The following article appears in the March - May '98 issue of FolkNotes.

Jane Zell: Blues Sista'

By Richard Marchetta

Her e-mail address starts with Madmozel.Muse. Her debut CD is titled Sista Moon. She has a stellar lineup of terrific local musicians backing her up. Naturally we’re talking Jane Zell here.

I recently sat down with Jane at the newly opened Good Earth Cafe on Wescott to talk about her new CD and learn more about this blues-jazz diva.

Jane spent 15 years in Hawaii, got her liberal arts degree in music from the University of Hawaii, played in a local band out their called "The Galvinizors," picked up a ukelele for fun and was laughed at by her friends for spending 30 dollars to buy a washtub and put a hole right in the middle so she could construct a wastub bass. Jane responed, "My friends thought I was crazy."

Sista Moon has the Madamozelle singing in a sultry voice starting with track one, "Loneliness" Also featuring Jose Alvarez on lead guitar from Los Blancos, and The White-ees rhythm section, Steve Winston, bass. and Paul Roehrig, drums, appearing on other tracks.

Cut three is a exquiste solo guitar piece entitled "Moon and Stars." To my ears this piece seems to blend spanish, blues, and travis fingerpicking into one incredible guitar instrumental. This track was recorded live to the recorder, no overdubs. Jane said it was written for a boy. I didn’t have the inclination to probe further and ask if this was a case of unrequitted love. Perhaps this piece shows what Jane learned in Hawaii and also her early influence from Mississippi John Hurt, who impressed her with his two or three finger picking technique, consequently known as "the Clawhammer Technigue" due to the way the right hand looks when picked in this fashion.

Diamond Joe Davoli Jr. plays violin on several tracks, including the album closer, which is another classical, jazzy guitar gem with Joe opening up the sound. Upon hearing this cut, which the cafe played for us during the interview, I told Jane I see myself driving Ventura Highway up towards Santa Barbara, with the ocean on the left and windmill orchards on the right. Jane pointed out that it was a ocean song written in Hawaii with three different pieces coming together over a three year period. She finally had to tell herself the music was finished.

Track eight is also worth noting "She Drivin" starts with a brief jazzy guitar medley and kicks into a great roadhouse blues rocker, then alternates again with the jazzy sound great tempo changes and creative songwriting from Jane who also wrote, produced, and arranged the album with help from her friends, as she adds in the credits.

It,s worth mentioning that Jane's attitude and outlook on life is pretty neat. In a dog-eat-dog world, Jane says about competition among musicians "competition is good because it challenges you to perfect your craft." Jane is also quick to point out that the community of musicians in Syracuse is very supportive and open to sharing music and jamming.

A brave and strong soul taking a chance in coming out, Jane said, "I’ve waited a long time for perfection. so I decided to go do this project without it."

This page maintained by Dana Cooke. E-mail me at djcooke@aiusa.com.