjoying your music. Billboard is one of the most important charts you can be on. To date, I’ve had 9 Billboard top 30 singles, including 2 number 1s; “Can You Feel it” and “Summer Song”. My current single, “Keep it Comin" is #4 on Billboard as of 4/4/22.
Q. Do you have a name for your Saxophone? What makes it so unique?
A. I don’t have a name for my saxophone. I have a Mark VI alto (as well as a Mark VI soprano), and neither one usually goes on the road. The sax I am playing and touring with these days is a Dakota Sax. I endorse, and also do workshops for them in certain cities.
Q. What has been one of your greatest accomplishments you’ve received in career?
A. Certainly one was getting signed to Kalimba Music, Maurice White’s label from EW&F for my 4th release, “Ear Candy.” The A&R person at Kalimba actually, was familiar with my music already- he said “I Love Paulas’ music- send it right over.” That in itself was an eye opener- my music was not going out into the universe into a “black hole” without being heard- someone who had been in the record business for a long time was familiar with my work, liked it, and wanted to hear more. Wow! Seeing Maurice tweeting about my record release on twitter was surreal! And of course, getting my first #1 on Billboard in 2020 with the single “Can You Feel It,” I will always treasure as a great accomplishment- I didn’t know I would ever see that! I didn’t do it myself, it takes a team, and a great one to accomplish something like that!
Q. Are you working on any new events or upcoming projects?
A. Yes, I’m working on a new album for release sometime in 2022. I just released the first single entitled, “Keep it Comin”, written and produced by Jacob Webb. Currently it’s #4 on Billboard, #2 on Mediabase, and #4 on the Smooth Jazz Network!
Q. Where can the readers follow you?
A. They can follow me on Facebook (fan and friend page), Twitter (@patherton1), IG ( @ paulaathertonmusic), bandsintown and Songkick.
