Jane Siberry is Shushan

Eclectic Toronto songstress revitalizes X-Mas hymns in CD

It is hard to imagine a more adventurous and eclectic singer/songwriter than Toronto's own Jane Siberry. She began playing coffeehouse folk in the early '80s, then scored commercial success with the daring modern pop of such albums as No Borders Here (remember the smash hit "Mimi On The Beach"?) and The Speckless Sky. The sophisticated and filmic soundscapes of 1993'sWhen I Was A Boy won her international acclaim (Wim Wenders is a big fan), and then Jane began exploring even more varied musical terrain.
There was the jazzy Maria, the sound collages of A Day In The Life NYC, the New York Trilogy (which included Christmas and film music), and 2000's lovely Hush, a collection of American and Celtic spirituals and folk songs. In another dramatic detour, Siberry has just released SHUSHAN the Palace (Hymns of Earth), in which she tackles sacred songs from the classical tradition.
Jane explained her musical journey to Tandem from Vancouver recently.
"I am very restless. If I feel I'm recycling something, even if it is interviews where I feel I am saying the same thing, that makes me really tired. I hope that what ends up to be a body of work feels cohesive, not a patchwork quilt of musical attention deficit disorder," she laughs.
She admits that the SHUSHAN project took on a life of its own. "I thought it might just be a quick Christmas record to help pay for my [upcoming] original record. It became a huge amount of work, but I am very glad I did it. Even if no-one hears it, I learned so much from it."
On SHUSHAN, Jane and collaborators Jim Zolis and Peter Kiesewalter come up with musically faithful yet fresh renditions of material from the likes of Handel (three songs from the Messiah), Bach, Mendelssohn, and Holst (the haunting "In The Bleak Midwinter"). Woodwinds, strings and brass instruments combine with Jane's multi-layered vocals to lush yet never cluttered effect.
Presenting these songs in concert in a more minimal fashion has, says Siberry, "quite challenging. It is a lot of singing, but it has been really fun. I think the audience are not quite sure what to think at first, but then they get into it."
Comprehensive CD liner notes from the singer and classical authority J. William Lamb show how seriously she took the project. "It was not about becoming an expert in the field but getting to the inside of the songs and looking from the inside out, as well as making sure the credits were really correct."
Jane acknowledges that "I am out of my realm in this kind of music," but she hopes the album can prove educational for her fans. "Not that I want to feel too much like the field guide, but I think a lot of people would enjoy a lot of different kinds of music. Maybe I could be something of a hostess."
A hard-won self-confidence helped immensely with this ambitious project. "At age 48, I do feel like a bona fide musician now. Everything I have learned in past years is tied in to my sensitivity in approaching this music with the right balance. There is confidence as a musician and a respect for the heart of this music."
Siberry fans will be pleased to hear that she is halfway through a new original album, one that'll be a continuation from My Life As A Boy. "It will be more filmic and freer. I need to be free on the record, and I also need to drift and be irresponsible for a while. After this tour I will disappear for three months, unplug my phone and e-mail and just leave the continent for a while!"
As she reflects on a fascinating career, Jane says "I feel very content in my heart that I am doing better and better work than ever. Even if no one hears SHUSHAN, at least it is in existence. It is safe. It is on a CD and that pleases me very much. I feel very good. I feel like I'm the tortoise, not the hare."
SHUSHAN the Palace (Hymns of Earth) is now out on Sheeba/Maple nationwide. Jane Siberry performs at The Church at Berkeley (Queen Street E.) on December 19.

Publication Date: 2003-12-07
Story Location: http://tandemnews.com/viewstory.php?storyid=3430