Folk icon Judy Collins returns to Jazz Alley
June 15, 2023 | MK Scott
Judy Collins, 84, has inspired audiences with sublime vocals, boldly vulnerable personal life triumphs, and a firm commitment to social activism. In the 1960s, she evoked both the idealism and steely determination of a generation united against social and environmental injustices. Five decades later, her luminescent presence shines brightly as new generations bask in the glow of her iconic 50-album body of work and heed inspiration from her spiritual discipline to thrive in the music industry for half a century.
The award-winning singer-songwriter is esteemed for her imaginative interpretations of traditional and contemporary folk standards and her own poetically poignant original compositions.
Her stunning rendition of Joni Mitchell's "Both Sides Now" from Judy's landmark 1967 album, Wildflowers, won Collins her first Grammy Award for Best Folk Performance.
Judy's dreamy and sweetly intimate version of "Send in the Clowns" that she recorded on her best-selling 1975 album, Judith — a ballad written by Stephen Sondheim for the Broadway musical, A Little Night Music — earned Collins a Grammy Award nomination for Best Pop Vocal Performance, Female and won Sondheim a Grammy Award for "Song of the Year" at the 1976 Grammy Awards.
She has garnered several top-ten hits as well as gold and platinum selling albums. Recently, contemporary and classic artists such as Rufus Wainwright, Shawn Colvin, Dolly Parton, Joan Baez, and Leonard Cohen honored her legacy with the album Born to the Breed: A Tribute to Judy Collins.
I personally remember Collins from my childhood as a guest on "The Muppet Show" and on variety shows in the late '70s and early '80s, so I couldn't wait to tell her how much of an icon she is to so many.
The cultural treasure's 55th album, Spellbound, released February 25th, 2022, finds Judy enjoying an artistic renaissance. The 13-song album is a special entry in her oeuvre. It marks the first time ever she wrote all the songs on one of her albums. It features 12 new recently written modern folk songs, and a bonus track of her evergreen, "The Blizzard." Spellbound is an introspective and impressionistic album. It unfolds as if Judy curated a museum exhibit of her life and welcomed us into a retrospective of her most formative moments, some big and public, and some intensely personal and intimate.
MK Scott: First of all, I hear that you actually were born in Seattle.
Judy Collins: I was. So, I am originally from there. I have a living aunt still in Seattle.
MK: You've been doing a lot of great work lately. In fact I interviewed one of your current collaborators a few years ago, Ari Hest.
Judy: Yes, indeed.
MK: I thought he did an incredible job on your album [Silver Skies Blue] that you released a couple of years ago.
Judy: Yes, we wrote that together and that was wonderful.
MK: Yeah, because I saw him, he came to Seattle and he played at The Triple Door. And just before that performance I had a chance to chat with him. So it was great.
Judy: Yeah. Yep.
MK: I've been a fan of yours ever since "Send in the Clowns".
Judy: Yes?
MK: From your 1975 album, Judith — and that was really when you became more popular and so forth — but at the same time you have always stuck close to your folk roots.
Judy: That's true, I have.
MK: What has been the most rewarding experience about this journey in the last 49 years?
Judy: Well, the most exciting thing is that today I can go onstage and sing songs that I wrote — that has lasted 60 years — and it's going strong and going forward. And I have no intention of ever stopping.
MK: I know that this is your third time at Jazz Alley, or were you there previously? Because I know you were there in 2018 and 2019 and then here you're back again.
Judy: I've been there a lot, yeah.
MK: Well, Jazz Alley was one of Eartha Kitt's favorite places to perform.
Judy: I love it.
MK: She used to perform there a lot and I had a chance to chat with her in her dressing room back in 2004. And just an incredible legend. And so, I'm happy that they're able to bring on certain legends, definitely the legends of my youth. And my career is being able to go there and see people like you perform at such an incredible venue.
Judy: A wonderful place.
MK Scott: So are you currently working on any upcoming albums?
Judy: Yes, it's called Winter Story. It is a collaboration with Jonas Fjeld and a group called Chatham County Line. And it's a number of new releases that are coming out. The first single is a version of Joni Mitchell's song, "River", and that's coming out here and other parts across the world.
MK: Thanks for chatting with me. It was an honor. We look forward to seeing you at Jazz Alley next week.
Dimitriou's Jazz Alley welcomes modern day Renaissance woman, gold and platinum selling American singer/songwriter Judy Collins for four nights (Thurs-Sun, 6/22-25) celebrating Pride and her greatest hits! Shows at 7:30pm. Doors Thurs at 6pm, Fri-Sun at 5:30pm.
Enjoy dinner and cocktails and fine music at Jazz Alley (2033 6th Ave.) (206) 441-9729; www.jazzalley.com.