René
Marie – singer, actress, writer. Earth Kitt – singer, actress, writer. Never
before has there been a vocal recording tipping the hat to the divine Ms. Kitt
and her fiery, sensual and clever interpretations of songs. With her incredible
range of vocal ability, her powerful emotional resonance and strong independent
streak, René is the right artist to conceive of this historic project, out
November 12 on the adventurous, multi-Grammy®-nominated label Motéma Music. I
Wanna Be Evil (With Love to Eartha Kitt) is René’s third recording for the
label and her 10th career album.
Eartha
Kitt’s daughter Kitt Shapiro, who maintains her mother’s legacy via
EarthaKitt.com and the company Simply Eartha, expressed her appreciation.
It's
wonderful that such a talented artist like René Marie has recorded the first
tribute album to my mother, helping to keep her memory and spirit alive. These
classic songs deserve to be heard and loved by all generations.
This
brilliantly entertaining album burnishes René’s reputation as the most
provocative risk-taker among today’s jazz divas. Featuring star turns by
trombonist Wycliffe Gordon, trumpeter Etienne Charles and Australia’s Adrian
Cunningham on saxophone, clarinet and flute, I Wanna Be Evil opens with a
cackle of mischief. Then René tears into “I’d Rather Be Burned As A Witch,” a
powerhouse song that immediately signals the melding of the spirits of two
audacious women. She changes gears dramatically with a sly arrangement of
“C’est Si Bon,” one of the songs most associated with Eartha. Lesser-known gems
“Oh, John” and “Let’s Do It” follow, both of which René imbues with sultry
affection. She puts her scintillating touch on “Peel Me A Grape” – featured on
her 1998 recording debut – before giving a classic rendition of “My Heart
Belongs to Daddy.” The title track is another barnburner that showcases René’s
playfulness. The little-known Caribbean-tinged “Come on-a My House” – featuring
a percussion turn by Charles – leads into probably Eartha’s best-known song,
“Santa Baby.” René’s slow burn version is sure to become a new holiday
favorite. She closes with her haunting original, “Weekend,” a favorite with
fans, who adore René for her ability to enthrall. Produced by René and veteran
producer/writer/programmer Mark Ruffin, I Wanna Be Evil features René’s
longtime band: Quentin Baxter (drums, percussion, washboard); Kevin Bales
(piano); and Elias Bailey (bass).
Eartha
Kitt is one of America’s strongest iconic figures. She was an inspiring artist,
a strong woman and an essential activist in different ways. She was homeless
when she first moved to New York City yet became a star. She was a sensual and
powerful woman in a man’s world at a time when most women were background not
front and center. She was a black actress in Hollywood at a time when most
black actors were given subservient roles yet here she was – Catwoman. She
challenged President Johnson on the Vietnam War and paid a price for her
outspokenness. She unabashedly shared her sensual self and her fierce self and
was just herself – simply Eartha. That alone, I have learned, can be the most
radical act, especially if you are a woman. As Eartha states in one of her
famous ‘Kittisms’: The price you pay for being yourself is worth it.
René too
is unabashedly herself, winning many fans for her audaciousness but also
receiving strong criticism. Her well-known medley of “Strange Fruit” and
“Dixie” wowed many but also stirred the pot on America’s history of slavery and
Southern race relations. Her choice to sing the black national anthem, “Lift
Ev’ry Voice and Sing” (set to the melody of the “Star Spangled Banner”) when
the Mayor of Denver John Hickenlooper asked René – one of Denver’s high profile
resident artists at the time – to open the State of the City address in 2008
spurred a significant backlash, right wing criticism and even death threats.
Yet René
stood strong. Her daring makes her one of America’s most interesting and
compelling artists. So do her influences. Her style incorporates a distinctly
American mélange of jazz, soul, blues, folk and gospel and an innate theatrical
ability to interpret a song deeply and live its truth. An actress as well as a
vocalist, René will be seen Off-Broadway October 12-13 and 18 and 20 as part of
the One For All Festival at the Cherry Lane Theatre in a touring one-woman play
she wrote, directed and stars in. In typical fashion, she raises eyebrows just
from the title itself – “Slut Energy Theory – U’Dean.” The meaning becomes
clear and intensely significant as the audience – and critics alike – find
themselves transformed by her play about U’Dean, a woman on a painful yet
sometimes funny journey from sexual abuse to self-esteem.
René
also is a woman of great strength and humor who walked a similar journey. Married
at 18, a mother of two by 23 and a Jehovah’s Witness, she only occasionally
sang. When her husband of 23 years issued an ultimatum to stop singing or
leave, she chose music over the turbulent marriage and self-released her debut
Renaissance in 1998 and toured as Ella Fitzgerald in a regional play. She began
experiencing a whirlwind of success rarely seen in the jazz world, winning over
critics; receiving awards such as the Best International Jazz Vocal CD (besting
Cassandra Wilson and Joni Mitchell) by France’s Academie Du Jazz; gracing the
Billboard charts multiple times; and becoming a headliner at major
international festivals. A gifted songwriter, her previous Motéma release,
Black Lace Freudian Slip, features blues-heavy originals. Her label debut,
Voice of My Beautiful Country, is an ambitious celebration of Americana and a
striking display of her incredible ability to forge connections between songs
most would never think to merge.
For René
Marie, success means shining attention on important issues in America and on
bold artists like Eartha Kitt who helped change America’s landscape for the
better. René has become one of those bold artists. It’s hard to believe it all
started after she turned 40.
TRACK LISTING
1. I'd Rather Be Burned As A Witch
2. C'est Si Bon
3. Oh, John
4. Let's Do It
5. Peel Me A Grape
6. My Heart Belongs To Daddy
7. I Wanna Be Evil
8. Come On-A My House
9. Santa Baby
10. Weekend
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