Everything Girl

It seems a pity that we don’t have a soundtrack for our March/April Man of the Moment, Josh Charles, because he’s a piano playing singer/songwriter with jazz in his soul and a mission - to keep helping the City of New Orleans - in his heart. In this interview, we talk about his music, his mission, and what’s really on his iPod.

Josh, tell our readers a little bit about yourself. I know you spent at least part of your childhood in Kansas City?

I was born in La Jolla, California and my family settled in Kansas City. I got into music at a very early age and started playing piano when I was 8. I wanted to play guitar but didn’t start that till a few years later.

“From a very early age I knew that I’d become a musician. I felt like that was what I was put on this planet to be - and I have never looked back.”

Growing up in the Midwest was pretty typical for me, except I always felt like an outsider. I was into sports, but music really took over my world. Every moment I spent was dedicated to playing and writing music. I even started going to band camp at the age of 10.

It’s funny, I used to give concerts in school at the end of the school day .You would think that kids would be happy they got out of class but I got made fun of instead until i joined a rock band a few years later- that’s when everything changed!

From a very early age I knew that I’d become a musician. I felt like that was what I was put on this planet to be - and I have never looked back.

As a child, you studied classical piano first. Do you feel learning the fundamentals of classical music helped you when you turned to jazz? What led you to that style of music?

I think the fundamentals of classical music helped me as far as technical proficiency so that I could play what I heard in my head to some degree. The idea of playing music that wasn’t written out on the page was so exciting to me because it allows for creativity and style which attracted me to Jazz. Honestly, after listening to jazz piano players, I sat down and wasn’t able to play it right away, so I became obsessed with learning the craft.

Around the same time, I got into New Orleans style piano, which became my passion. I dedicated all my spare time [to] learning that style inside and out. I used to turn the treble channel down on my ghetto blaster and listen to the left hand only. After I figured it out, then I’d turn the knob all the way to the right so I could hear the right hand and then I’d try to put the two together. There was no sheet music when it came to New Orleans piano and I learned it the hard way. What was cool was that I had a ghetto blaster. (Haha.)

While I was In college, I was practicing 10 hours a day. I devoted myself to being the best that I could possibly be in music.

Your bio mentions that you played the piano in a lot of clubs in New York - are there any experiences that really stand out in your memories of that time? Is there any gig you regret taking, or not taking?

I used to go sit in at Danny’s Skylight lounge on restaurant row after my gig at the Hotel Edison and the guy who played there - Charles DeForest, was famous for writing a song for Tony Bennett called “When The Bell Tolls.”

Every time I went over there, Charles let me sit in and play a bunch of my songs. One night I’m there and he said, “I have a special guest coming to see me tonight and I want you to play a few songs of your for him.”

It was Tony Bennett. He came in and sat down at the bar around the piano and Charles introduced us and he was so kind and gracious. I got up to do my thing - I was 19 at the time, and believe it or not I wasn’t nervous but excited because I was recording these songs for Sony Music at the time.

After I finished my songs, I sat back down at the bar and Tony said to me “Those are beautiful songs. I’d be interested in recording some of them. Come to my house tomorrow and I’d like to run through a few of them with you.”

Turned out, he was drawing a sketch of me when I was performing and he handed it over to me with his number on it. Sadly, during one my moves in NYC, the napkin he drew on got lost and I only have the memory of that remains but it was an amazing moment for me as an artist.

You were in New Orleans when Hurricane Katrina struck. Tell us your Katrina story. I know you were among the last to evacuate…?

I moved to New Orleans August 25, 2005, which was four days before Katrina struck. I was scheduled to go into the recording studio the morning of the 29th, and decided to take my friend’s apartment lease for Sept 1.

Well, after watching the news and getting the warnings, I decided to leave but it wasn’t that easy. There were no planes, no trains, and my friend who knew someone at the bus station managed to get me on the last bus out of town that was headed for Houston. I was extremely fortunate that I was able to evacuate because for thousands of others who weren’t able to leave, we know what happened to them.

Still, it was sunny, and the day before the storm, and the city was in such panic mode that it was very difficult to leave. I’m not sure people realize that when they say, “Why didn’t you just leave?” to those who stayed or were left behind.

“I moved to New Orleans August 25, 2005, which was four days before Katrina struck. I was scheduled to go into the recording studio the morning of the 29th, and decided to take my friend’s apartment lease for Sept 1.”

You released a very special single last year, “Healing Time.” Tell us a bit about that song, and the process of writing it.

After evacuating to Houston, I sat in my friend’s house and watched what the whole world saw: the flooding of New Orleans.

I was determined to get back to the city and record my album as soon as possible and in Dec 2005, I flew down and the city was literally a war zone- no power, very few things open, destruction as far as the eye could see but we went to the studio and started recording.

I was touring the lower 9th ward and thought to myself as I was walking around how much Healing Time was it gonna take to fix these folks’ lives. It’s about the emotional drama of losing everything and then finding the power to heal. It would take lots of Healing Time.

And please talk to us about the work you’re doing with the proceeds from that song…?

My manager and I decided to partner up with the Preservation Resource Center, which has built 200 green homes and business in New Orleans since Hurricane Katrina, and we are donating 100% of the sales of the song Healing Time to help rebuild the city.

In addition, on my new album “Love, Work & Money” we are donating 10% of the net profits to help heal New Orleans in many different capacities including rebuilding, health care, etc. I want to give back to the city that has given so much to me as an artist in return.

You took the song on tour. Do you enjoy life on the road, or are you more into staying at home?

I consider myself a wandering nomad and I love life on the road. I’m single now (just haven’t me the right girl yet ), and so I can fully dedicate myself to my career.

Playing for different audiences every night and being able to share my music with the world is the dream I had as a kid and I live for touring. I’m looking forward to being on the road this year and going overseas eventually as well to play for as many different people as I can.

Just recently, you released your CD, Love, Work & Money. Are there any favorite tracks on the disc, or you not the type to pick favorites? Do you prefer working in a studio, or working on stage, or are there appealing aspects of both?

This was a very difficult and time consuming album to make, both in the songwriting process and the recording of the tracks as well. My intention was to make a timeless album with no “filler” songs.

As far as my favorites go, I love playing “I’m Always Here For You” and “The Waiting Game” live. I enjoy the recording process, but only the actual tracking of the band and lead vocals. After that, it becomes tedious during the editing process.

My co-producer, Steve Jabas, was the genius on that end. I told him he should have a website called Aural Surgery . He was amazing as were all the rest of the people involved in the project.

Personally, there is no place I’d rather be that on the stage playing live. It’s different every night and I just love it more than anything.

Let’s lighten things up a bit - you’ve been mentored by Dr. John - but who are your musical influences?

My parents are from Detroit and I I grew up with the sounds of Motown, Carole King’s “Tapestry,” James Taylor, The Band, Lionel Richie… I love all that music.

I started out listening to Van Halen and then quickly got into the Police and U2, who are still my favorites. I love Frank Sinatra, Ray Charles, Donny Hathaway, Bill Withers, Hall & Oates, Billy Preston, anything from Stax, any New Orleans music.

As a piano player, my biggest influences are James Booker and Dr. John for sure… I listen to all kinds of music and it’s hard for me to list all my influences because they are so many.

Confession time: give us an idea of what you listen to when you’re NOT making your own music. What’s on your iPod that fans might not expect?

“Personally, there is no place I’d rather be that on the stage playing live. It’s different every night and I just love it more than anything.”

Lady Gaga?? Nothing against her, she’s just not on my iPod.

I think it might shock fans that I was the leader / guitarist in a rock band for years and I love U2 , the Clash , The Police, early REM, The Smiths, Radiohead, Bruce Springsteen, Tom Petty, The Beatles, etc.

What’s next for Josh Charles?

I’m off to South By Southwest in a few weeks and then I’m playing Joe’s Pub here in NYC on March 30.

After that , I’m heading out on the road and going down to play at New Orleans Jazz and Heritage Festival. We’re in the process of setting up a tour after that and I can’t wait.

To sample some of Josh’s music, check out his MySpace page. You can also find him on Twitter as @JoshCharles.

Melissa A. Bartell likes strong coffee, red wine, and dark chocolate. She earns her living writing web-copy for an Internet marketing firm & dabbles in fiction on the side. She lives near Dallas, TX with her husband, three dogs, and more computers than anyone really needs. She is the Managing Editor here at All Things Girl. Find out more about her on our About Page, check out her blog at MissMeliss.com, or follow her on Twitter: @Melysse

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