The Playlist Videos

Innovative songwriter & performer Emily Jayne brings her original music to The PlayList. She delivers alternative pop style tunes on two keyboards, backed by Travis Crotteau, Mark Glen & Tyler Dubla.

CD Release Party June 11, 2011

Emily

Travis & Mark

Emily, Travis & Mark

Emily, Travis & Mark

Emily, Travis & Ethan

Emily, Travis & Ethan

Travis

Emily, Travis, Tyler & Mark


Photos by George Ellsworth:
Emily

Ethan

Mark

Ethan

Emily & Travis

Emily

Emily, Travis & Mark

Emily

Emily Jayne: by Jana Peterson, Pine Jornal

Emily Jayne: A woman of many talents, many names, many dreams

Emily Jayne Brissett is a woman of many talents – singing, playing piano, drawing – and a woman of many names. She goes by Emily Jayne when she’s performing. At home, she answers to “mom” most often. Her given name is Emily Jayne Brissett; now that she’s married to John White, she often hyphenates the two surnames, or simply goes by Emily White.
By: Jana Peterson, Pine Journal

Emily Jayne: A woman of many talents, many names, many dreams

Emily Jayne Brissett has known since she was a young girl growing up in Cloquet that she wanted to make a career out of music. After all, she comes from a musical family, the kind of people who actually enjoy singing out loud with each other when they get together, and who sound good when they do it. Besides, music was a necessity – ranking near the top of her hierarchy of needs.

“I started teaching myself piano when I was 14 and couldn’t get enough of it,” explained Jayne, who adopted Emily Jayne as her stage name. “I needed to play.”

Because she was in choir, she knew a little about music, but not much about piano. And there was a particular song – “(Everything I Do) I Do It For You” by Brian Adams – that she wanted to play. So she taped the notes to the piano keys on her inherited piano and began a four-month quest to learn the song. When she’d mastered “Everything,” she moved on to Queen’s “Bohemian Rhapsody.” And so it went.

“Piano became my way of coping with things in high school,” Jayne said. “A lot of people turned to more negative behaviors – I spent many hours driving my dad crazy playing piano.”

In her senior year, knowing she wanted to go to music school, she finally enrolled in formal piano lessons with the highly respected Gretchen Chelseth. Jayne would go to lessons over her lunch break from school.

“I wanted a more regimented technique; mine was pretty loosey-goosey” Jayne explained, adding that, because she was self-taught, she tended to use three fingers rather than five most of the time. “My finger placement definitely needed some work.” It worked.

Jayne was accepted to Boston’s Berklee College of Music – founded on “the revolutionary principle that the best way to prepare students for careers in music was through the study and practice of contemporary music,” the website said – and off she went to the big city.

Almost against her will, Jayne said, her time at Berklee had an inarguable impact on her music. She went there with a rock-n-roll style and a classical choral background. Now, years later, the jazz that is such a large part of the culture at Berklee is coming out in her music.

When asked to describe her music, Jayne named her style more “jazzy-alternative rock.” Listening to various tunes on her My Space page (link to it from her website at emilyjayne.com), Jayne’s lyrics run the gamut, from wryly humorous (“Stupid,” about the woes of buying a diesel in Minnesota) to shocking (“The Blue Room,” a song she wrote after a man she went to high school with assaulted a young girl). Her voice is distinctive and melodious, with an edge to it that brings to mind Natalie Merchant (of 10,000 Maniacs fame).

“I always was emotive,” Jayne said. “Even in high school choir, the reviews I’d get back were that the “emotional content was striking.”

While not overpowering, the piano definitely has a presence as well in Jayne’s music.

Because the piano is her instrument of choice, Jayne hasn’t played many gigs in Cloquet, but she is known at Beaner’s in West Duluth (where they have a keyboard she can play) and the Thirsty Pagan in Superior (where there is actually a piano).


More than music

While music is still a primary passion in her life, Jayne has made room for other loves. First came the aforementioned John White of Cambridge, Mass., who played bass guitar in a band in Boston that Jayne signed on to sing for.

“I’d answered a flyer looking for a background vocalist,” she said. “Then, when I was home visiting, he joined the band as well.”

It was love at first sight …

basically.

“It was a little more complicated than that,” she said, offering a Mona Lisa smile and no further details.

Jayne and White had (and have) much in common. Both are musicians, although John leans toward punk, Jayne said. They’re both artists: Jayne draws amazing portraits (of people and animals) in pencil, colored pencils and now markers, while John is a talented blacksmith and, according to Jayne, can do just about anything else he sets his mind to, be it carpentry or adapting a car to run on biofuel.

There’s also a shared mindset that’s obvious once a person meets them, a kind of openness to new ideas, an engagement with the world around us.

Then there’s Star Trek.

“Yep, we’re Trekkies,” Jayne admits, laughing, after her oldest daughter mentions the family’s nightly viewings of past episodes.

While both of them miss the diversity of the Boston area, they moved back to Cloquet to start a family more than a decade ago.

Enter Isobelle, then Victoria two years later. Now the girls are 11 and 9 years old, respectively. Jayne is in her second year of home schooling them.

They learn Spanish, math, literature, GUM (grammar usage mechanics), science and go on field trips. Jayne is a hands-on teacher – otherwise they goof off, she said – but staying home also gives her time to work on her music.

While music is available to the children, neither Jayne nor White is doing a “Tiger Mother” on their kids and forcing them to play any particular instrument or join in an all-family band.

In fact, Isobelle says she hears her mother’s music only when Jayne is recording in the living room (and the rest of the family is, as White likes to put it, making like Harry Potter, going to their rooms and pretending they “don’t exist”).

“But I caught you yesterday singing the Umbrella Waltz,” Jayne teased Isobelle, explaining that Isobelle was actually humming the Emily Jayne song while doing her math.


Coming full circle

The White family (and their two dogs) live in the same house that Jayne grew up in. The back yard of the house – built by Jayne’s father, André Brissett, and mother, Shela Caza, on the foundations of an old barn – abuts her grandmother GiGi’s back yard (where André was raised). Her step-grandfather lives in the neighborhood as well. (Jayne’s parents are divorced and both have remarried, Sheila to Dwight Caza and André to Mary Joe Kozsarek.)

While Jayne is still working on that “making a living making music” goal, she does have a band now, which formed after a Facebook

posting.

“My brother’s best friend growing up, Travis Crotteau of Cloquet, is a guitarist. He responded, saying that he’d been working with a drummer from Duluth, Tyler Dubla,” she said. “It was two years ago that we started playing together.”

It’s going well, and the three of them are now working on a new CD, with the help of Duluth Playhouse soundman Nick Gosen, a change for Jayne who recorded her previous CDs on her own. Several area musicians have agreed to appear on the new CD, including Sara Softich (violin), Matt Mobley (acoustic bassist), Ethan Thompson (electric bass) and, of course, her husband John (when the music suits his style of bass

guitar).

In the meantime, she’s incredibly grateful to have been able to continue with her music.

“John’s the breadwinner of the family, so he has less time to do the things he enjoys,” she said. “Since I don’t work outside the home, I am blessed to have the time to do all the things I do: music, art, tattooing … I’ve even started a novel and had a raw foods business until recently.”

Ultimately, Jayne would love to be able to return the favor, and support her family with her music.

In a perfect world, she could combine all her talents and run a piano bar that served raw foods and featured music as well as art by Emily Jayne, with a small tattoo parlor in the corner.

In the real world, look for the latest Emily Jayne CD to appear later this year. Maybe this will be the one.


LINK

Our First Full Length Gig: Beaners

We had an awesome time at Beaners this past Friday night! Here's a few shots from the night.

2009 Beaners Songwriting Competition

Okay, I know it's old news. So last year. But Christa Lawler (Duluth News Tribune) was at the 2009 Beaners competition and I hear is the wonderful lady who recommended me for the "Ladies We Love" event that happened last night. I did a little searching, and she did a write up about the songwriting competition last year. Here's what she had to say:

Jill Zimmerman, a young musician from St. Paul, won the Singer/Songwriter Competition on Wednesday at Beaner's Central. She was one of two performers to bust out some music on a keyboard, and then performed her second song on guitar. Her style, lyrically, has a sort of stream-of-consciousness to it. She a little poppy, a little folky, really fun.

There were 16 performers, and they played two songs each. They were judged on Lyrics, Melody, Stage Presense and Originality. (I was a judge. My second songwriting competition in a month. So fun. Although I'm an erratic judge with little rhyme or reason to what catches my ear from minute to minute).

Lance Benson was the runner up. He's got a bit of an alt-country folk sound and seemed pretty comfortable on stage. Third place was Emily Jayne of Duluth, who went Tori Amos all over the keyboard. She was fantastic. Totally reminded me of one of my favorite musicians/celebrities/people to follow on Twitter, Amanda Palmer of Dresden Dolls.

The People's Choice Award went to a fine, fine young guitar player, Lucas Ollanketo. It looks like he is from St. Paul-ish area. He brought about three rows of entourage with him to the show and got a lotta love from the audience.

Ladies We Love

The "Ladies We Love" show at Teatro Zuccone was absolutely amazing. All the musicians (yes, there were a few men thrown into the mix) were superb. The stage (sound) was excellent, the audience was involved and the whole vibe from the night was wonderful. Thank you everyone for a wonderful experience: Charity Huot, Rachael Kilgour and Adeline Wright, Sarah Krueger, Sara Softich, Jerree Small, Kathy McTavish, Crystal Pelkey, Travis Crotteau, Tyler Dublah, Matt Mobley & the many various support staff.

Some candid photos.

Prisoner of Snow Drum Recording

Last Sunday we made some more progress on the recording on the new CD. It was a little cut and paste, as Tyler was forced (by me) to play toms in the bridge, but he wasn't exactly feeling it. The recording equipment always fights us, but I'm sure every musician who has recorded feels the same cloud looming over. I'm excited to be making more progress.

Paper Doll Sketches

I thought as long as these ladies were posting it, I would make mention of it here. As you may or may not know, I've asked some friends to participate in the artwork for my next album (title TBA.)

First up was from my new friend Tina Gilbert. She dropped off a sketch to go with my song "Wild Ponies." It is an adorable little riding outfit. I will post a pic soon! I thought to ask her because she's an amazing seamstress!

My sister Joy Caza did a drawing for the song "Elephants Can Fly." She completely captured the whimsy. Again, no photo online yet. Sorry!

A week or so ago, I received one from a friend going way back, Kate Jorgensen/McCullough. I asked her to come up with an outfit for the song "Mr. Dick." She came up with a fiery, strong woman blazing guns at the viewer. Amazing. Check out her drawing at Kate's Blog.

Natalia Pierandrei is a talented artist that I've been watching over the months. I first found her works on DeviantArt and continue to be amazed by her style. So............I put on my bold hat and emailed her asking if she would be interested in participating in creating a drawing for the upcoming album. Through the emails with her, I have come to regard her as a very sweet, generous person! She has come up with two incredible sketches for my song "The Umbrella Waltz." Check them out at Nati's Blog.

All Dolled Up!

Curlers and eyelashes.

Wild Ponies

This is a rough draft of my new tune Wild Ponies (oh, and I should say that there was a little influence from Tori Amos "Fast Horse" but I tried to not rip it off completely - the tunes are completely different. :)

Climbing on the breeze she could taste it perfectly
A buttercup drowning by the stream
Never get it right with those muddy feet confined
Lost in the tide of a shallow dream

Lost and running in streams of green
Wearing shades of palomino coloring
Beat her down and run this one free
Tied off from your mental shackling

You’ve caught yourself some wild ponies darling
You’re lost in your jeremiad
You’ve caught yourself some wild ponies darling
You rope them in your purgatory

Hope you can ride and hang on tight
Cause her skin is crawling from the inside
Bear the load of your wet feet
Suckling your damned insecurity

You’ve caught yourself some wild ponies darling
You’re lost in your jeremiad
You’ve caught yourself some wild ponies darling
You rope them in your purgatory

Why can't these feet carry her faster?

Control of body can’t control the mind
Now she’s ready this time to cross your line
Better get on your phone and call this one back to you
Pure antidote for your hold

You’ve caught yourself some wild ponies darling
But you’re lost in your jeremiad
You’ve caught yourself some wild ponies darling
Lost in your purgatory

My First Interview with Freedom One Radio

So I spent a bit of morning chatting with Jared Skye of FreedomOneRadio.org. It's my first interview as a musician. I'm very excited. Jared was great. I've known him casually for a few years now, from back when we both would play at Beaner's Central in Duluth. The questions were nothing weird, and other than being a titch nervous, I am very pleased with the end result.

You can listen to the interview at FreedomOneRadio.org Thursday, April 16th, 8:00 pm, or any listen any other time of course!

Thanks again to Jared. You rock!

New Year; New Site

I thought along with the new year, I'd kick off the welcome of a new website! Yeah, I know. I just did one at the start of this blog. Yeah, get used to it. I create websites to fit to my stage in life, to use and hone my skills and imagination, and keep my mind organized. I find my webpage can be a reflection of my mind. If it's a mess, I feel like a mess and vise versa.

Some kinks, and some dead links...EmilyJayne.com

New Video: "See It My Way" ~ Emily Jayne

I never thought I could sail in a bathtub. Now for the rubber ducky... :)

New Video: "Aquarius Gone" ~ Emily Jayne

Where the fire pixies can roam freely and frolic.

Beaners Songwriters Competition

What a wonderful night of music at the 2008 Beaners Songwriters Competition last night. I really enjoyed the diversity! I was invited to play. So I did! :) I chose "See It My Way" and "Prisoner Of Snow." I was the only person on keys, as usual! I did win the People's Choice Award though!

Thank you all for your support of local music! And Beaners!

http://www.beanerscentral.com/

The Blue Room

I recently learned of an fellow Alumni who took a terrible path. Read the article. I was inspired to dive deep into a place I didn't necessarily want to go. This news affected me strongly, not only as a victim but now as a mother. Out came this song.

The Blue Room
Listen my little one
You’ve seen through a rosey calm
Where are these monsters from?
Their mothers upside down

And I hate and I hate breadcrumbs left in the cold
And I hate and I hate plucking of a red rose
Where you can go

Wearing these pantyhose
What are they running from?
They know he’s an angels face
With a devils gun

And they hate and they hate bloomers lost in the snow
And they hate and they hate icicles in birthday clothes
Now you can go

How could I get lost on a blue day?
How long til I get these feet underneath me?
Hold tight while I scream “hope that I bleed”
Inside I wouldn’t mind if I died in the blue room

Inside your Blue Room
Under a blood red moon
You want my union
Lost in a scream from a silent coup

And I hate and I hate when the lights are out
And I hate and I hate when you push me down
You can go

How could I get lost on a blue day?
How long til I get these feet underneath me?
Hold tight while I scream “hope that I bleed”
Inside I wouldn’t mind if you died in the blue room

John's New Tattoo

Yesterday was a great day! I worked on John's Celtic Snake tattoo. It's been a challenge to say the least! John and I worked together on the design then I drew it up. It's a pretty rocking tattoo actually! As you can see in the pic, there's a knotted snake, with celtic knots as the scales. Woven in and out of that is vines and ivy. The snake head has a celtic trinity for mother, maiden, & crone. The head isn't done; needs shading. It'll need touchups, and some of the vines we'd like to add some more brown. Tattooed by me, Emily Jayne.

New Song! "See It My Way"

I wrote a new song today. I've been struggling for months and months to be creative at all, let alone pull a song together. I have been able to write music, but no lyrics. It just comes out of the piano into my hands. The lyrics; that requires more brain power. I need my wits about me to weave words together in a way that pleases me. I can't say my wits were there today, but I'm having a pretty darn good day overall. Guess something was in the stars. A completely new one jumped out.

I got to thinking about politics and relationships. After seeing Dark Knight and reading Angels and Demons, I have been thinking about political maneuvering. Here you go:

Listen to "See It My Way" on my MySpace Page.

In this game we don’t keep score
I hear winning’s an elusive whore
She’s as easily mine as she is yours, is yours, is yours
With an ace in the hole

The last time you checked in
Our black and white worlds changing
We’re feeling underwater, will we sink or swim, or swim, or swim
Not loving my new fins

But you’re saying my love’s out of tune
And that you don’t mean to be rude
But you were holding all the cards
From the very start

You’re saying baby please won’t you stay
Stay and won’t you see it my way
I promise baby I won’t complain
A-baby, won’t you see it my way?

We’re tumbling out of control
I can only watch while it takes hold
Fear of emptiness sets in, in my skin, my skin, my skin
It’s our colors changing

While I'm ugly, I'm free
Don’t you know that it hurts me
I guess I won’t have to worry bout a thing, bout things, bout things
About your “thing”

But you’re saying my love’s out of tune
And that you don’t mean to be rude
But you were holding all the cards
From the very start

You’re saying baby please won’t you stay
Stay and won’t you see it my way
I promise baby I won’t complain
A-baby, won’t you see it my way?

Sometimes we love ourselves best alone
No ones’ home

Now you’re saying my love’s out of tune

And that you don't mean to be rude

But you were holding all the cards

From the very start

You’re saying baby please won’t you stay
Stay and won’t you see it my way
I promise baby I won’t complain
A-baby, won’t you please just stay?

Stay and won’t you see it my way, see it my way?

Now you can check out the video: YouTube

These Are Not My Hips!

Okay. *takes a deep breath*

Here goes nothin'!

There are so many blogs out there, and I'm feeling a need to leave my mark on the world wide web. Ha! Feeling my mortality and all. I'm working on a new navigation menu for my website (Www.EmilyJayne.com) where I'm already leaving a dent, but somehow feel that with all I create, I should start a blog. I'm not generally into doing things because they're hip, but these are not my hips!

Here's to a start. We'll see if I fizzle.