>> Celebrate Dayton’s original voices all weekend long
Kizirnis recently answered some questions about “The Distance,” his first collection of vocal songs since the mid-2000s.
Q: What made this the right time for a vocal record?
A: After I put out the Nicky Kay Orchestra record, I thought that was it. I didn't know how I'd get the wherewithal to do another one. I don't know if lethargy was kicking in, but getting this whole thing started was like turning a ship. I decided I wanted to write some songs because I hadn't really done it in a while. I'd been writing instrumentals for years, which I really enjoyed, but I wanted to challenge myself.
Q: How did you approach it?
A: I decided to approach it as a songwriting craft. Nobody had to hear it, I just wanted to hold myself accountable. I did it secretly for a while and, then, eventually, I had a bunch of songs that were coming together but some were really rough and they were all stuck. I couldn't move on them anymore.
Q: How did you get unstuck?
A: I've always written for my voice and it's a limited instrument, so I started thinking about what would happen if somebody else sang them. When I stopped writing for my voice, the songs suddenly started flowing. I still didn't know where they were going to go, or if they would be sung by a male or female, I just knew I didn't have to write for me anymore. I figured I'd just see where it went.
Q: You’ve always worked in a band format. How did you like this method?
A: It was a really incredible collaborative experience that was totally different than anything I've ever done before. I played quite a bit of guitar on it but there are some parts where I don't play. Everybody was bringing such great ideas that it seemed like a real team effort. It was a really cool experience. I'm so glad I did it.
>> Ira Glass, The Moth coming to Dayton
WANT TO GO?
Who: Nick Kizirnis
Where: Yellow Cab Tavern, 700 E. Fourth St., Dayton
When: Saturday, Feb. 1
More info: 937-424-3870 or www.yellowcabtavern.com
Artist info: www.nickkizirnis.com
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