Thank you, David. Nice to meet you and spend some time together.
I grew up in a musical family. My mom had a glorious operatic vocal instrument, and my dad played the saxophone but didn’t pursue music professionally. My uncle Mike was Fred Astaire’s accompanist in the USO. Though there isn’t a specific moment to pinpoint, our household was always bursting with music, be it classical, musical theater, or jazz.
How did your early experiences and environment shape your musical identity and approach to performance?
Theater became a big part of my extracurricular activity as a kid, performing constantly in plays and musicals in school and community theater in productions such as West Side Story and Threepenny Opera.
Who have been the most influential mentors or collaborators in your career, and how have they impacted your artistry and growth as a musician?
Regarding my vocal instrument, Elizabeth Howell, with whom I worked for several years early on was extremely influential. Elizabeth helped me to find the most organic connection with my sound and expression. As for songwriting, I collaborated with composers ranging from rockers like Moogy Klingman (“You Gotta Have Friends”/Utopia Band) to the brilliant Columbia recording pianist Neil Wolfe, with whom I also performed in concert and cabaret for years. However, the most influential musical influence in my life has been Gary William Friedman.
Looking back, can you reflect on a professional relationship—whether a mentorship, partnership, or collaboration—that challenged you or changed your perspective on your craft?
Gary, hands down, challenged and informed me musically more than anyone. Though he’s known for his symphonic and award-winning theater work such as the Broadway musical The Me Nobody Knows, his early influence was jazz, starting out as a sax player, which informed the greater body of his work.
Both failures and successes shape an artist’s journey. Are there any setbacks or breakthroughs that have been especially pivotal in your development, and how have they influenced your appreciation of the industry?
That’s a provocative question to likely be addressed properly in my someday autobiography, LOL. However, every artist has bad break and tough luck stories, and I’m no exception.
I think setbacks are usually the result of unfortunate circumstances, where failures occur quite often as a result of taking risks. Gary and I initially wrote a wide variety of songs. Our publisher at the time became a fan of my ‘inspirational-styled’ lyrics and pushed me to write more. When I had the opportunity to record my first album, we produced that material in a project entitled “Do You Ever Dream?” Though our intention was to create a universally spiritual work, it didn’t fit into the marketplace that promoted that kind of material, and, as I was predominantly known for singing pop and jazz standards in my cabaret shows, it went nowhere. I’m still very proud of the album, but it was definitely not the right choice for where my career was at then.
Your career spans jazz, pop, theater, and original songwriting. How do you balance honoring tradition with forging your own unique voice across these genres?
I apply the same discipline and approach to every endeavour, only the genres change. I’ve developed and honed a range of crafts and styles which I bring to each work by just being truthful to the material.
“Talk to Your Tomatoes” blends classics from the American Songbook, pop, and jazz, alongside original material. What guided your choices in selecting and arranging the songs for this album?
My repertoire always has a personal story or meaning. Growing up, artists like Joni Mitchell and James Taylor were great influences. The covers of their songs reflect childhood memories as does “Pure Imagination”, from Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory. I’ve known the brilliant guitarist Ben Monder since high school, and I wanted one of the selections he was on to just be a vocal/guitar duo, and “Round Midnight”, which I’ve been singing forever, felt like the right fit. I’ve always wanted to record “How I Feel” from The Me Nobody Knows, and so Gary was inspired to create a new approach, arrangement-wise and orchestrally, from the original version. “Talk to Your Tomatoes” as well as “You Pull Through” were written for a still-percolating film project, but the timing felt right to bring their humour and positive messages into the world.
Can you walk us through your creative process in the studio? What was it like recording this album with such a diverse group of musicians and orchestrations?
Every musician on this project is a gifted virtuoso in their own right and it was an amazing musical collaboration throughout. Since we hadn’t been performing these works as a band, the trio rehearsed with Gary and me first to get his chart approaches down and solidify our grooves. The instrumental recording sessions were divided into two at Berklee Power Station. First session, we recorded horns and rhythm. Next session, we added the strings and guitar, finishing up with Ben’s and my duo. My role was to be the muse and glue for everyone and ensure that we had the instrumentals in place. I subsequently recorded vocal overdubs.
You’ve worked closely with Gary William Friedman for many years. How has your collaboration evolved, and what does he bring to your music that’s unique?
Gary’s one of the most versatile composers in the world and a master of his craft. Period. He also happens to be very funny, which, let’s just say, has definitely come in handy as our collaboration evolved into marriage!
Are there any particular moments from the recording sessions for “Talk to Your Tomatoes” that stand out—either creatively, emotionally, or personally?
It was thrilling to hear each soloist improvise our material and arrangements in such a way that they brought their own voice yet also hewed to the story we were trying to tell with each song. Because of the large ensemble, Gary needed to conduct – and as I mentioned his sense of humour, had everyone in stitches at key high-tension moments.
How do you hope listeners will connect with this new album? Are there specific emotions, stories, or messages you wish to communicate?
These are very challenging and troubling times. I hope listeners will feel joy, be stirred emotionally, inspired musically, and come away from this album peace-filled, and positive.
With a career that includes acclaimed recordings and theatrical performances like “Love, Linda,” how do your experiences on stage inform your work in the recording studio, and vice versa?
I think each discipline informs the other. The theatrical performances strengthen my storytelling in the studio, and the intimacy and focus of studio recording hone my storytelling on the stage.
What have you learned about yourself—as an artist and as a person—through the making of this project? Did anything surprise you along the way?
I find myself more relaxed and secure, and not having to prove as much as I did early on. I can still be a bit perfectionistic, but it’s coming from a very different place, now.
Looking ahead, what excites you most about the future? Are there new directions, collaborations, or projects you’re eager to explore beyond “Talk to Your Tomatoes”?
I’m excited to get out and perform “Talk to Your Tomatoes” live, for sure. I’m also hoping to schedule overdue concerts for Europe, Scandinavian and Japan audiences. There aren’t enough days in the week to launch all the projects I’ve been working on. One is a theatrically conceived Kurt Weill piece for male and female. I’m also excited to get our musical Platinum Dreams into the world. We’ve been developing it for several years and just presented it in the York Theatre’s New2NY Series this past spring and are tweaking it for a hopeful off-Broadway production.
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Stevie Holland in Platinum Dreams Production York New2NY – Photo Credit Carol Rosegg/Main image: Stevie Holland Talk to Your Tomatoes Press Photo BW – Credit – Brooke Banister
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