World music? Rock? Folk? Jazz? Jana Herzen's all original, SOUP'S ON FIRE - a sensual, multicultural brew of world-tinged jazzy alternative pop - may be hard to categorize. But for music fans looking for fresh songs that come from the heart, make you dance, make you think and just plain bliss out, there's no question where this fine CD belongs: on the stereo with the volume up full!
"She's a visionary gatherer of talent on the Duke-Miles-Prince level!" says MUSIC DISH critic Tom Terrell. He's referring not only to the broad array of world class musicians Jana has gathered for her debut album, but also the stellar talent she is releasing on her newly-founded label, MOTEMA, which made headlines internationally in its first year, with Lynne Arriale's Arise (named best Jazz album of 2003 by United Press International), as well as jazz drum master, Babatunde Lea's Soul Pools, which earned four stars in DOWNBEAT, and Level of Intent, which made a Top Ten showing on the JAZZ WEEK radio chart.
It was Jana's original composition, 'Round the World' on Soul Pools, which first brought her to the attention of the public and earned praise from the critics. "One of the most pleasing surprises [on Soul Pools] is the inclusion of 'Round the World,' a notable blues that counts on the vocal participation of Jana Herzen," wrote LA OPINION. "Drips bluesy warmth and leads me to wish for more of her singing," raved ALLABOUT JAZZ reviewer Javier Antonio Quiñones Ortiz. And now, right on cue, comes her solo debut.
"Soup's On Fire bears repeated listening" wrote critic Tim Lynch of pauserecord.com. "I found myself putting it on continuous play and sharing this album with my friends," raved BILLBOARD chart-reporter DJ Jackie Christie. "Innovative and fresh" says Terry Currier, President of Music Millennium and board member of CIMS (The Coalition of Indy Music Stores). "It's a CD you'll want to hear again and again."
Featuring Jana on vocals, guitar, kalimba and didgeridoo, Soup's songs travel the world - from the African jungle of 'Ma Banza,' where a "tiny musician" beguiles his mother with kalimba tones, to the streets of Paris, where the haunting 'Y'a Que Les Anges' rolls out in a mixture of French, English and Lingala - a central African language (which is also the source of the label name, Motema, which means "heart."). The CD is a reflection of Jana's real life musical adventures - exploring gamelan culture in Bali, jamming with Aboriginals in the Australian Outback and playing and recording with bands in Melbourne, Tokyo, London, Zaire and Paris (where Jana also performed with French-Zairian composer and performer Shakä Râ Mutela's band at a gala for Nelson Mandela held at the Paris Chamber of Commerce).
In fact, it was in Shakä Râ's band that Jana cut her world-music teeth amidst the vibrant World Beat music scene of Northern Paris; it was there that Soup's instrumental tracks took shape, in the same, state of the art studios where Shaka Ra had previously collaborated with seminal Afro-pop stars Ray Lema and Papa Wemba," While working with Jana, Shaka Ra reached an even wider audience when his composition 'Yaleo,' was chosen by Carlos Santana as the lead track of the multi-platinum release, Supernatural (Arista, 1999).
Jana draws her inspiration from a wide range of music. She gained her bone-deep grasp of rhythm from studying African drumming and dance with Mabiba Baegne, formerly of the Congolese National Ballet. Her intricate afro-guitar technique grew from her collaborates with Soukous guitar master Samba Ngo. While traveling in outback Australia, she learned to play the didgeridoo - an aboriginal log trumpet which requires circular breathing - which she now credits with connecting her to a deeper power in her voice and music. Jana's early music heros, include Leonard Cohen, The Stones, The Doors, Bonnie Raitt, Pink Floyd, Suzanne Vega and Paul Simon. "I find myself enchanted by the lyricism of folk, addicted to the power of rock and at the same time hopelessly charmed by the intricacies of world rhythms. It all shows up in my music," she says. Another string to her bow is a dramatic flair that reflects her more than fifteen years of experience as a professional actor, director and script-doctor. "To me, songs are just mini plays," she says.
Her theater experience also prepared her to head a record label. Upon graduation from college she helped to found a theater group called Manhattan Class Company (MCC), which went on to serious success, launching the career of Oscar winning actress Marisa Tomei and producing the Pulitzer prize winning "Wit" among other glories. "Our goal in forming MCC was to provide a fertile, supportive environment to nurture the creative process," says Jana, "and Motema is based on exactly the same principle."
"We've gotten so much press and critical acclaim in our first year, I'm really astounded; And what's even more gratifying is to see all of our artists cooperating and actively shaping the Mote_ma vision. Some of us perform with each other; others lend production support. Kind of like Motown records in the old days, we're an ensemble, with different people taking the lead at different times." Jana identifies three elements as essential in a Motema artist: A willingness to do what it takes to build a lasting career; a commitment to effect positive change in the world; and - most essential - the ability to perform from the heart with an intensity that can 'change the molecules' in a room. "It takes courage to create from that space," she says. "Motema is here to support that."
One thing is certain: a whole lot of molecules have been changing since Motema opened its doors, and as she tours to support Soup's on Fire. Jana promises to change a whole lot more.
