possible for me to travel around the countryand do so many of these th<strong>in</strong>gs <strong>in</strong> music.“<strong>The</strong>y are both teachers. My mom playsguitar and has written songs. My dad is not amusician, but he loves music probably morethan anyth<strong>in</strong>g. He’s one of those guys whocan’t walk <strong>in</strong>to Waterloo Records withoutwalk<strong>in</strong>g out with 10 new CDs.”Crucial <strong>in</strong> her development as a performeris the caliber of musicians she’s met alongthe way. Some, like Sam Grisman, are secondgenerationplayers, carry<strong>in</strong>g tradition <strong>in</strong> theiryoung blood. Others, their names high <strong>in</strong> thebluegrass and folk fields, like Tim O’Brien,Jerry Douglas, Abigail Washburn, StuartDuncan, and Darrell Scott, also lent theirtalents to Song Up <strong>in</strong> Her Head, as did AlexHargreaves, Luke Reynolds, Mike Marshall,Ben Sollee, and Tim Lauer.“I’ve stood <strong>in</strong> autograph l<strong>in</strong>es <strong>in</strong> festivals,”says <strong>Jarosz</strong>. “That was how I met [NickelCreek’s] Chris Thile. I had just started mandol<strong>in</strong>.It was at the Old Settler’s Music Festivalat Stone Mounta<strong>in</strong> <strong>in</strong> Dripp<strong>in</strong>g Spr<strong>in</strong>gs. I was9 or 10, and he wrote on my program, ‘Let’sjam sometime.’ At that moment, I knew Iwanted to be good enough, and s<strong>in</strong>ce then,he’s become one of my greatest mentors.“I also met the Decemberists like that, at[Aust<strong>in</strong> City Limits Music Festival]. <strong>The</strong>re’sa new band called Black Prairie that’s threeof the Decemberists. On New Year’s Day,I’m go<strong>in</strong>g up to Portland, Oregon, whereSugar Hill Records is do<strong>in</strong>g a Shel Silverste<strong>in</strong>tribute. I’m do<strong>in</strong>g a track on the record withthem for it. That’ll be the start to the newyear. Spend the night with my family, thenfly out.”Collect<strong>in</strong>g Ideas“I have been patient <strong>in</strong> the CD-mak<strong>in</strong>g process,”<strong>Jarosz</strong> nods.“Grow<strong>in</strong>g up as a young musician, I alwayshad people ask me, ‘When are you go<strong>in</strong>g tomake a CD?’ so there was def<strong>in</strong>itely a littlepressure. But I always knew I wanted my firstCD to be the best representation of my artand music as possible. I also knew I wantedthe majority of it to be orig<strong>in</strong>al songs. So,hav<strong>in</strong>g been patient, I’d developed a lot ofideas <strong>in</strong> my head I wanted to <strong>in</strong>clude on theCD. That, with [producer] Gary Paczosa’smastery of th<strong>in</strong>gs and his hav<strong>in</strong>g done it forso long paired with my newness to it all, wasa great match.”That <strong>in</strong>nate understand<strong>in</strong>g of the musicmak<strong>in</strong>gprocess is a benefit that Aust<strong>in</strong>’ssophisticated scene provides to young musicians,and it’s turn<strong>in</strong>g their com<strong>in</strong>g-of-age<strong>in</strong>to arrival on the scene (see “Bluegrass Up<strong>in</strong> Her Head,” April 17, 2009). In that sense,<strong>Jarosz</strong> is <strong>in</strong> a league parallel to the likes ofSuzanna Choffel, born and raised <strong>in</strong> Aust<strong>in</strong>and a product of a scene that made her recognizehow “you could play and get your stuffout there and don’t have to be a crazy-bigpop star” (see “<strong>The</strong> Next Fun Fearless FemaleRock Star,” Nov. 28, 2008).<strong>The</strong> mak<strong>in</strong>g of Song Up <strong>in</strong> Her Head withher self-composed Grammy-nom<strong>in</strong>ated <strong>in</strong>strumentaltrack “Mans<strong>in</strong>needof” also provided<strong>Jarosz</strong> with lessons reflected <strong>in</strong> her everydaylife. Wimberley isn’t Aust<strong>in</strong>, and not even <strong>in</strong>the same county, but its relative proximityfeeds off and shares its energy, particularlyencourag<strong>in</strong>g to the compos<strong>in</strong>g dynamic.MUSIC SARAH JAROSZ CONTINUED FROM P.44 “Songwrit<strong>in</strong>g is a different process every before whisk<strong>in</strong>g herself back to the Newtime. It’s ever-chang<strong>in</strong>g, and I th<strong>in</strong>k one reasonI like it so much is it’s never predictable.Sometimes it just comes, and those are thereal gems and gifts when it just k<strong>in</strong>d of happens.Recently, I’ve tried to sit down and justwork at it, but I th<strong>in</strong>k that just hav<strong>in</strong>g th<strong>in</strong>gscome are how it works. I feel like I try too hardto expla<strong>in</strong> it and it’s an <strong>in</strong>describable art. Forme, it’s about be<strong>in</strong>g a good listener and notbe<strong>in</strong>g closed off to the world.“Writ<strong>in</strong>g ideas down, record<strong>in</strong>g a little melodyidea, com<strong>in</strong>g back to it and piec<strong>in</strong>g th<strong>in</strong>gstogether, that’s how I’ve been work<strong>in</strong>g. Balanc<strong>in</strong>gschool and work, it’s hard to f<strong>in</strong>d time to write.Music is constant learn<strong>in</strong>g. I have a couple ofnotebooks, documents on my computer, noteson my phone …. <strong>The</strong> ones on my computer“I’ve stood <strong>in</strong> autographl<strong>in</strong>es <strong>in</strong> festivals,” says<strong>Jarosz</strong>. “That was how Imet [Nickel Creek’s] ChrisThile. I had just startedmandol<strong>in</strong>. It was at the OldSettler’s Music Festival atStone Mounta<strong>in</strong> <strong>in</strong> Dripp<strong>in</strong>gSpr<strong>in</strong>gs. I was 9 or 10, andhe wrote on my program,‘Let’s jam sometime.’”were probably when I was writ<strong>in</strong>g a paper,”admits <strong>Jarosz</strong>, who confesses she wrote many ofthe lyrics for her CD dur<strong>in</strong>g high school classes.Years on the festival circuit and her musicalbackground exposed <strong>Jarosz</strong> to songwriterstraditionally cited – Bob Dylan, Paul Simon, arecently developed <strong>in</strong>terest <strong>in</strong> Joni Mitchell –as well as younger, more contemporary playersand writers such as Gillian Welch and DaveRawl<strong>in</strong>gs, for whom she flew back here to playa two-night stand at the Parish <strong>in</strong> DecemberEngland Conservatory <strong>in</strong> Boston and complet<strong>in</strong>gf<strong>in</strong>als. “Collect<strong>in</strong>g ideas” is a phrase thatcrops up repeatedly <strong>in</strong> conversation, an <strong>in</strong>dicatorof her awareness of her circumstances.“S<strong>in</strong>ce I was always surrounded by musiciansand people excited about music, ithelped me have an open m<strong>in</strong>d – and listento as much as possible and be <strong>in</strong>fluenced byeveryth<strong>in</strong>g. Notice what’s good and what’sbad and take what you can from it. It’s gett<strong>in</strong>gharder and harder to be orig<strong>in</strong>al. F<strong>in</strong>d whatyou like, and make it your own.”<strong>Sarah</strong>’s Smile<strong>The</strong> smile on <strong>Sarah</strong> <strong>Jarosz</strong>’s pretty face isirresistible as she considers the success ofSong Up <strong>in</strong> Her Head (see “Texas Platters,”June 12, 2009), and more so, 2010, eagerto work with producer Gary Paczosa aga<strong>in</strong>,a summer festival dance card fill<strong>in</strong>g up withTelluride and Grey Fox, and an imm<strong>in</strong>ent tripto the Grammys. She’s aware that eyes areupon her, too, yet her confidence is casual andfilled with curiosity.“Now I feel like because I’ve done it once,I’ll do th<strong>in</strong>gs a little quicker. Maybe notthough. It’s always fun to be <strong>in</strong> a studio forhours and fool around creatively. I feel likeI accomplished a lot I wanted to record<strong>in</strong>gthe first CD, so I feel like I’m open to newerth<strong>in</strong>gs, too – no boundaries. I want to be trueto myself. I even have a new song called ‘MyMuse.’ It’s about someone <strong>in</strong> particular who’sbeen <strong>in</strong>spirational, but the idea of the muse isthat it’s different for everyone. That’s why it’sso cool.“<strong>The</strong> last couple of <strong>in</strong>terviews I’ve hadhave started go<strong>in</strong>g <strong>in</strong> a new direction. <strong>The</strong>questions are not so much about where Igrew up but are turn<strong>in</strong>g to the future. It’sgood for me because it makes me th<strong>in</strong>k andanalyze what’s really important. I th<strong>in</strong>k a lotof that has to do with the fact that I’m not alittle girl anymore.“I’m only 18. <strong>The</strong> more I live, the more I’llhave to write about.”Beh<strong>in</strong>d ‘Broussard’s Lament’<strong>The</strong>y told us Thursday they would come,<strong>The</strong>y told us Friday they would come,Saturday came and still the dy<strong>in</strong>g lived onIt’s one of the most strik<strong>in</strong>g tunes on <strong>Sarah</strong> <strong>Jarosz</strong>’s SongUp <strong>in</strong> Her Head, “Broussard’s Lament,” one that leaves thetopic of love far beh<strong>in</strong>d the questions of governmental culpabilityand human dignity.“I was 14 when Hurricane Katr<strong>in</strong>a happened, and it was oneof those songs that came very quickly <strong>in</strong> the aftermath of allthat,” expla<strong>in</strong>s its author, <strong>Jarosz</strong>. “I saw an <strong>in</strong>terview on TV withthis man named Broussard, and he was tell<strong>in</strong>g the story of awoman dur<strong>in</strong>g the flood<strong>in</strong>g. <strong>The</strong>y kept tell<strong>in</strong>g her, ‘Thursday, thebuses will come tomorrow; Friday they will come; Saturday theywill come.’ And he cried as he’s tell<strong>in</strong>g it.“I thought, ‘That needs to be a song.’“Those th<strong>in</strong>gs are so real and human, it’s really touched meas a young person. A lot of my songs are personal and aboutlove, so it was nice to write about someth<strong>in</strong>g else.”<strong>The</strong> story of Aaron Broussard wasn’t simply a sound bite. Itearned him national notoriety, a Wikipedia entry, and evenanti-Broussard sites (www.aaronbroussard.<strong>in</strong>fo). <strong>The</strong> presidentof New Orleans’ neighbor<strong>in</strong>g Jefferson Parish, Broussardmade an emotional appearance on MSNBC’s Meet the Pressjust after Katr<strong>in</strong>a <strong>in</strong> 2005 that caught national attentionwhen he broke down describ<strong>in</strong>g the death of a colleague’smother, drowned <strong>in</strong> a nurs<strong>in</strong>g home that was not evacuated(www.youtube.com/watch?v=o9dJjAEVZ4g).Broussard, it turned out, may have helped create chaos <strong>in</strong>Jefferson Parish when the levees broke, because, accord<strong>in</strong>g toWikipedia, “he followed a years-old ‘doomsday plan’ <strong>in</strong> thewake of Hurricane Katr<strong>in</strong>a and evacuated more than 200dra<strong>in</strong>age pump operators north to Wash<strong>in</strong>gton Parish. <strong>The</strong>pumps rema<strong>in</strong>ed off for more than two days and sections ofthe parish, <strong>in</strong>clud<strong>in</strong>g Metairie and Kenner, experienced severeflood<strong>in</strong>g as a result.” Furthermore, although his colleague’smother did drown <strong>in</strong> her nurs<strong>in</strong>g home, it appears to have happenedas much by operator neglect. Broussard kept his positionas parish president and rema<strong>in</strong>s a controversial figure <strong>in</strong>Louisiana politics.It’s sober<strong>in</strong>g to juxtapose the tawdry reality of Broussard’sappearance with the bleak reality of what happened when thelevees broke <strong>in</strong> New Orleans. Yet with<strong>in</strong> the murky blur of truthunder the glare of the media amid unquestionably disastrousconditions, Broussard’s lament, no matter how grandstand<strong>in</strong>gor specious, spoke of a terrible truth echoed timelessly <strong>in</strong> thefolk tradition <strong>in</strong> <strong>Jarosz</strong>’s song.For most, the buses never came.– M.M.46 T H E A U S T I N C H R O N I C L E JANUARY 15, 2010 a u s t i n c h r o n i c l e . c o m
AUSTIN BAND OF THE YEAR:AUSTIN MUSICIAN OF THE YEAR:2009-2010COVER BAND:U18 (MAJORITY OF MEMBERS UNDER 18):Save a stamp! Vote on the Web ataust<strong>in</strong>chronicle.com/musicpollMUSIC POLL BALLOTAfter 29 years, you know the drill: This isyour chance to duct-tape the critics’ mouthsshut and speak up about Aust<strong>in</strong> music. Notsure whom to vote for? Turn on the radio,drop by the local record store, or head to theclubs. Your favorite band is probably play<strong>in</strong>g.AUSTIN SONG OF THE YEAR:AUSTIN ALBUM OF THE YEAR:BEST NEW AUSTIN BAND:Best Perform<strong>in</strong>g BandsROCK:PUNK:METAL:INDUSTRIAL/GOTH:HIP-HOP/DJ:INDIE:JAZZ:NONE OF THE ABOVE:Best Aust<strong>in</strong> Musicians (BAND IF APPLICABLE)FEMALE VOCALS:MALE VOCALS:ELECTRIC GUITAR:ACOUSTIC GUITAR:BASS:DRUMS/PERCUSSION:KEYBOARDS:MISCELLANEOUS INSTRUMENT:SONGWRITER:RADIO PERSONALITY (SHOW, DEEJAY, STATION):LOCAL LABEL:Texas Music Hall of Fame Nom<strong>in</strong>ationsIs Biscuit <strong>in</strong> the Hall of Fame? What about Roky and Willie?Previous w<strong>in</strong>ners are listed on the Web at aust<strong>in</strong>chronicle.com/musicpoll/fame. (<strong>The</strong> answer is yes.) Please circle one or fill <strong>in</strong>the blank*:Ponty Bone<strong>Sarah</strong> BrownBrannen TempleDenny FreemanDavid GarzaBruce RobisonAlex CokeBlaze FoleyBad Mutha GooseCherubsShiva’s HeadbandArc AngelsSixteen DeluxeOTHER NOMINEE*:Who are these people, and why should you vote for them? Visit the pollballot onl<strong>in</strong>e at aust<strong>in</strong>chronicle.com/musicpoll for more <strong>in</strong>formation!Required InformationBLUES:PRODUCER (PRODUCER NAME, ALBUM TITLE):NAME:ADDRESS:INSTRUMENTAL:EXPERIMENTAL:Related CategoriesNEW CLUB:CITY:ZIP:AGE:PHONE:STATE:COUNTRY/BLUEGRASS:LIVE MUSIC VENUE:ROOTS ROCK:ACOUSTIC VENUE:FOLK:LATIN TRADITIONAL:LATIN ROCK:WORLD MUSIC:ALL-AGES VENUE:RECORD STORE:RADIO STATION:RADIO MUSIC PROGRAM (SHOW, DEEJAY, STATION):ONLY BALLOTS WITH A FULL NAME AND MAILING ADDRESSWILL BE COUNTED!Please mail to: Music Poll<strong>The</strong> Aust<strong>in</strong> <strong>Chronicle</strong>PO Box 49066Aust<strong>in</strong>, TX 78765 FRIDAY, JAN. 29, 2010 aust<strong>in</strong>chronicle.com/musicpoll a u s t i n c h r o n i c l e . c o m JANUARY 15, 2010 T H E A U S T I N C H R O N I C L E 47
Change language