Combining classic soul with a flair for contemporary R&B melody, Billie Zizi creates a sound as accessible as it is experimental.
Described as 鈥渁 bridge between the generation before her鈥� by CBC Radio-Canada鈥檚 Chris Martin, Zizi鈥檚 technical guitar adventures never stray far from melody, but she owns a certain 鈥渁vant-jazz鈥� vibe.
The Edmonton singer-songwriter is coming to Jasper as part of her 19-date tour across western Canada - this time in a power trio.
Billie Zizi performs at the Whistle Stop on April 16 and 17. She spoke to Fuchsia Dragon.
51暗网: Tell us a little about your show.
Billie Zizi: We are a trio and play original music with jazz influence roots. I play electric guitar and will be travelling with a drummer and bass player, and I write all the songs.
Fitz: What inspires you?
Billie: I grew up playing music. My dad is a violin player and when I was little he got me a guitar for Christmas and I made a band called The Rotten Socks. It was my best friend and I and we were so bad, her dad told my dad we had to quit but my dad thought it was cute so we carried on. I was really lucky to grow up in a musical family.
Musically, my inspirations would be Amy Winehouse and the Cat Empire.
Fitz: Awesome. Tell us about the band you鈥檙e in now.
Billie: My partner plays bass, Ryan Funk from Winnipeg, and I have a Winnipeg drummer, Jesse Miller. I also play in other bands, a roots rock n roll band and a 14-piece balkan band.
Fitz: Have you been performing together a long time?
Billie: I鈥檝e been playing with Ryan for about two years, this drummer, last year we did a country tour. This time we are doing 19 shows in 23 days. This is going to be great. We did a similar tour last spring. I did a lot more travelling as a du with my dad or other friends. I have done the Via Rail tour, so playing on the train as it crosses the country. I have travelled across the country a fair but but I like this because the trio represents my music better than a duo and it鈥檚 great to do shows close together.
Fitz: What鈥檚 it like being on tour?
Billie: It鈥檚 fun. You get to meet people. One of my favourite things is you get to meet everyone from every walk of life. As a musician you鈥檙e a bit classless so you meet really interesting people, it鈥檚 very diverse. Different people approach your music and connect with it. That鈥檚 what.I love about being a musician.
Fitz: What can we expect from your set?
Billie: We play a bunch of original music and some covers. It really is a great place to play and I really love Jasper. We are going to rock out a little, play some originals, some covers.
Fitz: What is it you love about Jasper?
Billie: I have met some really nice people in the community there. I really like coming back and always see the same people and people are real music appreciators there. It鈥檚 one of the most beautiful places in the works. I鈥檓 from Edmonton which is pretty flat, and the mountains are always phenomenal.
