MaryLynn Gillaspie talks to KUVO during Women’s History Month

Local artist MaryLynn is a founding member of the Grammy nominated vocal jazz group, Rare Silk.

Rare Silk got their start in Boulder, and their very first album, “New Weave,” flew to the top of the Billboard Jazz charts and received 2 Grammy nominations.

MaryLynn took the time recently to share with me some of her Jazz Shero’s, her interest in jazz and a few other tidbits.

I wanted to find out from you who some of your Shero’s in Jazz are?

My ‘Sheros’ in Jazz are many! From the early years of Sarah, Ella, Billie, to Anita O’Day, Annie Ross, Carmen McRae, Nina Simone, Betty Carter, Nancy Wilson, Abbey Lincoln, Shirley Horn, and more current listening influences of Eliane Elias, Flora Purim, Rene Marie, Etta James, Amy Winehouse, Cecille McLorin Salvant… HOW do I list them all?

These are just the vocalists! I’ve been heavily influenced by instrumentalists as well (and many male artists).

 

What got you interested in jazz, and what is your favorite jazz song and why?

I had an early introduction to Jazz, as my father was a trumpeter who’s love of the idiom permeated our household… lots of Big Band, Ella, Sinatra… 

When I was just 19, I fell in with some heavy Jazz afficianados who pretty much ‘force-fed’ the likes of Trane, Miles, Ornette, Rahsaan, Adderly… all the powerhouses of Jazz. 

I don’t think I realized the depth of what I was being introduced to until I began singing with my sister after moving to Boulder.

I had the great fortune to have been a founding member of the vocal group ‘Rare Silk’.

We started out performing in the style of the Boswell Sisters and Andrews Sisters. After opening for Benny Goodman at Mackey Auditorium in Boulder, he asked us to join him on tour in 1980.

We then modernized our sound, added a 4th vocalist, and three years later recorded our 1st album on the Polydor label, ‘New Weave’, which was nominated for 2 Grammys. This resulted in years of touring and two more albums. What a thrill !!

I truly cannot say I have a favorite Jazz song. It’s whatever is in my current repertoire, that I am working on and performing. I recently saw a post on a community site asking what song typically went over best at performances. My response was that on any given night, any tune can inspire an audience by how inspired the musicans are who are performing it. In live performance, songs come alive through a musical communication, and the audience experiences that. I do have a great love of singing ballads… Detour Ahead being a fave.

What inspires you about Jazz? 

Jazz offers the opportunity to personally interpret the music and song in any given performance. I hold an extremely high regard and respect for Jazz musicians, in particular. The Jazz platform is one where just about any tune from any genre can be interpreted. The many talented Jazz musicians from our local Jazz scene and across the globe inspire me!