Exclusive Q&A with Marcella Puppini of the Fabulous Puppini Sisters on Their New Album, The High Life!

Buddy Beaverhausen: On High Life, you have a new sister joining you. Please tell about that, and the departure of Stephanie O'Brien.
Marcella Puppini: In 2012 we had to have a rethink of our line-up, as things were not working as well as we knew they could.

We auditioned a few of the best vocalists in the UK, and were lucky enough to be joined by the portentous Emma Smith – a graduate of the Royal Academy of Music and a descendant of a long line of eminent musicians. Emma has a knowledge of Jazz and the kind of natural swing that is hard to find, and to us (and many of our fans and music critics) her addition to our sound has made us the best we’ve ever been.

BB: Was it difficult to find a suitable replacement?
MP: It’s definitely true that there aren’t many people in the UK, or indeed the world, who possess all the qualities we were looking for, but we were incredibly lucky that the timing was right for Emma to join us. She is much more than a suitable replacement: she is a breath of fresh air!
BB: How many people auditioned to be part of your trio and what were the criteria for choosing someone?
MP: It’s definitely true that there aren’t many people in the UK, or indeed the world, who possess all the qualities we were looking for, but we were incredibly lucky that the timing was right for Emma to join us.She is much more than a suitable replacement: she is a breath of fresh air!

BB: As usual, your selection of songs is very eclectic. How did you decide upon "Rapper's Delight" / "Chandelier" -- that you ladies do expertly?Madonna medley? "Superfragilistic"?
MP: We have a list of songs that we want to arrange that we started compiling in 2004. Some of the songs we did on this album (such as Supercalifragilistic, Girls Just Wanna Have Fun and Changes) were on the original list, while others were gut-feeling decisions. We have honed a pretty sharp sense for what’s going to work, and this time we just trusted our instinct, with no one but ourselves to answer to.

BB: Who is your producer this time round?
MP: This is the third album we have made with Fred De Faye, a wonderful engineer/producer who is also an old friend of mine. Fred is great to work with because even though he comes from the Pop world he really gets the sound we’re after, and he is a great collaborator.

BB: You all look so fetching on this album cover. Who did your costumes, hair and make-up?
MP: The styling was a collaboration between myself and my old Central St Martins College of Art classmate Jason Halsey (with his amazing company called HUNCH). HUNCH also did all the photography and artwork for the album. Our hair was done by the incredible Seema Chopra, who has been working with us for the last 6 or 7 years, and the make up is by Daniela Boccuzzi, an extremely talented old friend of mine. 

BB: Where can we catch you live, on tour, in the UK and in America?
MP: We’ve just finished our UK tour, and are about to go on a little jaunt to Singapore. On the 17th of April we’re doing a one-off performance at Bay Area Cabaret at The Fairmont in San Francisco, as a warm-up for a US tour which is being planned for later in the year. And on the 18th of May we have our headlining show at The O2 Shepherd’s Bush Empire in London, which we’re very excited about.

BB: Explain to us about the tax that is keeping non-US performers from touring in The States.
MP: It’s quite an unfortunate situation: whoever performs in the States will have 30% deducted from their fee, regardless of whether or not they are making a profit on the gig. The tax is refundable eventually if the overall profit from touring the US in the course of the year is less than a certain amount, but claiming it back is complicated, and the artist needs to have enough capital to invest in a tour to start with – or command very high fees! We are now working with a great team of lawyers and accountants in the US, so we are confident that we can come back to tour again.

BB: How much did Emma Smith, your new sister, have input in your selection of songs?
MP: Emma has been very involved in the making of the album. Kate and I did all the arranging and writing of the original material, but Emma has been part of the conversation, and has given great input all along.

BB: Thank you so much! Hope to catch you live and finally get to meet.

High Life is available on cd through Amazon.com & wherever fine music is sold.

Audio Beaverhausen: The Puppini Sisters Live the High Life

Hoorah, The Puppini Sisters are back in grand style with their new album, High Life! This is their first in five years and it's fabulous; an event!

Noteably, singer Stephanie O'Brien has been replaced by Emma Smith. But the harmonies are still lush and gorgeous. The Puppini Sisters are in smashing form with their typically eclectic (to say the least) and fun selection of pop tunes.

You haven't lived until you hear these women cover ~ in swing-band style ~ "Supercalifragilistic," Carmen Miranda's '''Tico Tico," "Rapper's Delight/ Chandelier," Cyndi Lauper's "Girls Just Wanna Have Fun" and much more. The album kicks off with "Is This the Highlife?" and ends with "Hit the Road, Jack." The trio is backed by a three-piece band, except for on the finale, where they have a full orchestra background.

The album will be released in the USA this Friday, March 18. I ordered  on cd but Marcella Puppini sent me a copy on-line, graciously, so I could review it. You can order it on Amazon or wherever fine music is sold.

Class with flash, campy and vampy. put High Life on your must have list.

Incidentally, I recently reviewed Marcella's solo album on this blog and did a Q&A with her as well. Busy lady! I'll be doing a Q&A with all three ladies very soon!

EXCLUSIVE Q&A with MARCELLA PUPPINI ~ part 2

Marcella Puppini's first name is pronounced Marchella; not Marsella. She has just released a solo album, which we discuss in our Q&A. She is also the founding member of the Puppini Sisters, who have a new album coming our way in early 2016. She is a gifted singer, trained in opera, an artist and a clothes designer who's worked for Vivienne Westwood. I spoke with Marcella over the phone. She resides in London.

Buddy Beaverhausen: What drew you to the '30s-'40s big band and swing styles, and harmonies with The Puppini Sisters?
Marcella Puppini: It really came out of loving The Manhattan Transfer, though their harmonies are a bit more strident than ours. I've always been very into harmony music and jazz. I was always into big band music, I love Duke Ellington, and then I got into The Andrew Sisters. And that's when I got the idea of girl-group harmonies and The Puppini Sisters.

BB: Rumor has it The Puppini Sisters also have an upcoming album. Is that true?
MP: Absolutely. We're all very excited. It's set for a March 2016 release. We just finished recording it at the end of September.

BB: I last saw the group at BB King's in NYC. Will the group be touring again in the USA?
MP: Yes, I expect so. The laws have changed regarding taxes but we're figuring out a way of doing it.

BB: Now that we're in this election year in America, what is your view from abroad on what's going on here politically?
MP: I just find it really, really frightening! I think we're all, frightened for you in the States. If conservatives have their way, it would be very dark science indeed for everyone but white, straight males.
BB: I find the whole "open carry" gun thing total insanity. Thank God we don't have that in NY.
MP: Fabulous. Over here, we just don't understand that at all. And the whole religious issue. Isn't it part of your Constitution that denies that?
BB: Yes! Absolutely.
MP: So many decisions are being made on "Christian values", and I don't get it.
BB: Neither do a lot of us.
MP: I even got into an argument on Facebook with someone. Stupid of me, but I couldn't let that slide by. I think your Republican Party is pushing a dangerously fascist-like agenda that we, in the UK and Europe know too well.

BB: Might you be coming to NYC to promote your solo album?
MP: Yes, I'm speaking to an agent about this. We're being promoted on an American label now, which is good news.

BB: I'm sure you're aware you have a large gay following. And my blog has a large LGBT fan base.
MP: Wonderful!
BB: Any shout-outs to your LGBT fans?
MP: I have enormous gratitude for a community that has supported everything I have ever done, and that has shown me love (and fun!) since I first moved to London. I'd be nowhere without the drag artists I worked with at Madame JoJos (when I was a tequila girl), who taught me how to put on make-up properly. Or without the girls at the Candy Bar in Soho, where I used to do podium dancing when I was a student. (That was fun!!) Without the gay community, the world would be such a sad place indeed. So much art and creativity comes to us from that community and enriches us all! Plus, so much strength for positive change.

BB: Much success with your new album and where can fans find it currently.
MP: Currently at Amzon.com.

BB: Thank you very much for taking out your time to do this Q&A with me.
MP: Thank you! And I love reading your blog. I enjoy your edge and your comments. I'm not going to use the word campy....
BB: It's ok, feel free! I love it!
MP; [laughs] Ok. It's a dream-come-true blog. You like all the things that I like!

http://www.marcellapuppini.com

EXCLUSIVE Q&A with MARCELLA PUPPINI ~ part 1

Marcella Puppini's first name is pronounced Marchella; not Marsella. She has just released a solo album, which we discuss in our Q&A. She is also the founding member of the Puppini Sisters, who have a new album coming our way in early 2016. She is a gifted singer, trained in opera, an artist and a clothes designer who's worked for Vivienne Westwood. I spoke with Marcella over the phone. She resides in London.

Buddy Beaverhausen: You were nominated Mayoress of Camden a couple of years ago. What would that title entail you to do?
Marcella Puppini: It's totally honorary. In fact, I wasn't nominated; I was chosen by the Mayor of Camden to be his escort at gala events. We worked with The Amy Winehouse Foundation and I put together other goodwill events for the borough of Camden in London.

BB: Let's talk about your new album, Everything Is Beautiful. How would you describe its overall style?
MP: I call it electro-vintage. An electronic recreation of styles such as Swing, Motown, some atmospheric noir-ish ballads, torch songs. So. it's a reimagining of those styles.
BB: I thought I detected a bit of Karen Carpenter on your vocals for "Boom Boom," the opening track.
MP: Oh, I adore Karen Carpenter! She's an idol of mine. Thank you so much. Maybe it was a little subconscious that I sounded like her on the song, then.

BB: Let's talk about "Boom Boom," which is the first track on the album.
MP: Yes, all right! I wrote that song to express great optimism. It's a happy song, I think. And I really had a Motown rhythm in mind. When it came to the bridge, I was just making up words like "zoom zoom" and "boom boom." and then I realized that that should be the chorus.
BB: Well, I love it.
MP: Thank you very much.

BB: Your voice is classically trained, but at university, you majored in fashion design. Why was that, and what was it like to work for Vivienne Westwood?
MP: I went to college in London, where I wanted to stay. At the time, the Music department was not offering anything, so I thought another talent I had was art and drawing, So, I applied and got in, which amazed me. And I was so lucky to get to work for Vivienne Westwood. It was a great experience because I got to work with such talented, creative people. It was a short period of about two years but it was really wonderful.

BB: You were born and raised in Bologna, Italy. When did you move to England?
MP: When I was 18.

BB: Who were Marcella & the Forget Me Nots?
MP: It came together in London, where I was working on a show and had to put together an all-girl orchestra. The bass player in our orchestra used to be with Courtney Love's band. It was really great fun and was meant for pure artistic expression.

BB: You had a huge club hit here in the United States as the vocalist on Rich B's "Revolution." Did you know that?
MP: Yes. Rich and I met at a club in Soho where I used to be a cocktail waitress. Yeah, just like the song "I was working as a waitress in a cocktail bar...." [laughs] Rich and I became great friends. In fact, I met my husband through Rich. We fell in love at one of Rich's parties. "Revolution" was recorded in 2002 and reissued in 2012, and that was when it became such an international hit.

BB: What musical artists inspired you when you were growing up?
MP: My mom used to listen to David Bowie a lot when I was about eight-years-old while she was doing the housework. I really got to love his music. Then, I got into Kate Bush. I don't know if she's known that well in the States.
BB: Absolutely! She's a star.
MP: Great. I was completely enamored of her in my early teens, and then I became completely enamored of Jazz. I went looking back... to Billie Holiday, Sarah Vaughan. I later was crazy about The Manhattan Transfer as well, and that's how I got into the whole Swing sound.

http://www.marcellapuppini.com

[Part 2 of this interview tomorrow. Lots of surprises and new revelations!]

Puppini Sisters Get Spooky on My 20013 Halloween Countdown

Here's the official video for the Puppini Sisters' swing version of "Spooky." Love them girls. And Happy Halloween, y'all!

Memorial Day with The Puppini Sisters

It's Swing Time as my Memorial Day tribute features the official Puppini Sisters video of their version of "Boogie Woogie Bugle Boy." Have a terrific Memorial Day weekend!

The Puppini Sisters - Step in to Christmas

A Christmas bonus cuz it's Friday and I'm in an absolute holidaytime fit of generosity! Again, The Puppini Sisters doing one of the most enjoyed numbers from their very popular Christmas with The Puppini Sisters album of last year. (The album went to #5 on the US Billboard Jazz chart.) It's the pop 1972 song by Sir Elton John, "Step in to Christmas," and it's done the Puppini way: 1940s, swing, big band, ya got it! ;)

The Puppini Sisters - Jingle Bells

The Puppini Sisters are here to getcha in the mood. For the holidays, I mean. In their inimitable style. This track is not part of their popular Christmas album. Originally released as a promo single in the UK, now available to download on iTunes & Amazon.com.

My Halloween Countdown Presents The Puppini Sisters and Spooky

It don't mean a thing if it ain't got that trick-or-treat swing. Here are England's fabulous Puppini Sisters with a cover of "Spooky," originally made popular by Dusty Springfield. The music video (which I'd never seen before) is aimed squarely at the Happy-Halloween set as the original release of this single in the UK was timed to coincide with the season. Happy listening; now, have some pumpkin pie and go cut a rug!