Zrazy have just released a j**z album. Life presumably not being tough enough in the highly competitive world of music for this independently-funded unsigned duo, they upped and went and did a j**z album. We all know how easy it is to sell j**z albums in Ireland, and as for getting it played on the radio . . .
But actually, according to vocalist Maria Walsh and Carole Nelson, things haven t been quite so difficult. They ve had quite a bit of airplay, from Carrie Crowley on Radio 1, Alan Maguire on South East Radio and elsewhere. Maria also reckons Private Wars was the easiest to make of all their albums, just three days to rehearse it, three days to record it and we re extremely pleased with it.
Carole agrees, adding that the duo were aching to do an album like Private Wars for years as forces tempted them away from their trade-mark melange of electronic dance, funk and soul. Their Toronto-based management guru Ron Crew had been nudging them towards an acoustic album and the Arts Council were offering grants for new contemporary jazz recordings. This itself was a great boon, concedes Carole, We d never been given a penny to record anything before.
Besides, any preconceived difficulties with radio play were never going to be that crucial. We ve got a solid fan-base anyway, Carole claims, so radio play like this is actually a bonus. We were worried that record stores might put the album in their little jazz sections at the back, but a lot of them have put it in their indie rock sections or where it s very visible.
A jazz album filed under indie rock speaks volumes about how current musical differences are blurring around the edges. Yes, agrees Carole, It s a bit odd when Andy Williams is suddenly cool with all those people who really hated him up to last week. It s strange that some acts go from being considered naff to being cool. It s happened to Johnny Cash and Abba and many others. One day they re perceived as a joke, and then you get people telling you they always liked them.
Maria mischeviously goes on to add that there might be an argument for having occassional amnesties so you could hand in your embarrassing albums in cool shops, no questions asked. This prompts Carole to admit to such uncool crimes as owning the Fragile album by Yes and some Jethro Tull. Maria s rapsheet is worse, having allowed Cat Stevens albums into the house.
All very jolly, but Private Wars is serious stuff, not just in its musical setting. As Maria explains, A song like I Just Like To Drink Alone could not have worked in any other format. It needs this kind of treatment to let the melody and the lyrics come through. Irish bands play far too loud anyway. I think it s a sign of a lack of confidence when in doubt play louder and faster. So our new album allows space for the songs to open up.
There are often autobiographical sources for the lyrics, including the afore-mentioned drinking alone song. In fact, she says, a lot of my lyrics are made up of bits about people I ve known, or maybe several people in one song. Like a very possessive partner I once had might be one subject. The song Private Wars is definitely real in that sense. So is Walking On Air , but then Hot Sun came to me in the back garden and it s a rather flippant slice of life.
Unbelievably, many of Maria s vocal takes on the album were the guide vocals, and although she re-recorded them it was generally reckoned her first takes were perfect. The only track they seem less than ecstatic about is Cry Baby .
But can Zrazy survive as an independent entity forever? Wouldn t they just love Mr Warner or one of his brothers to hand them a hefty wad of cash? Carole has no doubts on this one. I ve been poor all my life, and this kind of freedom is hard to give up, even if it brings practical difficulties. I hate corporate capitalism with a passion.
Maria concurs, adding, As it is we can come and go as we please. We don t have to get hooked on drugs to keep up with the promotional and touring demands that go with major deals. When we go abroad to play it s like a holiday, we get to meet real people, and that s worth it s wait in gold.
Then, just in case Mr Warner or one of his brethren may be listening, she raises her voice and adds, But we re wide open for exploitation from all directions, before they both collapse
into gleeful laughter.
Apart from the current merry-go-round of media promotion, Zrazy s next trick is to tour the album, probably using the same sax, piano,
double bass and drums line-up as on Private Wars. So is this farewell to the techo end of the music spectrum?
Maybe , says Carole, but we just want to see where this leads. We might decide to leave the dance thing to people like Dove whose single, by the way, is brilliant. They re really bright kids, really centred.
Yes, Maria says, But let s not forget that there were touches of jazz throughout all our music, a sax break here, or take the piano on Kissing . We might decide to age gracefully with this j**z thing.
To judge by Private Wars few have kicked-started the ageing process in such spectacular style. n
Private Wars by Zrazy is out now on Alfi.