Ralph Peterson 35th Annual Student Music Awards - Downbeat

during those first months out of school, however,
that she decided to make her second solo recording—this
time with mostly original tunes and
without her parents’ financial assistance.
That meant taking more time, planning carefully
and finding inexpensive methods. For starters,
she made use of her comrades-in-arms. “It
was an all-friend project,” Niswanger explains.
“The musicians who played on it were friends.
The recording engineer was actually one of my
friends from Berklee as well, so he gave me a
good deal.” In addition, she planned to do the
recording session in a small room at Emerson
College that was mostly used for live audio and
video broadcasts. Using that room, without studio
separation, allowed the musicians to get 12
hours of recording time for less than $200. They
paid $300 for the engineer.
Still, there were the costs associated with
pressing, packaging and distributing the disc,
including a distribution arrangement with CD
Baby. She also hired publicists for radio and
press, which significantly increased her expenses.
To help cover the costs, Niswanger initiated
an online Kickstarter campaign, aiming to
raise $16,500 in donations just to break even
on the venture. According to a posting on her
Kickstarter page, she met the funding goal in
early April, thanks to 206 backers.
Niswanger has little concern for making a
big paycheck from CD sales. Like Confeddie
before it, the purpose of The Keeper is to generate
name recognition, this time as a composer
as well as a player, and perhaps attract someone
other than Calmit Productions (Niswanger’s
“corporate” alter ego) to finance the next project.
“Who knows? Maybe it’s a better deal for me to
have it on my own label than it would be to have
it on Concord or whatever,” she notes. “I’m not
saying that if I ever were approached by someone
that I’d turn it down, but I’d definitely think
about it, and [ask myself], ‘Is this actually the
best thing?’”
Those who know her have no doubt that
she’ll find the best thing. “She has the power to
be one of the best female alto saxophonists in
the country, if not the world,” says Barrett. “She
knows what she wants to do, and all the talent
and the drive is there for success. She works her
butt off. If you’ve got that work ethic, nothing’s
going to stop you.”
In the meantime, Niswanger is working to
establish herself in New York in a time-honored
fashion: going to jam sessions, making friends
and building personal connections. Her connection
with Esperanza Spalding recently landed
her an opportunity to sub on a rehearsal for
Spalding’s upcoming tour. That rehearsal subsequently
led to an invitation to perform with
Spalding on TV. “I am, in a sense, doing work
just by going out,” she says. “That’s part of it: getting
the scene, going out to these clubs and getting
to know the people. So I’m taking a step in
the right direction.” DB
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