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Interview - Kaly
by Jason Mitchener, Crosshome

G.C.M.: What made you decide to record a CD?

KALY: It was really a set of circumstances that came to a nexus....nexus of hope and reality and suddenly there I was, staring into the face of a dream. I'm still floored by the whole process of how we got from point A to point B. I say "we" because I'm part of a great team of friends and encouragers from Solid Walnut Music. Steve Cass graciously offered to be my manager while we get both of our new albums out there to the public. So, it was a combination of meeting these people, developing friendships and musical kinship with them....and being encouraged to stop "hiding my light under a bushel" and let the voice out in a bigger way.

G.C.M.: What's the recording process like for you?

KALY: I have to laugh a bit here...only because Steve Cass, my guitarist/manager and I do things a wee bit differently. But, we tend to balance each other out. I put a great deal of emphasis on trying to get as much of the song done in a single take as I can. I liken it to a performance where a person doesn't get unlimited tries to make something happen. I've always looked at musicians who record/perform in this light. There are few things more unsatisfying for me than to hear an album that's produced well with all the bells and whistles...then to hear them live and it's so average to really bad. I spent my four college years in a mindset of performance preparation....I had one shot to get it right, or should I say, 'pull it off.' One has to learn how to pick oneself up if a mistake is made....or the accompanist blows it or whatever.

I thoroughly enjoyed working with the engineers in both of the studios we used to record the "Tonight" CD. Interestingly, we worked with 2 different recording equipment set-ups....ADAT in Seattle and DA-88 in Phoenix. We certainly had a bunch of extra expenses because of it! However, with Steve living in Phoenix and I just outside of Seattle/Tacoma, we took the project apart into manageable pieces as we could. We put the most steam on during the last few months before we sent the master to the duplicating agency. I'd say James (our engineer in Seattle...mainly a video/film guy) was more intuitive in responding to what he heard coming from me and sensed the same places of emphasis. Andy and Dave were great in Phoenix and certainly have great intuitive musical skills. I'd say their style is definitely best suited to the way Steve prefers to work, but I felt completely free to sing without too many re-takes and very few patches. Dave, particularly, has a fine ear when it comes to putting the drum tracks together.

G.C.M.: What are some of your musical influences?

KALY: Don't get me started! Just kidding.....I just have so many and from very different parts of the music world. I was raised on Latin American folk music, Spanish folk music, flamenco, Mariachi bands....as I recall, the first song I learned was "Cielito Lindo" (tr. "my beautiful little heaven") which is a Mexican lullably. I didn't have a clue what I was singing but had a good ear even then for picking up other languages.

If you'd like to know in a nutshell what it is that turns me on, I'd say this: any music/musician who does what they do with PASSION is something I'm going to respond to and freely learn from.

I am absolutely riveted to the stage/sounds when I see/hear flamenco being performed....the intense beauty of the guitar that never lets up....the dancers in such seductive regalness....the crying out of the traditional flamenco singer...the beauty of the traditional costumes.

Then, I think of Beethoven and the immortal 9th Symphony. I really believe the man had a direct line with God in writing that one! And to think he was completely deaf when he wrote it....all the music in his head.....boggles my mind. I love the intensity of all of his work. I can't think of one piece that's even remotely boring to me.

Ann Wilson of Heart is my favorite female rocker. No one can sing like she does. Talk about passion! It's so obvious that she goes to a place deep inside herself and just lets it go....just an incredibly expressive voice....expressive in a very different way than say, another favorite of mine, Kathleen Battle of the opera world. But what intrigues me is that knowing that they found the connection inside to bring the music out.

The consummate artist that moves me is Maria Callas (opera star of the 50's-70's.) I just can't get enough of her. Her phrasing is absolutely impeccable. Her voice doesn't have the songbird quality of, say, Joan Sutherland but the intensity of her complete command of the music is simply stunning. And, to add to all this, she was a fantastic actress. She was electrifying to be around, whether on stage or off. She had a 'presence' and a gift of interpretation. The other big thing I love about her is her outright audacity to sing everything from Verdi to Rossini to Bizet to Wagner! I just love the spunk of the woman. Traditionally sopranos get categorized early on and tend to gravitate toward "lyric roles" "mezzo roles" etc. Maria could do it ALL and did it WELL. No one had ever done that before. She could take complete command of a role a lot of sopranos won't touch like "Turandot" by Puccini because it takes a big big voice like a Wagnerian soprano. And, she could also complete the tender bel canto with such dynamic control....just floors me.

One of the things I think I've learned along the way is versatility. My soprano 'trained voice' is very different in timbre than the voice I now choose to do almost all of my work in. I love to bring sultry old tunes to life in the deep lower resonant range. It is this range that I think makes the biggest impression on people hearing my music....I've heard adjectives from 'peaceful' to 'relaxing' to 'intense.'

I listen to all genres of music and almost always give something a full listen at least once. There's a lot of classic rock from the '70s I really love....and the new bands like "Creed" really move me with the intensity of their work. I clean the house with Creed playing on the deck....gets me moving!

Oh.......and I love good guitar playing. I love classical stuff like from Christopher Parkening all the way to Stevie Ray Vaughan who I just can't get enough of!

That's what I try to do with my music. It comes from a place deep inside me....it's a combination of listening well, listening to many many things, even listening to people's speaking voices. Training comes into it, I can't neglect to say there's a lot of disciplined work I went through to make things sound as easy and natural as I can...and to pull off a performance usually in a pretty seamless way. But, training/technique is only helpful once its become a part of a person....it's not something I think about...except on what are now rarer occasions of doing the classical soprano repertoire. At those times, I am extremely conscious of carriage, support of the breath and being completely tuned in to the musician(s) I'm working with.....I guess I'd call it really in tune with the 'correct' phrasing, particularly when I'm singing in another language....finding the emphatic words for proper stress, etc.

G.C.M.: What types of songs move you the most?

KALY: I'd have to say songs of intense beauty. I am moved by any music done well, with passion and great skill, but when I heard something like Dawn Upshaw in solo recital, I couldn't do anything but let the tears just run down my cheeks....her voice is so crystalline and she's so gifted and musical....it just sounded like something not of this earth....of a better place, in fact!

G.C.M.: Any favorite artists?

KALY: Besides the ones I mentioned earlier, I am a huge fan and supporter of the life and ministry of Amy Grant. Here's a short list: U2, Crystal Lewis, Heart, Kathy Troccoli, Eric Clapton, Diana Krall, Dionne Warwick (in her Bachrach/David years, ) Kathleen Battle, Susan Ashton, Sarah Brightman, ........oh........and I can't forget the phenomenal Andrea Boccelli!

G.C.M.: I know you have three children. How do you balance family and music?

KALY: It's not easy, to put it mildly. I have 2 teenagers and a pre-schooler now so life is really interesting to say the least! There are things like having a massive touring schedule that I'm not willing to do at this stage in my life because I really can't visualize being able to successfully do that and really 'be there' for my kids. It's very very difficult being a single parent. I work outside the home now....and come home to another job that requires even more of my attention, patience and thoughtfulness....and I come home to job #2 usually really tired from job #1 !

My daughter is 13 and takes care of her little 4 year old brother when I'm teaching my lessons on Saturdays....she also helps with him on Sundays when I'm accompanying a children's choir. She's wonderful with him.

I don't get the kind of practice time I used to, for sure. There are certain things I can do with other extraneous noise in the house and some things I simply can't. I also use my commute time to listen and memorize songs...listen to new music...keep current about the music scenes.

G.C.M.: Is there a particular message you want to convey with your music?

KALY: Oh my, yes....love, healing and hope....the essence of Christ.

G.C.M.: How would you define personal success?

KALY: Personal success means doing without fear that which I have been called to do. When I'm able to communicate things in my songs to believers and non-believers alike, I'm floored by the awesome power of God to work through this body. When I've given it my all....to have someone come up to me and tell me how it touched their hearts....wow, there's just no more 'successful' thing I can think of.

And another thing....to think the Lord blessed me with these 3 kids...these unique beautiful personalities....I'm still in awe of it all.....that he used me to bring these little people into the world and entrusted me with their care for what is a relatively short time in the average lifespan.....to see them growing in each stage of development which I find fascinating, looking at them and meeting them where they're at.....to love these people without condition, that's personal success.

G.C.M.: What do you think the future holds for you?

KALY: I'd love to be married again. I'd love to increase my number of basset hounds again! I can easily see short-term touring events somewhat close to home; like what Trace Balin does in the South. I want to continue to be an active musician in my parish...be a part of the Solid Walnut music team....explore the possibilities of a potentially larger audience through the Nashville connections....

G.C.M.: How can your fans pray for you?

KALY: For strength and courage....courage to face absolutely everything...and to remember that it was Jesus who said, "Be not afraid....I am with you always."



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