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The Fashionistas Right My Bent

by Jamie Manser

onday is always bitter pill to swallow, but this particular Monday was a mere precursor to a night of drama that sent this skirt to booze therapy.

My mood was a stark contrast of black and white: work and men imprisoned my mind and heart, enemies and friends chapped my hide. I couldn’t take it anymore and I was in desperate need of release.

Plush hosting The Fashionistas provided my mental escape and salve.

Like a fine merlot to right my bent, The Fashionistas satiated my auditory palate with a full-bodied, sage, velvety composition during their jazz set in the bar’s lounge.

The sextet’s ethereal timelessness was so evocative of film noir and Raymond Chandler that I was transported to the 1940s, sans mind-altering substances.

Comprised of prolific and professional players, the band formed in August 2003 – stemming from a recording of “Don’t Smoke in Bed” that vocalist Emilie Marchand laid down with her husband/guitarist Mike Bagesse.

The first musician to hop on board was cellist Mona Chambers, who also bows with Molehill Orkestra.

“Mona heard the recording at our house,” Marchand relayed. “She liked it,” and subsequently joined. Upright bassist David Tracy got into the mix because Liberty School, which he played with Bagesse in, had recently disbanded.

The other two – Dimitri Manos (who also drums with Galactic Federation of Love, Tom Walbank, and Amor), and Noah Thomas (who also has played trumpet with Howe Gelb, Naim Amor, Jeff Gubric and Beautiful Bird), “just kind of fell into place. Within a couple of weeks, we had these players,” Marchand said.

Though Marchand acknowledges that she is the most inexperienced member of the group and The Fashionistas is the “first real band I’ve done,” the vocalist commands the audience with a wide-ranging alto that has the grace and balance of a professional tightrope walker.

Marchand was born to sing jazz, though she was not formally trained and did not come from a familial background of music.

“When I started performing as an adult, family members would say, ‘I didn’t know you could sing,’’ Marchand said. “Friends and family had no idea.

“I was shy as a kid with my voice.”

She recalled her mother saying to her, “I remember hearing you sing in your room and I would look at your father and say, ‘Where did that come from?’”

Though the gift of her vocal talent is a mystery, it is easy to ascertain that Marchand’s heart lies with punk rock. It’s evinced in her hairstyles and the fact the band transmuted into Joan Jett and The Blackhearts for the Brewster Center Cover-Up benefit last November at Club Congress.

“When we did Joan Jett, it was so satisfying to use that side of my voice to scream.” Marchand said.

It’s not a far stretch for a die-hard punk rocker to migrate to jazz/lounge. The genre was underground and anti-establishment back in the days of segregation - not to mention its association with the Beat Generation and the fact women of jazz were predecessors of feminine empowerment.

The standards the band covers tend to be those that are “depressing and tragic.”

“Any song that is dark, I immediately want,” Marchand said.

“I feel like – as a woman – I am representing the broken-hearted and forlorn women of the world.”

And represent she does. Every dire emotional strait is sung through controlled, silky angst wherein the protagonist may be holding the short end of the stick, but not toeing the line of “‘Woe is me.’

“There is a little bit of ‘[expletive] you’ in there. Which I like.”

For the last year and a half, the musicians have been playing their mix of standards and originals ‘round town. They are in the process of recording the songs they have been performing and plan to move to playing more originals, tour and try to “invent ourselves into a working project,” said guitarist Mike Bagesse.

You can check out The Fashionistas at Plush (340 E. 6th St.) on Feb. 5; the Red Room at Grill (100 E. Congress St.) on Feb. 18 and at the Monkey Box (100 N. Stone Ave.) on Feb. 25.

Online, they can be found at www.MySpace.com/The Fashionistas and at www.TheFashionistasMusic.com.

Notes

Another Wonderful Wooden Ball

For over a decade, musician Chris Holiman has organized the resplendent acoustic show of local, top-notch musicians. Last month’s lineup included long-missed The Drakes, who played new songs – along with old faves. Here’s hoping it’s a sign of The Drakes’ performances to come! In the meantime, Mr. Holiman’s brand of down-to-earth, melodic, slice-of-life songs will be performed at Plush’s lounge on Feb. 7 and at the Red Room on Feb. 16.

Heart V Goes Live

The known DJ/electronica haven has recently renovated its space to host bands and is staging Galactic Federation of Love and Tom Walbank on Fat Tuesday (2.08.2005). Stay tuned for weekly live shows at www.Heart-Five.com.

Support You Local Rock Stars!

Black Sun Ensemble is marking its 20th anniversary of ethereal, psychedelic prog rock with the release of “Live at KXCI Vol. 2,” and an upcoming studio album of new material. They’re planning a local CD release before a jaunt to Austin for their South by Southwest showcase in March. Stay tuned at www.BlackSunEnsemble.com.

January saw Cathy Rivers’ “Western Wind” on the Open Mic portion of NPR’s online music show, All Songs Considered. Pretty cool, considering the “virtual stage for independent artists,” receives “hundreds of submissions a week.” Rate her song by cruising over to www.npr.org/programs/asc/openmic/index.php?episode=66.
Rivers is touring California this month with Jimmy Carr. Check the dates at www.CathyRivers.com.

A Few Highlights…

The Windy City’s Princess performs at 4th Avenue’s Itl Coffee Shop on Feb. 5. The twenty-somethings are kooky, catchy, funky goof rock/rap with inventive, intriguing arrangements. Stands to reason that Bark Bark Bark and 50 cent Nose are also on the bill. Cover is 5 clams; show starts at 8:00 p.m.

Nini Camps, a Big Apple Miami transplant, will be playing a free Red Room show at 10:00pm on Feb. 5. With a couple albums under her belt and having shared the stage with Los Lonely Boys, Sophie B. Hawkins, The Waifs, Howie Day and Melissa Ferrick- the gal has some cred. The acoustic slide guitarist’s songs are dubbed as swampy grooves, but I think of her as more of an alt-country Sheryl Crow. Decide yourself at www.NiniCamps.com.

On Sunday, Feb. 20, Colorado’s Devotchka hits the Congress stage with their old world music styling. A tight, talented bunch – the core four members collectively play 19 instruments - inclusive of the vibraphone, glockenspiel, bouzouki, tuba and bowed vibes. The arrangements coupled with the haunting vocals of Nick Urata are mesmerizing and well worth feeling a little tired come Monday. You can stalk them online at www.Devotchka.net.

The same Sunday, Vaudeville is hosting an early show with one of my local favs headlining the 3 band bill. The music starts rocking around 7:00 p.m. with The Wyatts. Tom Walbank & The Ambassadors bring their blues rock and The Last Call Brawlers wrap it up with their infectious, vivacious rockabilly. Drummer Steve-O Howell reported that LCB plans to have a 15-16 song album by summer, with “a couple songs that are pretty straight rock – to mix it up.” Hopefully they’ll update www.TheLastCallBrawlers.com soon so we can keep scooped on their progress!

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