JAANE DOE: Interivew with singer, songwriter and musician of the Berkshires

photos by tasja keetman

Jaane Doe on stage with Dan Navarro, Nancy Apple and Sandy Opatow at WoodyFest 2018 Photo: John Claeys

JAANE DOE MUSICIAN AND VOCALIST

INTERVIEW BY H. CANDEE PORTRAIT PHOTOGRAPHY BY TASJA KEETMAN

THE ARTFUL MIND AUGUST 2019 • 19 Jaane, you born in the Bronx! So was I. Where in the Bronx, and can you reflect on a few memories of the days you were living there? Jaane Doe: I was born in the New York Foundling Hospital on 3rd Avenue. I was adopted shortly after that and grew up in Valhalla, NY. My childhood memories of Valhalla are happy ones. I attended Holy Name of Jesus School through the 8th Grade, where I often walked to school through the village of Valhalla carrying a heavy book bag in one hand and a guitar in the other from the age of ten. I began playing the Flute in Grade four, and have fond memories of walking into the house on a summer afternoon to find my very own flute sitting on a stand with a bow on it from my parents! I was given a guitar 2 years later in Grade 6, and came home everyday from school locked myself in my bedroom and taught myself to play. The nuns at school brought me into the teachers room to write out the chords and lyrics for all the 60’s Folksongs like Blowin’ in the Wind, If I Had a Hammer, Sounds of Silence and they would have me teach the students to play them. I remember lining up 30 girls in the hallway to tune their guitars before Mass! At the time when you first discovered music, what musicians did you start to follow? Jaane: When I first discovered music, I followed Pete Seeger, Peter Paul and Mary, James Taylor, Melanie, Joni Mitchell and Janis Ian. I consider them all to be my personal forefathers of music, and I have actually had the opportunity to meet some of them along my musical journey! The funny thing about meeting them is that these meetings were by chance. I have had many instances, but I will share a few. When I lived in Los Angeles, I had gone to visit a keyboard technician friend to demo some new gear, and when I came out of the facility, I got to my car realizing that I had locked the keys inside! Just as I was turning around on the sidewalk, Janis Ian passed by and I delightedly began to talk to her! I happened to have my writing journal in my hand, and I asked her to autograph it for me. She signed it ‘To Beth and her door locks, Janis Ian” While recently attending a John Miller concert in NYC, I lingered afterward to speak with my friend John, and Peter Yarrow, who had been John’s special guest, singing “Puff the Magic Dragon” for the crowd walked up to me, and kissed my hand! These little incidents illustrate how being passionate about our music and art can manifest into real connections with the artists who inspire us. What is your life like now that you are living in the Berkshires? I know you had a big change happen from the time you were in LA, to the time you came back here. Can you tell us a little of what was going on in your life to make that change? Jaane: I had been working with my mentor and friend Joe Schermie, the bass player for Three Dog Night, and was hired to come to Crystal Sound Studios to sing some background vocals on a project. I clearly remember walking through those heavy glass doors, and down the hallway lined with Gold and Platinum records to the Studio A control room. The session had already started and there was a lot going on. As I stood at the mixing console, I looked up at the door and in walked a handsome blondhaired bearded man in a tie-died T- shirt, red suspenders, blue jeans, and K-Swiss sneakers. He extended his hand to me and introduced himself as Andrew Berliner. We found a few moments to have a conversation and sparks flew! I was invited to return often for sessions and social events, and eventually discovered that he was the Studio Owner! Oddly enough, he was from Brooklyn, originally, and I always chuckle to myself at the idea of having to travel across the country to find the “ONE” I’d meet, fall in love with, marry, and have children with… Continued on next page...

wanted to artistically immortalize the struggle, where good triumphs over evil, with a mantra that you can be all that you dream with strong will and passionate desire to succeed. I feel that the universe has made me a positive channel to demonstrate this. Creating PAWNS has given me wings to fly.

Jaane Doe Live at the Troubador

Andrew Berliner and Elizabeth Berliner (Jaane Doe) with our son Aaron in the kitchen at Crystal Sound Recording Studios 1993 Photo: Herb Abramson

20 • AUGUST 2019 THE ARTFUL MIND not necessarily in that order! I believe the 1994 earthquake on Martin Luther King Day in the greater Los Angeles area was the turning point. Much of the music coming in those days was difficult for a Julliard trained classical pianist to relate to, so after 25 years, Andrew suggested that we return to Great Barrington to raise our children, giving up drive – by shootings and rap music for the culture and beauty of the Berkshires. If you remember Cornwall Academy, Andrew was class Salutatorian of his 60’s class, and a young Civil Air Patrol pilot who received his license from Walt Koladzda at age 16. He passed away suddenly when our children were 7, 8, and 12. The challenges of those days are behind me now as my children have reached an age of greater independence. How does your latest music album PAWNS reflect your life? In what ways can you describe your music and how it has affected your life by creating it? Jaane: I would describe my music emotionally as heartfelt, introspective, ethereal, positive, spiritual, yet sometimes sad. It is melodic in nature, lending itself to harmonies, and punctuated by strong rhythm guitar, fingerpicking, bass, and piano riffs. PAWNS has been released as a single. The Genre is Anthemic Folk/Rock and is 6:44 in length. The remainder of the album is still in the works, with a goal of completion for the end of 2019. I feel that PAWNS is reflective of my reaching a precipice in life. I am allowing myself to enjoy the view. The road has been a winding one with sharp turns, unexpected curves, and steep climbs along the way. I

And performing is a big part of your career these days! You are travelling all over! Glad you have a venue in the Berkshires! How do you decide what your repertoire will be for the places you play? Jaane: I believe that the NATURE of my repertoire is what makes me attractive to the venues that hire me. It is ALWAYS a complement when the audiences at the venues prefer my original songs to the tunes that I cover. When I cover someone else’s song, I do my Continued on next page... best to make it my own. What changes most is the length of a set that I play, and that depends on audience engagement. I do not take a break at many of the gigs I play, which means that I could be playing for three hours straight. If the gig is at a showcase venue, the set would be shorter and consist of only original material. What has been so far the most memorable place you have performed? I liked the Troubadour Series at the Guthrie Center, in Gt Barrington. Harmonizing with Eric Reinhardt was so dead on. Jaane: Thank you for the complement, Harryet! I have played the Troubadour Series at The Guthrie Center several times and I LOVE the venue. It is among my favorites. The Guthrie Family and George Laye have been very kind to me over the years in giving me a home to keep up my craft and present my work as an artist. They allowed me to rehearse my band there for my CD release party for BURNS LIKE FIRE and the show was one of the best! I have played in some legendary places over the years like The Whiskey, The Rainbow, Fender’s Ballroom WoodyFest, Caffe Lena, and many more. The MOST memorable place I have performed is Doug Weston’s Troubadour on Santa Monica Blvd. in Los Angeles. Ironically, George Laye, the director at The Guthrie Center worked there before he became involved at Arlo’s Church. The Troubadour has been proving grounds for the luminaries of the popular music world. James Taylor, Joni Mitchell, Jackson Browne, Carole King, Elton John, Guns and Roses. The list is endless with many a story behind each appearance. What is so impressionable about the place is the presence that remains in the room if you believe in spirits and ghosts, you find them there. I performed to a packed room with A&R Reps, and fans that clamoured for more. It was always an exhilarating experience to play that room. If you could play alongside of anyone in the world, dead or alive, who would you choose it to be? What would you both agree to play together? Jaane: I would choose to play with my mentor and friend, the late Joe Schermie. He was a master at putting together a rhythm section, and was a phenomenal bass player. I miss our days of collaboration. RIP Joe.

Jaane Doe as a child playing her first guitar grade 6

Are you fond of the great classic masters, like Mozart? Jaane: I am fond of Bach. I love the counterpoint, and when I write, I use “riffs” that are different for each guitar part and bass part that work the same way that J.S. Bach’s compositions would move. Do you have a process with your songwriting and connecting those words, to that of the instrument you will be playing? Jaane: My process is very stream of consciousness. I will sit up late at night in my music room or in the afternoon and just start randomly playing the guitar, and occasionally the piano. I will hit on something that sounds good and has urgency, bounce and movement and I will keep working a musical phrase until if feels cooked so to speak. The lyrics come later. I sometimes wake up with a strong line in my head and have to jump out of bed or stop the car to write it down. I keep all of this in a book in a special box, like a treasure chest that I can open when I need to add lyrics to a piece of music. Some songs come together in one sitting, a few minutes or hours. Other songs are written in parts and can take years for me to complete. Sometimes lyrics and melodies are like a cloud floating by in the sky. If you don’t reach up and grab it while it is there it disappears forever. Any other musings in the arts that you like to encounter? Jaane: I have no formal training in music or other, but I truly love nature photography, and interior design. I actually incorporated some of my nature video into my PAWNS music video. Tell us, Jaane, how do you spend your work days and moments of rest? At this time in life my work has become my play and vise versa. I do spend a great deal of time on the internet working on promoting, answering music business emails, fine tuning social media and website presentations. It is quite time consuming. I play my guitar, and I sing. I truly enjoy being outdoors tending my gardens and watching sunrises and sunsets. What do you find most challenging about your

Jaane Doe by Tasja Keetman

latest music project, PAWNS? Jaane: Ahhh, the story of PAWNS. It all started at a puppet studio in High Falls NY on Lake Mohonk Road in the Fall of 2017. My co-producer, Harry J. Alpert, and I were having a meeting with some colleagues about 3D puppet movie content. I excused myself to find the rest room and as I left the room, my eyes fixated on a giant chessboard and pieces in the next room. I thought to myself about the implications of shooting a piece in 3D using this giant chess set and got very excited. Over the next few Continued on next page...

Photograph of Jaane’s poodle, Marley. Photograph by Jaane Doe

JAANE DOE, PAWNS MUSIC VIDEO PROJECT PHOTOGRAPH BY TASJA KEETMAN

22 •THE ARTFUL MIND AUGUST 2019 weeks of conversations with our colleagues I inquired about the chessboard and possibly converting the room to a soundstage for a 3D video shoot. It fell on deaf ears, however my enthusiasm continued to grow. We no longer make epic music videos like we did in the early days of MTV…why not? I thought. The embryonic journey of the song PAWNS had begun in December of 2017 as I began to write a song that would use the chessboard as a vehicle. The song demo was edited and recorded in 2018. In striking up the conversation again about transforming the space for a video shoot I was referred to the landlord and the owner of the property who wanted massive insurance upfront to shoot 3D, 2D or anything on the premises, so we reached an impasse. At this point we were informed that the building was up for sale. I had a vision of how surreal this black and white chessboard would look like in my backyard in the Berkshires, amongst the trees overlooking the Williams River, how fantastic? A few months went by and I contacted the Owner again to ask if she wanted to SELL the Chessboard and pieces. The third time was a charm! I got a resounding yes! We agreed on a price and in August of 2018, Harry J. Alpert, Mark Hohlstein, Actor/Carpenter, and Director of Photography Jared M. Skolnick and myself drove a moving van to Lake Mohonk Road to pick up this most wonderful prop, transport it back to the Berkshires and rebuild it on my property overlooking the river. What I did not know was that the chess set had a history. The owner of this set was a custodian of legacies so to speak. Back in 1999, world renowned Chess Player Gary Kasparov commissioned the making of this chess set for “ Kasparov Versus the World”, an internet game of chess shown on the web with Kasparov in white and great chess minds from 75 countries in black, coming up with counter moves that were photographed and shown online. This was seen on MSN Gaming and after 4 months of play, Kasparov was victorious. One of the White Horses, (Knight) pieces is signed by Gary Kasparov himself! In September of 2018 I was finishing up the storyboards for the video shoot and making arrangements with Shakespeare and Company for costumes for my actors. Watching the weather, the shoot was set for the last week of September into the first few days of October. That summer before all of this activity I had been out with my camera shooting flowers, corn in the wind, butterflies, and other beautiful Berkshire magic and riches! Another facet of the riches in the Berkshires is the wealth of artistic tal

ent. I am blessed to have worked with a fabulous ensemble of musicians, artists and artisans including Mark Tuomenoksa, who recorded the song, played electronic drums, mixed and with my specifications created the beautiful piano intro that he plays in the video, Iris Tuomenoksa, Mark’s wife who was, one of my actresses playing a PAWN. Other magnificent cast members include Andrew Joffe, who played the black PAWN, and the KING in one of the last scenes of the video, Scott Moran, my KNIGHT and white PAWN, Mark Hohlstein, who played the KING, and constructed the set, David Bond Englehard on drums, Jared Skolnick, Director of Photography, Terry Dunn, Stagehand, and last but not least, Producer/consultant with a rich history of blockbuster movie credits in special effects, Harry J. Alpert. This entire project has been a challenging endeavor, and my Directorial Debut, but by far the most rigorous part of the PAWNS project has been the editing process! We shot for a total of 6 days; 3 hours and 40 minutes of material to be edited into a 6 minute and 44 second song! It was a long disciplined winter of editing, but it is finished! The video will be released before the end of 2019 . There will also be a 3D version. Stay tuned! You must go to bed exhausted after long day(s) at the studio. What do you do on your spare time when you come up for air? Jaane: When I come up for air, I love to take long rides in the car with my dog Marley on my lap and the music blaring! Was music always a constant in your life? Jaane: Music is my life now…therapy, prophecy, sustenance, a constant. In the rear view mirror music was on the backburner with fleeting creative bursts of activity.

Photograph of The Guthrie Center in Winter by Jaane, and above, Jaane Doe live at The Guthrie Center 2008

How does nostalgia play a role in your life andwith music? Jaane: Nostalgia has played a special role in my music life because I have somehow manifest, out of the blue encounters with so many of the artists that have created the “Soundtracks of our Lives” so to speak. Even as a young person listening to Jefferson Airplane’s Somebody to Love, a song I loved and performed often, here I was at SPAC (Saratoga Performing Arts Center) trying to get a glimpse of Grace Slick, my idol, rushing to the back stairs, and low and behold, Grace Slick trips and falls down the stairs into my arms…It was a rush, and amazing that I caught her! Nostalgia has played a role in my original musical creations as well. What does a young widow do at night when the man she shared pillow talk with is gone to the other side? For years I would stay up all night and write about our connection and the ensuing heartache and loneliness. The songs on BURNS LIKE FIRE came from those memories looking back. The image of Jaane Doe on the railroad tracks honors the nostalgia of Woody and Arlo Guthrie, and my song” So Will I Rise”, which is a tribute to Woody’s life was the catalyst for the photo image! What do you desire in terms of where you want to be with your music down the road? Jaane: I desire to be a positive vibration in the universe, and for a global reach destined for the hearts of all people with my musical message inspiring and kindling love, light, peace and happiness for all to share. I hope my music makes you smile! I believe in the possibilities that start with a dream. Plant a seed, nurture it…it will grow! What is your vocal range? Does it change depending on the song? Jaane: I believe am an Alto. I still have a strong chest voice but have learned to soften some notes and finesse some of my interpretations of melodies. That’s where the change comes in. Sometimes you

want an in your face sound, other times soft light and pretty is what is required. The music genre you play mostly is country, folk pop mix, is that correct? Who inspired you? Who did you learn from? Jaane: Over the years my genre has changed as I have changed with the times, reinventing myself along the way. I My Album BURNS LIKE FIRE was recorded in the Folk/Americana Genre, and could best be characterized as Country tinged Folk/Pop Americana My new release PAWNS is best described as fitting in to the Folk/Rock Genre. I have created music in other genres in the past. I have drawn my inspiration from Joni Mitchell, Grace Slick, Judy Collins, and the Wilson Sisters from Heart. I have always followed my ear to learn in the tradition of self-teaching. Is there anything now you are self-studying in the music field that is new for you? Jaane: My Dad bought me the album, Herbie Mann at the Village Gate, and I am returning to the study of that jazz vibe that I was introduced to as a child. What’s the most challenging for you as far as performing live on a stage? Jaane: New venues where I am unfamiliar with the sound system is the most challenging aspect of live performance. And believe it or not, there are times when I still get those butterflies in the stomach, nervous shaking of the knees thing…it happens to everyone! Rewards of being a musician for you is? Jaane: Making music is life affirming! I can be myself, project the image of who I am and not shape myself for a “JOB” where you must conform or be fired or cast out. The rewards are freedom, happiness and making new friends along the way as more listeners share their excitement for what I do.

If you were to give advise to a young musician, what would you tell them? Jaane: Learn to do as many things as you can to create your music brand. Learn to properly record your own material, play as many instruments as possible. Be versatile but true to yourself. And remember creation is messy!

Jaane Doe is your name, but isn’t there also another name you have? Jaane: Jaane Doe is my alter ego… What’s in a name? The point I am making with that name is that it’s not about the name. It’s about the effect that your creative output has on people and their surroundings. Jaane Doe desires to be associated with a harmonious exchange and good feelings between people as they drink in my sound. My real name is Elizabeth Berliner. As a human being, I am the same and behave the same whether I am in my artist mode or regular good citizen mode. I aim to have a smile and a kind word for all I meet.

What are your favorite song lines you would like to share? Jaane: My favorite song lines are from the end of Led Zeppelin’s Stairway to Heaven:

…and as we wind on down the road our shadows taller than our soul there walks a lady we all know who shines white light and wants to show how everything still turns to gold and if you listen very hard the tune will come to you at last when all are one and one is all to be a rock and not to roll …and she’s buying a stairway to heaven…

VISIT: WWW.JAANEDOE.COM WWW.FACEBOOK.COM/JAANEDOEMUSIC WWW.REVERBNATION/JAANEDOE/SONGS