Entertainment

Born and raised in Boise, Idaho, and based in Boston, Massachusetts, Eilen Jewell fusions Americana and blues in a sweet, suggestive, and contemporary style which is reflected in albums such as Boundary County, Letters from Sinners and Strangers or Sea of Tears, a disc in which the North-American pays tribute to Johnny Kidd, Them or Loretta Lynn. Jewell and her band, who recently found out that one of the songs in their previous record, Where They Never Say Your Name, has been chosen for a Ralph Lauren TV campaign for the US, were performing on Tuesday 29 in Barcelona. The 1st of October they will be visiting Madrid, the 2nd Gijón, Asturias, and the 3rd Bilbao, Basque Country.

You''re performing at the Azkena concert hall on Saturday, October 3, in Bilbao. You''ve already played in Madrid, Spain, but this is going to be your first time in the Basque Country. As you come from Boise, what do people think of the Basque community there? How does an entirely American girl see their culture?

Boise is really proud of its Basque heritage. It''s something I always brag about when I bring friends to Boise for the first time. I''m always surprised by the fact that Americans outside of Idaho are almost always unfamiliar with, for example, what a jai alai court is or even what the Basque country is. I grew up seeing Basque culture as a thing to celebrate--a well-respected aspect of what makes Idaho unique.

Do you often go back to Boise, for instance, to visit family and friends? Have you ever had a beer in the bars of the so-called Basque block, or at the pub "Reef", which is supposed to be an interesting place for people who are keen on music?

Whenever I go back to Boise, which happens a couple of times a year, I go to Bar Gernika. And I''m not just saying that because I''m speaking to a Basque audience. Ask the guys in the band. I''ve shown off the Basque district to them pretty much every time we''ve had a gig in Boise. Where else in the U.S. can you go and order a kalimotxo and not have to explain what it is to the bartender? I''ve got the band hooked on that drink. I know the kalimotxo is not exactly the crowning achievement of Basque culture but it''s a really fun word to say and is the most refreshing thing in the summertime.


You''re playing in a city full of Basques "living in their true homeland," which means you''re meeting a real Basque audience in your concert, probably different to the Basques you may have met in Idaho. We know that everything goes very quickly during the tour, but are you curious about the city of Bilbao, its people and its atmosphere?

I''ve always been interested in the city of Bilbao and the Basque country in general. I''m so glad I finally get to go there and I''m hoping I''ll have some time to actually see some of it.

We guess you started performing alone... what about your band? Where and how did you find Jason Beek (drums), Daniel Kellar (violin), Jerry Miller (guitar) and John Sciascia (bass)?

I did start performing alone. But at some point I decided I just really like the sound of bands. So when I decided I was sick of living in the countryside I made up my mind to move to the city and get a band together. I met Jason Beek first and he introduced me to the other guys. Jason had been a fan of theirs in their various bands in Boston for many years, so he recommended them.


It seems that you had to leave Boise to grow professionally, doesn''t it? Nowadays, it looks like the newest American music scene is shared among the states of Washington, Oregon, Texas (Austin, Nashville), Massachusetts (Boston) and the city of New York. Why did you finally choose Boston as a place to work, live and -I guess- enjoy?

I chose Boston somewhat haphazardly. I was living out in the rural part of the state, near the New York border, and was traveling every other weekend into the city to take part in a music showcase kind of thing. I met Jason (my drummer, manager and now fiancé) there and he convinced me that Boston was a great city for music. I was getting restless in the country and I''d never lived in an east coast city before so I decided to give it a try. Jason helped me put the band together and now here we are, six years later. I never really thought I''d stay longer than a year or two, but the thought of starting all over again in a new city was exhausting to me, after I''d put in all that work to get something going in Boston. Now it almost doesn''t matter where I live, since I''m never home anyway, but Boston has grown on me and Jason''s family is there. So it''s much harder to leave than I ever thought it would be.

Gigolo Aunts, a band which has visited Bilbao several times, once told us that Boston was a great place to live in because of the university, the night culture and the fact that it is a very lively city. But they also told us that young people tend to leave it very quickly -after studying or working on something- because it''s extremely expensive. Is it? Does that stressful way of life -if you consider it stressful, of course- help you to compose, to grow as an artist?

Yes, it is expensive, and it is stressful. I do think that''s helped me as an artist. I''ve had to work so much harder to get where I am than someone with a lot of money, or than someone with a little money living in a very inexpensive place. It was really difficult the first few years, being new to the city and not having any savings at all. The hardest part was finding a day job that would pay the bills but also allow for flexibility, so that I could stay out late performing one night and not have to work until seven the next night. I worked at a coffeeshop, which meant I was poor but could fit music into my schedule. I had to keep asking myself if music was really what I wanted, because it was so difficult to keep doing it. You''re not really forced to do that if you''re not worried about money. It helped me focus my priorities.

Did you leave an interesting bunch of musicians in Boise when you first moved to California? As it is a tiny city, maybe the people who have higher cultural interests tend to leave it, do they?

I first left Boise when I was 18. I wasn''t performing any music at that time. I moved down to New Mexico to go to college, and that''s where I started getting interested in performing, in the farmers markets of Santa Fe as a busker. After I graduated I lived in L.A. for the summer, singing on the streets there. I don''t know much about Boise''s music scene, just because I never really lived there in that context. I would imagine that a lot of people do feel they need to leave Boise to pursue their interests, but from my experience most of them move back eventually. I hope to move back someday, or at least live there for part of the year. All of my family is there, and Idaho really is a beautiful place. There''s nothing quite like it.

They say that when you were only 7 you made a long trip from Alaska to Boise, listening to Beethoven, in your father''s Volvo. Critics depict you as a singer-songwriter devoted to Americana and jazzy female voices but... do you listen to classical music very often?

Yeah, I still listen to classical music every now and then. My favorite pieces to listen to are Chopin''s nocturnes, which might not come as a surprise to people who are familiar with my music. Something about those gloomy minor keys, I just have a soft spot in my heart for them no matter what the genre.

After that experience, you asked your parents for piano classes, but later the guitar would become your main instrument. How often do you play piano? Perhaps when composing, perhaps more than we think?

I play the piano whenever I happen to be around one, which isn''t that often. It''s my dream to someday have a piano in the house again, but I''d have to settle down a lot more than I am now. So for now I compromise and play the electric keyboard we have in the apartment, which is not nearly a substitute for a real piano. And I played the organ on our last record, Sea of Tears. That''s as close as I get these days, though I miss the piano dearly. It''s still my favorite instrument.

You started playing at 19. Is it easy for a young girl to get contracts to play concerts in bars, pubs or concert halls around the US or do you have to do everything by yourself, launching your first record included, despite music being a very important industry in the US? (Or is that just our impression?).

At first I had to do everything by myself, but eventually I built up a team. It was difficult at first, and it still is at times, but I think the hardest part was just trying to figure out how to get started. Just calling clubs on the phone and offering to bring them my demo was often hard on the pride. But you get used to it.

The indie-rock band Built to Spill was also formed in Boise. Apart from roots folk rock, are you interested in other forms of rock and pop? Can you tell us something about your musical likes and dislikes?

I like any music with the word "early" in front of it. Early blues, early country, early rock n'' roll, early jazz...I try not to be a music snob, and I really wish I had more of an ear for modern music, but most of what''s being made today just doesn''t make much sense to me.

You''ve already recorded 4 official albums, Nowhere in No Time, Boundary County, Letters from Sinners and Strangers, - which reached the Top Ten at Americana Weekly Radio chart - and Sea of Tears, which mixes 60s-flavored roots rock with elements of ''60s blues and pieces formerly performed by Loretta Lynn or Them. What do those artists mean to you, Van Morrison included?

Loretta Lynn is a hero of mine. We opened for her a couple of years ago at a theater in Northampton, Massachusetts and I got to meet her. She was as sweet as could be. The band called Them is a new discovery, but I think I''m their biggest fan now. And Johnny Kidd and the Pirates is a new infatuation for me too. When I heard their version of Shakin'' All Over I knew I''d have to cover it.

Signature Sounds is your current label, also featuring Josh Ritter or The Mammals. How''s your relationship with other artists on the label? And... why that label? Who chose who?

I think we chose each other. I was aware of Signature Sounds for a couple of years before they signed me because every Boston musician I talked to suggested them to me. Everyone thought it would be a good fit. I never sent my cd around to labels though. I''m not really sure why. I had had some offers from some start-up labels and just wasn''t sure it was the right thing to do. Then a friend of mine sent Signature my record Boundary County and they got in touch with me. It just seemed like an obvious match. I''m really glad I held out for the right one.

You''ve already performed in Holland... how''s the tour going? We warn you: you''ll find some of the best cuisine in Europe here, so ask your local promoters for good meals!!!

Thanks for the warning. I''m looking forward to the best cuisine for sure. The tour has been going great and the food so far has been better than in the states, so I can''t complain. Hospitality has been stellar. We feel very welcomed in Europe, and we''re thankful for that.