Pianist, vocalist, composer, and educator Brenda Earle Stokes presents her latest album Motherhood, a collection of ten original compositions that share the journey of motherhood with songs that explore identity, fear, expectations, body image, friendship, and growth. This is Stokes’ sixth album as a leader and follows Solo Sessions (2019), Right About Now (2014), Songs for a New Day (2009), and Happening (2006).
A bandleader and busy accompanist, working with the likes of John Riley, Dick Oatts, Joel Frahm, Roxy Coss, Wycliffe Gordon, Maurice Hines, and the DIVA Jazz Orchestra, her accolades include winning the International Association of Jazz Educators ‘Sisters in Jazz’ competition and being recognized as one of the top emerging jazz artists of her generation. We had the pleasure to discuss her career and the new album.
Thank you for agreeing to catch up with Occhi Magazine. Please tell our readers more about your background, and what drew you to a career in the arts.
I grew up in Sarnia, Ontario, Canada in a family that valued music, but weren’t professional musicians. I started piano lessons at age four and was pretty so-so about it, until my high school band director played me a recording of jazz pianist Oscar Peterson. It was like a revelation to me!
I became completely obsessed with jazz and went from being someone who hated practicing to someone who couldn’t get enough of it! I started two different jazz bands in high school and we even did some gigs around town. I ended up going to York University as a jazz piano major and never looked back. I moved to New York City in 2002 to attend the Manhattan School of Music for a Master’s in jazz piano and since then I have worked in nearly every corner of the music world, from clubs to huge festivals.
Who were your early influences and mentors, and how did they impact your appreciation of music?
My high school band director Al Weiss always gets props here, as he is the one who introduced me to jazz in the first place. I spent a year studying with Bill Westcott – an incredible pianist and human who guided me through an honors thesis in stride piano pre-1940. He was so encouraging to me and was one of the first people who told me he thought I “had it” – a real talent for music. It meant so much to me.
You’ve worked with the likes of John Riley, Dick Oatts, Joel Frahm, Roxy Coss, and the DIVA Jazz Orchestra, holding residencies at some of the country’s most prestigious venues such as the Kennedy Center. Looking back at your music career, is there a particular milestone you are most proud of, and why?
One moment I will never forget was performing at Lincoln Center with the New York Philharmonic. It was one of the final performances with conductor Lorin Maazel, and we performed Mahler’s 8th Symphony (also known as the “Symphony for a Thousand”. I was singing in a semi-professional classical chorus and even though I was playing a small part, it was truly amazing to think that a girl from a small city in Southwestern Ontario could be singing with the NY Philharmonic. I called my dad in tears after our first show and thanked him for putting me in music lessons when I was a kid.
Your latest project, ‘Motherhood,’ comprises songs that explore identity, fear, expectations, body image, friendship, and growth. Please tell us more about the origins of the album and the selection of tracks.
I started documenting ideas from the time I was pregnant with my son and throughout my early years mothering him. I would be walking around pushing the stroller and get an idea for a melody or have an experience that would inspire some random lyrics. I just kept writing them down in my notebook and singing them into the Voice Memos app in my iPhone. At some point I realized that there was enough there to build an entire album around.
I was invited to do an artist residency at the Banff Centre for Arts and Creativity in November 2019 and in 9 days I had written eight of the ten songs that ended up on the album. Those eight songs told a huge part of the story, but I knew I had two more subjects I wanted to cover. In the summer of 2023, I was finally able to write those two songs and the album was complete.
Did you apply a particular methodology and process for creating each track?
The biggest part of the process for me was to take all of the fragments of ideas and actually bring them to life. It was important for me that I tell a well rounded story, so I took a lot of care to make sure I was able to truly say everything that I needed to say.
The most challenging piece for me was Sharp Edges, which is an 8 minute spoken word piece about fear. As a writing exercise I made a list of everything that 21st century parents have to be afraid about. It ended up being 5 pages long! It includes everything from pesticides in the food to playground safety, from making sure your child achieves to keeping them safe from gun violence. I had never written or performed anything like this piece before and it took a LOT of edits to get it where it needed to me. I even hired an acting coach to help me perform it, since I had no idea how to bring it to life.
As a New Yorker, you’re only yards away from musical talent. This city is awash with A-List players. The album features bassist Evan Gregor (Gary Burton, Dave Liebman, Phil Woods, Bob Dorough, John Fedchock), drummer Ross Pederson (Snarky Puppy, Patti Austin, The Manhattan Transfer), and special guest, renowned trumpeter Ingrid Jenson. It also features the celebrated vocalists Melissa Stylianou and Grammy-winning Nicole Zuraitis on backing vocals. How difficult was it to assemble these artists?
Evan and Ross have been in my band for years, so they were on board from the start. Melissa is one of my best friends and she was also ready to go. Ingrid was a surprise to me, as she is one of the most in demand jazz artists in the world. She really wanted to be part of this project because as a fellow mother she felt a strong connection to the work. I called Nicole on a whim and she just happened to be available and keen. She had just received her Grammy nomination and we were joking that this might be her last backup singing gig!
Which three traits define you as a musician?
Transparency, Energy, and Humor – it is always important that my audiences really know me, so I am very open about who I am and how I feel. I also bring a lot of energy and humor to everything. It’s how I roll!
Which three traits define you as a mother?
Probably the same three traits as define me as a musician! I have a very close relationship with my son and I am very open about who I am and how I feel. And humor is all that gets me through some days!
What other projects are in the pipeline?
I am an entrepreneur and content creator. I have an online membership called The Versatile Musician which has members all over the world. I am constantly creating new content for that and for my YouTube channel which has over 25,000 subscribers.
I have been doing several little tours here and there in support of this new record and starting to think about what I might do next. A few new songs have started showing up.
Where can our readers find out more about you?
My teaching site is www.pianoandvoicewithbrenda.com
IG: https://www.instagram.com/brendaearlestokes/
FB: https://www.facebook.com/BrendaEarleStokes/
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