Judy Wexler’s Jazz Infused Summer of Love

By Melina Paris, Music Columnist

Culturally and politically, today has much in common with the Summer of Love 1967. The scent of rebellion was thick as the crowds of demonstrators that filled the streets. The music of that time, from the likes of Richie Havens, Paul Simon, Carole King and recent Nobel Prize in Literature recipient, Bob Dylan, captured the energy of that time through musical forms classified as folk, soul and rock music and everything in between.

But can you imagine songs like Dylan’s Tamborine Man, or Richie Havens Freedom performed as jazz standards? That’s exactly what Standout vocal stylist, Judy Wexler and her acclaimed jazz quartet are going to do at Alvas Showroom on Oct. 22.

Along with straight ahead jazz their set list features songs performed at Woodstock during what has been called the Summer of Love of 1967.

Wexler, who has released four albums in the past 10 years, spoke with Random Lengths about her Saturday night show.

Melina Paris: It’s noted that you frequently find hidden gems when it comes to songs and make them into your own interpretations. Is that something you strive to do or is it your natural expression?
Judy Wexler: One thing I wanted to stay away from was being a singer who just sang standards. I’ve made it a point and also because of where my love is, to find songs that aren’t as covered as much as others. As a jazz singer you have to have standards in your repertoire. But I like to balance it and it’s a little imbalanced in that I think most of the songs I sing are off the beaten track. People may have never heard them. So part of my mission is to expose what I feel are great songs to an audience and it really is part of my expression too.

MP: What made you decide to do reinterpretations of Summer of Love material (from 1967) for part of your show at Alvas?
JW: I’ve done two iterations from this show, in 2010 and again this past February with a show called, Back to the Garden.
It had a text that was largely written by my husband. It talked about all sorts of socio-political events that were happening at that time. We both have an affinity for the music of that time. So much of it is poetic. That, combined with also wanting to have a different kind of expression, branching out from standard jazz material. I thought it would be a good way to go, to cover those tunes but from a jazz perspective. It’s kind of a different harmonic and rhythmic thing going on.
On my first CD from 2005, Easy On The Heart, I recorded Bob Dylan’s, Don’t Think Twice, It’s Alright. From there I’ve been adding a few songs (from that era) over the years.
Additionally, with the times we are in and everything going on politically, for me these songs bring back a simpler time. There was a certain kind of idealism afoot, it was communal. Those times were balanced by a wave of people wanting to be connected.

MP: What is the most fulfilling thing to you about singing?
JW: To be able to sing something and feel it deeply. To be able to communicate it and allow the audience to feel it too.
When I go to a play I want to be deeply moved, no matter what it’s about. I want it to affect me. So, when I’m successful singing it’s because I’ve connected to the words and musically it carries the message and reaches people.
It’s also just being able to be with the band and feel a part of a band. It’s true with all music but with jazz to a different degree, because you are all in it together, in that moment communicating.

MP: Is that because of the improvisational nature of jazz?
JW: “Yes, because things happen differently every single time. It’s the combination of the group effort and improvisational nature of it.”
The Judy Wexler Quartet has another Los Angeles show in November at Bar Fedora at Au Lac and has also begun working on her fifth CD.
I love performing live and connecting to an audience,” Wexler said. “I hope that they get something that makes them feel. Just the same as when I want to deeply feel something when I see a play.

For more information go to, http://judywexler.com/