Interview: Jenny Dalton's happy place

Jenny Dalton has been very busy, with a new album and book just about to be released. She has also done a very good job of keeping herself in the attention of her fans and the local press by using the Web and other technology to spread the word about her music.

What is the inspiration behind Rusalka’s Umbrella and the accompanying book?
I was apparently going through a lot of changes because the songs I was writing during that time all had to do with water in one form or another. They were all good changes, though. For example, I’d ended a serious relationship and was able to grow into myself without being somebody else’s half. I view all of the changes as very dynamic—like moving from vapor to water to ice.

Jenny Dalton will release her new disc at a show at Minneapolis’s Ritz Theater, 7 p.m. on Saturday, September 6.

You seem to have embraced the Internet, podcasts, posting videos, networking sites etc…Is there a method to the madness or is it fun to expand your horizons creatively using the Web?
There’s a bit of a method to the madness. Unfortunately, I think touring is a dying thing because of the economy. It’s not easy to make ends meet. So another way to reach people on that personal level is to do podcasts and experiment with new media. I feel a little self-conscious about it. There’s always that little fear whenever I create and release anything out into the world. But once it’s out, I put the side-blinders on and drive on. No time for second-guesses or looking back. Whenever I experiment with cross media, I just get this Field of Dreams voice in the back of my head saying, “If you build it, they will come.”

Does the songwriting process get easier as you go along or is it getting more difficult?
I don’t think the words “easy” or “difficult” apply to the songwriting process. If it were easy, then I’d probably lose interest. If it were difficult, it’d probably mean I’m forcing something—trying too hard. The thing that I’ve noticed changing is that I want to push the envelope a bit more. We’re all sponges and are influenced by the things we pick up. Sometimes, to mix it up, I listen only to jazz stations or classical stations for a while. Sure enough, a couple of weeks or months down the road, I sit down at the piano and jazzy chords or classical complexities find their way into new songs. It’s so subtle that I don’t know if anyone would notice but me.

What is your songwriting process?
It’s my “happy place.” Some people do yoga, some people read, some people write in diaries. I go to the keyboard. I let myself space out and let the hands wander. When they come up with something interesting, I start humming a vocal line over it. So that might be just one section of the song—whether it’s a verse or chorus, I don’t know yet, but I record it on my handheld tape recorder. Next time I go to the keyboard, the same thing happens, but then I realize, “hey, this would sound good with this other thing I recorded” and the song structure starts to emerge. Once there’s a good structure, I get images, pictures, or feelings that influence the lyrics.

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“Everyone thinks about moving to New York or L.A. to ‘make it,’ but maybe that idea is a bit outdated. New artists can’t afford a cocktail in those places, let alone rent.”

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Are you able to create music full time, or is there a day job as well?
There’s a day job. I definitely have two full time jobs, and I spend more time with the music and creative endeavors, so that doesn’t leave a lot o’ time for anything else. Then I take needed retreats to the North Shore or something. It’s important to take care and “refill the creative bank account” by doing things that inspire me.

After getting this album done and release, are there other projects in the works already or are you going to think about those later?
I already have the next album ready to record. I’ll start hitting the pavement on that after the Rusalka’s Umbrella and book release. I’m excited for this new one, and I might opt for shorter trilogy releases instead of an LP. To be determined.

You seem to know quite a few of the other bands and musicians in the local music scene. What is the best part about the music scene here?
I really love the Twin Cities scene. It’s easy to get a vibe in other cities as to what’s going on with their music, and Minneapolis is by far the most collaborative and supportive I’ve experienced so far. It makes me excited. Everyone thinks about moving to New York or L.A. to “make it,” but maybe that idea is a bit outdated—if not completely flooded. New artists can’t afford a cocktail in those places, let alone rent. Anyhoo, I think about the unlikely places that branded music history and influenced its future, like Manchester in the UK. I think the Twin Cities could spill over like that.

Any rants, or things you would like to say?
I guess I don’t have anything to rant about. These are challenging times for people who care about music, literature, film, theater, art…anything creative. The old, corporate systems are failing, but I’m really excited for the directive to land back into the artists’ hands. It will be muttled and mucky for a bit, but people can spot the diamonds in the rough.