(Photo property of Juren David; courtesy of HyPR Media)
By: Jacob Elyachar, jakes-take.com
It is a privilege to welcome Mary Gatchell to Jake’s Take.
Mary Gatchell is one of New York City’s soulful artists that embodies music of sensuality, honesty, joy, and passion. Mary has blended numerous musical genres including blues, jazz, soul, and pop to create a sound that makes her stand out in the music industry. Inspired by Stevie Wonder and Joni Mitchell, Mary Gatchell’s music tells stories of love, heartbreak, war, and peace and the thread of humanity that binds us all.
Mary has had the opportunity to perform in several of the Big Apple’s greatest music venues such as Birdland, Blue Note, the Knitting Factory, Le Poisson Rouge, and the Shrine. Also, Mary Gatchell has traveled around the world performing across Europe and Africa. She also had the opportunity of the lifetime by performing with the Rolling Stones for their 50th-anniversary concerts at Brooklyn’s Barclays Center and Newark’s Prudential Center with Ghostlight, the elite chamber choir.
In this edition of The Five Question Challenge, Mary talked about her latest studio album: Camino Real and teased her show at the legendary Rockwood Music Hall.
Jacob Elyachar: When did you get interested in music? How did that passion evolve into the desire of pursuing a career in the music industry?
Mary Gatchell: Both of my parents are musicians and educators, so I was exposed to a lot of music from the beginning, whether it be musical theater, jazz, or hymns and traditional church music. My first memory of performing is when I was five-years-old being in my parents’ production of The Music Man. Early on I studied piano, then oboe and always sang in choirs and in musicals, however, it wasn’t until I was in high school and attended band camp, SYMS at the University of New Hampshire, that I really became hooked and wanted to pursue music as a career. Up until then, I was more interested in playing basketball!
JE: Let’s talk about your album: “Camino Real.” How long did it take you to create this album from conception to release?
MG: The conception for Camino Real (The King’s Highway) started in the spring of 2015, falling in love, being inspired by Rumi’s poetry, and learning about the Camino pilgrimage in Europe. It is a 500-mile walk of introspection and reflection through France and Spain. Although some older songs make it onto the album, the majority are from the last two-and-a-half years, and all of them seem to fit perfectly with this idea of finding your way through the King’s Highway of life, striving to live a higher life of truth, love, and joy. I began working with extraordinary producer and keyboardist, A.T.N. Stadwijk in early 2016 on a single I released called Love Revolution. I loved what he so artfully and thoughtfully brought to that song (keyboard layers, flutes, sound design, and effects) and knew we needed to do a more significant project together. I feel it was in the stars that we came together, as this has been the most profound musical collaboration for me. And now, here we are releasing the album almost two years later!
JE: What are some of the greatest challenges that you faced throughout your career? How did you overcome those obstacles?
MG: I’ve had sometimes when I was not writing a lot, but I have learned that these times are so very precious. They are there for a good reason. These words, ideas, and melodies must live and breath in their own natural way. Songwriting comes from an inspired place for me and the timing behind this inspiration is to be respected and honored. It may take years for a song to come to fruition for me, but it’s always worth it. All artists, at different points, struggle with the business side of music, booking shows and building an audience. That’s all part of it and can be hard. All in all, if I am always able to express my music, even in small ways, it’s important and meaningful to me and it balances out the difficult times.
JE: You will release your latest album, Camino Real, at one of New York City’s premiere music venues: Rockwood Music Hall. What can you tease my readers about the show?
MG: The music will be fresh, vibrant, and you will get your groove on! I have a stellar band. A.T.N. Stadwijk on keys, Leo Traversa on bass, Adam Jackson on drums, and Daniel Sadownick on percussion. Friday’s show will be an exciting celebration and musical experience, but it will also honor our Veterans and raise money for mental health services for them. This cause is deeply personal for me and has a great deal to do with the inspiration and writing of this record. In honor of our Veterans, we will be donating a portion of the proceeds from album sales on this night to local NY Veterans non-profit organization, Here to Help Military and Families. They provide free and confidential counseling for service members and their families.
JE: If you had the chance to meet with aspiring singer-songwriters who want to pursue a career in the recording industry, what advice would you share with them?
MG: Study and listen to other great songwriters and different kinds of music a lot, and most importantly, consistently listen to your voice and explore the vast world living inside you. Tap into your reservoir of truth and never stop digging.
For more information about Mary Gatchell, visit her website!
To follow Mary’s adventures on social media, visit her Facebook, Twitter, & YouTube channels.
