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Jodi Jett’s triumphant return to the Midwest
When Jodi Jett sat down with five-time Grammy award winning producer, Elliot Scheiner (Beck, Fleetwood Mac, Flaming Lips), to record the songs for her debut album, entitled Revelations, she was told she sang too pretty. Jett decided she did not want to be “pretty,� and scraped her original vocal tracks and rerecorded them with grit and attitude. Her raw and honest approach is why she has been label the next Patti Smith.
Born and bred deep in the Bible belt of Kansas she moved to New York City shortly after high school, but music was not on her mind. Her strict background kept her in school and got her a day job as a Physicians Assistant.
But Jett fell in love with rock n’ roll and quickly became a local and regional favorite because of her swaggered style and emotional live performances.
This week Jett makes her way back to the calm and quiet Midwest and right through Dayton. She is performing at Canal Street Tavern on Wednesday, September 20th, and then she will make her way south to perform at the annual Midpoint Music Fest in Cincinnati on Friday, September 22nd at Guido’s Corner Tap.
I caught up with Ms. Jett on her way out of the big city and here is what she had to say.
KN – So are you a city girl or a country girl?
JJ - I don’t know I like both the city and the country. I like the openness and culture of the city, but I miss the calmness and discreetness of the Midwest. They have different values, the Midwest is more focused on family, and NYC is more career minded.
KN – You have been called the next Patti Smith, does a title like that bring added pressure with it?
JJ - Well, when I first heard that I was compared to her I cried because I just felt so honored. Smith is amazing not only as an artist, but as a person. I mean she like started an entire cultural movement and so yea I guess that’s a lot to live up to, but it really hasn’t hit me yet.
KN – I noticed that your cd has a touch of country mixed in with the rock. Does that go over well in NY?
JJ - Surprisingly yes. There is a pretty strong alt-country movement going on in New York right now, and that’s the cool thing about New York, there are all these little niches. There is a punk niche and an alt-country niche.
KN – Why did you decide to play the Midpoint Music Fest?
JJ – I haven’t really done the festival thing yet and I thought it would be fun and good exposure. I’m really excited to play it and I hear it is huge.
KN – Will you quit your day job if this rock n roll thing continues like it is?
JJ – Absolutely, growing up my mom pounded into my head that I had to have a job. It is more of those Midwest values. But my passion is with music for sure.
For more on Jodi Jett go to www.JodiJett.com.
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