Charlie Parker.
Diana Krall.
Ella Fitzgerald
Peggy Lee
Thelonius Monk.
Oscar Peterson.
Today I was up in the Tigeen writing some complicated dialogue that needed to read well and effortlessly.
Normally I just listen to the sound of the ocean, its distant soughing on the stones of the beach, trees sighing and rustling around me, birds flitting mindful of my privacy.
But today I tried a jazz soundtrack in the background. I created a playlist for the book I'm winding up. My protagonist is a jazz singer in the style of Peggy/Ella evolving towards Diana. And I wanted the rhythm of jazz in the talk. If that makes sense.
And I was surprised.
It worked.
Kinda hard to suggest a singer here...there are so many types of jazz, and so many types of singers. Billie Holliday...more underlying anguish than one could imagine, Ella is a fabulous elegant singer, Janis Joplin qualifies, she was like a Billie Holliday that decided she liked rock. Diane Krall is good for those times you mention maybe.
ReplyDeleteI normally write and edit in relative silence too, but when I want a soundtrack there are acceptable exceptions, and jazz is one. Sometimes it's like magic. Musically I'm classically trained, but if I were to be a performer I would wish to be a jazz musician.
ReplyDeleteGood selection.
ReplyDeleteFor future projects - and ignore if I'm way off in my unsolicited advice: Nancy Wilson, Chet Baker, MJQ.
Glad today seems a better day for you.
Good selection.
ReplyDeleteFor future projects - and ignore if I'm way off in my unsolicited advice: Nancy Wilson, Chet Baker, MJQ.
Glad today seems a better day for you.
Silence is what I need when trying to write. Music distracts, unless like you, I need to create a mood.
ReplyDeleteVery cool, Ms. Jazzy Pants! I've done that when I'm writing from a certain character's view point. Once I was getting into a 14-year-old girl, and I put on a baseball cap backwards and chewed gum. I say YAY!!! for whatever works.
ReplyDeleteSFM:
ReplyDeleteYes I only provided a wee sampling of my Ipod feast.
Love all the ones you mention ++
XO
WWW
Stan:
ReplyDeleteMy secret desire was always to be a lounge singer, smoky bars, grand piano, solitary sax....next best thing is writing about it...
XO
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Pamela,
ReplyDeleteOh yes. And Oscar is a lovely undernote to writing. Moody...
XO
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GM:
ReplyDeleteI'm going to try it again for mood, it does seem to work, I wrote huge stretches of dialogue.
XO
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Verna:
ReplyDeleteAnd I talk out loud too, in all the voices, I have such fun. I must look like a lunatic from the outside. :)
XO
WWW
Can't wait to read it!
ReplyDeleteI loved Peggy Lee.
ReplyDeleteWhy were you surprised?
ReplyDelete