“Engaged, wearing pearls and khaki pants, living in the Wisconsin suburbs. Up late one night searching for life on craigslist and came across a want ad for an Indie band drummer. Clicked, thought one of the guys was cute so I impulsively responded to the ad saying, “I’m not a drummer but… do you want a keyboard player? I played piano in elementary school…” More as a joke, but they surprisingly invited me to their rehearsal to “see what I can do.” I hadn’t played piano in at least ten years, and even then it was from Classical sheet music!! After spending the entire practice sitting on my hands, blushing, and rocking back and forth, one of the guys said, “Well how about trying the accordion? I’ve got one and none of us knows how to play it.” The boy was cute, I hated my life, and was yearning to return to creative expression. Four months later, I called off the wedding, quit the band, and sent in the master for my first solo acoustic album. The accordion just opened the floodgate, and since then I feel more comfortable in my own skin.”
So goes the story behind Milwaukee accordion playing pianist Pezzettino. Playing under the guise of a moniker pulled from Leo Lionni’s children’s books, translating into English as ‘little piece’ or ‘little square’, the music project takes a page out of Lionni’s themes, and is one of self-discovery, independence and reinforcing the creative calling. “It was around the same time that I was finding my own voice as a person and musician. The songs and sound are just straight from the heart, so having a moniker is a way to create a veil of privacy.”
Though technically a solo musician, Pezzettino does include collaborations and contributions from additional musicians, particularly drummer Nez and bassist Justin Kral, who are part of Pezzettino album Lion, as well as their own projects like Kral’s new band The Spliffs.
With a sound that’s unique not only for it’s inclusion of the accordion, Pezzettino makes music that varies from the cute and poppy to floating folky-indie, all in the same vein as musicians like Kate Nash, Jaymay, and New York band, Elizabeth and the Catapult. With an element of the theatrical and a knack for composition, it’s no wonder that this melody maker was nominated for a number of awards at the 3rd Annual 88Nine Milwaukee Music Awards, including Most Memorable Performance and Best New Artist.
Already with a slew of successes, Pezzettino will be releasing two new albums this year to follow up 2009′s Lion- one with hip-hop producer LMNTlsyt in the Spring and Pedestrian Drama, a 20 minute Indie/Classical piano and video composition, due out in the fall. On working with LMNTlyst and the new music Pezzettino said, “It’s an ideal situation because we work quickly and are intuitively on the same page, yet our musical influences are very different. It’s challenging and exciting, I’m entering a fun stage.”
Pezzettino Online:
Myspace
Pezzettino.net
Currently touring the East Coast, Pezzettino took a little time to answer some of our questions about her music, past projects, and the first show she ever saw.
Telegram Sam: Can you tell us a little bit about your writing process?
Pezzettino: It feels like getting a phone call, and you can either click “accept” or “ignore.” Once you press “accept” and surrender, allow the song to present itself, it’s a matter of having the patience to let the song develop line by line. Usually the words and melody emerge together. Almost always while driving, walking, or showering, and while I’m particularly emotional about a situation (but am too controlled or closed to outwardly express it). If I’m feeling particularly “stuck” then I sit at the piano and try to just shut off my mind and let the fingers find the way. It’s a therapeutic process, and I only discover how I truly feel after the song is already written.
T.S: What are your top three favorite cities/venues to play?
Pezzettino: Oh, this could get me into trouble! I love everyone equally, right? Haha! Well, I must say that Legion Arts in Cedar Rapids has a fantastic grand piano in a gorgeous facility that is great for the solo acoustic sets. High Noon Saloon in Madison is also a favorite, that’s the first place that suggested miking the floor to capture the “stomp,” and the audience is always fantastic. And I love New York, it’s an incredibly inspiring city to be in…
T.S: If you could book a tour with any 3 bands, past or present, who would they be and why?
Pezzettino: Easy! Bjork, because she’s a genius and I love her. She just does what she wants, presents it as her own with confidence, I really look up to her. Feist, easy, because I love her material and have heard that both her and Bjork are extra attentive to the visual aspect to their performance, I would like to “study under” them. Third band? I feel like I should pick a male because otherwise it’s just an estrogen fest on this list… Andrew Bird? But that’s because I’m madly in love with him (genius factor again).
T.S: Give us some background on the current songs you include on your set lists
Pezzettino: Playing a large majority of unreleased material, which is more upbeat, I’m working with more audience participation. In my mind, there are about three upcoming albums, with styles that span from Indie Pop/ Hip Hop/ Electronic to Contemporary Classical to folky love songs… If there’s an old song that people particularly like, it stays in the set, but mostly I’m just working out new material, testing, and getting it ready for recording.
T.S: What are your top three musical influences?
Pezzettino: My top three musical influences are… I always find this question impossible to answer. The new material is more along the lines of Chopin, Santigold, and Feist. I feel like the Avett Brothers, Tori Amos, and Broadway influenced the first album… The second album, “Lion,” uses more of the vocabulary learned from bands like Elastica, The Cranberries, Juliana Hatfield, and Vivaldi.
T.S: Is there any instrument you don’t play, but wish you did?
Pezzettino: Of course! I wish I knew how to play the trombone, bass, all members of the drum family, violin, sitar, bassoon.
T.S: What other projects have you been a part of?
Pezzettino: I’ve contributed accordion and/or vocal tracks to The Championship, Chris DeMay, and DNA from Milwaukee. Have also started collaborating with theater groups, such as RadioWHT, an old time radio show program with sound effects, and “Peter and the Wolf and the One Woman Band.” That will be so exciting, I loved my Peter and the Wolf record, and to perform it for children using only the accordion, glockenspiel, toy piano, and any other found objects is pushing me creatively. Also starting to do some soundtrack work for an Indie film…
T.S: If you were to record a tribute album to one artist, who would it be and why?
Pezzettino: I could never do her justice, but I would tribute Ella Fitzgerald, because she is the queen.
T.S: Who was the first band/musician you saw live?
Pezzettino: Ever?!? Probably Tibetan monk throat singers… I have no idea, but almost definitely it was Classical of sorts.
Tags: Interview, Upcoming Release
February 15, 2010 at 2:25 pm |
It’s really great of her to finally lay out the truth for so many of those she dumped in the toilet after so many years.