Without giving away secrets...what's a typical Jenn Hartmann cabaret show? Is it a biographical piece? song and dance? Off Broadway quality?

My degree is in theatre. I have been performing on stage, in some capacity, for as long as I can remember, and my songwriting was a  part of all that. I was very expressive and songwriting allowed me to explode, get angry, experience love and pain in a very safe, artistic way...
It wasn't until I  moved to NYC in 2002 that I was introduced to cabaret and realized that this was an art form where I could be theatrical and self expressing at the same  time...I love getting to sing a Broadway show tune, then telling some personal anecdote about my life, and then picking up a guitar and singing an original -  and finding that it all flows because it is a real picture of who I am...I don't think everyone could get away with it...but there is a very theatrical quality to everything I do...and cabaret has become a very safe place for me to be EVERYTHING that I am...I am still new to the medium, but so far, my cabaret shows have been a bit of everything!

How was  the CD release tour?

It was fantastic...going home is always good.  I played with a different band in every  town, so each show had it's own life to it - which made it even more fun!  I had a blast! I am really proud of the CD!

How did you meet Erv Raible?

Erv was an adviser/teacher in a vocal interpretation class I was taking. He really liked my voice and style and continued working with me.  At my first cabaret show, he was  there, he approached me about creating a show together...he would direct and get the ball rolling and I said....Sure!  It turns out that Erv had so much to offer me...he has been a true mentor.  He has such an unbelievable history in New York City cabaret, and I had no idea, really, what cabaret was...so he held my hand and helped me create a fabulous show!

What drew you to theater?

I have been involved in theatre for as long as I can remember...before I could do it in the  public school system I was putting on dance, singing, and theatre shows in my living room, alone in my room, or standing on the toilet in the bathroom - it  has always been something I was born to do...

Tell me more about your working with Christine Szabo and Marcus Wolf.

I met  Christiane Szabo in the BMI Professional Songwriter's workshop in 2002. We hit  it off, we came from the same background, both also being actors, and we did not write the traditional pop song...as much as we both want our careers to be huge, it seemed that we both weren't ready to give up the poetry of our songwriting, the free form style of our lyrics...and I think we just had a  mutual respect for each other... She ended up moving to Los Angeles about 3 months before I did and we are still very close today.  She opened for the Los Angeles leg of my CD Release tour!!!!!! As for Marcus Wolf, he is a very talented guitarist on the scene and I have worked with him on a few projects. He is brilliant and he is the man you need to go to when you have urgent guitar matters...he is also willing to try new things...which I love. He is very diverse!

What was one pointer Erv gave you that you can share re learning cabaret?

The thing we argued the MOST about was writing down my patter - which is the "talking" that goes on between the songs...I am very natural on stage and I am very comfortable speaking to people in the audience - I didn't feel I needed to write a "script" if you will...it seemed so pre-planned - and as it turned out...the script saved my life a few times...it helps to keep the show on it's path, and it makes sure you get all the good stories out there for the audience to hear! I still did my own thing a lot of the time, but my "patter" was always there to keep me on track....and  now I have learned that all of the great cabaret singers know EVERYTHING that will be coming out of their mouths...the goal is to make it seem like it is being said for the first time....just like acting in a play....it is about being prepared...and it is very good advice!  I try to do it even more with my regular rock shows now too! It doesn't always fly - but I am working at it!

Tell me about finding the Sweet Bleeders, who they are exactly, and how
they've helped to shape your voices and your musical direction.

Before I taught myself to play guitar, there were a slew of my friends in Arizona who played in  bands and such...we would go listen to them play. Listening to these guys play  live all the time was one of the huge reasons I finally taught myself to play. When the time came to record my first album, I turned to my friend, and AMAZING musician, Robin Vining...he happened to be in a band called The Sweet Bleeders at the time (one of the many bands he has played in) ...though Robin wa my co-producer and he and I were working for 6 or so months before we ever went into the studio, we decided it was best if his whole band came in and recorded the album with me....they were all amazing and they were willing to help out! When I was going back to Arizona to play in September- it made only perfect  sense for The Sweet Bleeders to be my back up band for that leg of the tour! It was a blast and it was great to be able to include them on this next step in my career!

What drew you to warmer climates and away from NYC?

I will always love NYC - I still think of it as my home, it feels so strange that it has almost been a year since I actually lived there, but life was pulling me West. Personal, professional, everything seemed to pull me back to the left coast...so off I went...I never looked at it as leaving NYC, I thought of it as another branch on the tree of my career...I like saying that I have an audience in LA and NYC...and that I feel comfortable in both markets...I am ready for even more! Maybe Austin is the next step, who knows...I am trying to be a little less controlling and more open to just going whereever the wind takes me...and for now - the wind has landed in me in L.A. It has been really great so far!

What has been the immediate reaction of audiences to your show, and your personalization of the music?

I am a live performer...if I can get people into a room, or there are already people waiting to hear music...then I will entertain them...there is no question. They may not love my music...they may not think I am the greatest thing they have ever seen (though I would love to  ay they do!!!) ...but there is no denying that I am a show-woman...I love making people feel things........I love watching the reactions to some of my songs...I love making people laugh, making people cry, I love making them angry...and I see that in the room when I play...my songs are very personal, I leave nothing to the imagination...you know my most inner thoughts  and that can be so damn emotional sometimes...but I am going to let you  in...because that is the best high I have ever had in my life...I love being in front of people...and I believe, when people are watching my show - they "get" that the minute I begin!

I guess people knew for years as you did that you have such natural flair
for the dramatic and pour your heart into your guitar and performance with a strong sense of humor. How did you know this was the path for you?

My mom says I was born singing...I could not keep my mouth shut...as I was a growing up I could not go a day without talking or SINGING in the middle of class (I remember getting in trouble in 4th grade for  singing Warrant's "Cherry Pie" out loud in the middle of class) ....I was  always looking for attention, I was an only child for the first 10 years of my life...and against all odds...I have followed my dream all the way. I am ready for the next chapter....whatever it may be!

*My favorite lyric in the album references a soul-mate. Did you actually
meet one? Is this more or less the concept behind this collection of songs?

You know - the song with the lyric about soul mates...I am pretty sure you are referring to the song “Until Then” and the lyric is:"I'll meet you when it's over and your Soul Mate knows it's over too" And the irony is that this is a song about a boy who says he is so in to me - but he has a girlfriend - HIS SOUL MATE - and he just can't leave her for me...but he wouldn't mind getting a little frisky - of course...so I tell him - you can have me when your relationship is over and your "SO CALLED" soul mate is aware that you are OVER! So - I don't really think the concept of a "SOUL MATE" was something that hung like an umbrella over this entire project...although -  isn't that what we are looking for???? I believe there are many soul mates for every person, some women, some men, some strangers...It is a matter of finding that person, at the right time, in the right space and falling in love...have I fallen in love with the person I believe is one of my  soul mates...YES SIR - I believe I have - he is wonderful!

*One general statement I must make is  that..having compared your previous CD
"i admit" to "silly urban girl"...there  is still the self-personification of
songs....except that you seem to have  turned outward... out of what felt
like reading/hearing a stolen diary in 'i  admit' to thoughts of new found,
joyful, meaningful love and new levels of  self confidence in 'silly urban
girl'. What is your take, comparing both albums?

Yes - I still see my songs as very personal - thinking like a diary entry is so true - I have a hard time removing myself from my songs, in fact, I use "writing about other people"  as songwriting exercises. I LOVE writing songs for people's weddings...I sit  down and interview them and I learn all I can about them and then I write an amazing song that IS NOT about me! But do I record those songs, play them at my  shows? NO! I am so connected to my performances...it is truly a goal of mine to learn to be a little less self-focused in my songwriting...but my life in NYC totally pulled me out of my head and into the world...I still feel  the same and I want to write about the same things...but when I wrote “Tortoise and the Hare”...it started as a ballad..if you can believe...it was a slow, tortured song about never getting  what you want..And then I realized that I am tired of writing that same old song over and over again...so I changed directions...and now  it is one of my favorites...I truly believe that New York City helped me to find the outer side of my emotions...now let's see what LA does to  them!  :-)

*I pick up on 3 distinct vocal tones in  you...one whispery-soft and
conversational, humorous, a 2nd your general all-purpose songwriter's tone, and then your over-the-top cabaret level. Your first song on "Silly Urban Girl", "You And All The Others" is a great blueprint for it and the perfect song to open the album with.

YEAH - I thought it was a good song to start with...it is not my favorite recording on the album...but the attitude is  EXACTLY where I wanted to jump off from! I believe you have nailed my vocal styles...I believe my training as an actress and an acting teacher truly help me to find different places in my voice...not only my voice, but my artistry...my  soul...I can reach into my bag and find all sorts of cool stuff...I don't need  to be just one!

*Curious about a few songs here... Where did the handclaps originate from on "Tortoise and the Hare" and "Falling For Strangers"?

Both of those songs are AMAZING to play live...when I play those songs in a bar...my audience always loves them...and I rarely play either of them with out some hand clapping going on in the background by audience folks...I don't think we really thought about it - it just fit...I love it in both of them...you kind of stop and wonder for one second - wait -  are these tracks live...and Falling for Strangers basically was!

*Was there a different setup with the sound on "Bliss" than the other songs?

Every song had its own life...but it does seem like “Bliss” comes from a different world...but I like that...it is also the one that features the organ...really a new sound when you are listening to my material...it is a fun tune to listen to - it always takes me to a new place that I wasn't expecting to hear even from myself!

*My favorite song by far is "Somebody Like You"...a well-thought
collaboration of drum and guitar in one chorus and bass and keys on another.
All your songs should build up like that. There's an interesting sound
just under the keys, what is it, guitar feedback?

There is a lot going on in this song - I really love this tune...the drums coming in is so perfect...that was all Lenny, my engineer/producer/god...we have cool effects on the electric and the bass - we have the keys stuff....that I played - so very proud - and it is the only track where we really laid it out on the electric...old school rock...I think I have a rock star hiding in me somewhere...I like that I get to scream a little bit in the bridge...glad you like it too!

*"Dwindle" I guess is your winter song? The chime of the guitar resembles
"December" by  Collective Soul..do you recognize that?

I know the song, kind of - it has been a while - never noticed the resemblance...I will have to listen to it again...

*"Tangled": was this song recorded lower than the others, in a lower tone?

Not sure...it was a tough one to nail in the studio...it is very aggressive acoustic and it was tricky, again, another one that just wails when it is played live...I love when the band comes in!

*On "Bliss", on the title track, and on "Until Then" the songs are a bit
shorter, and almost  leaves the listener wanting more. Was there more when
you originally created the songs?

Silly Urban Girl was a bit longer originally - really a much more POP sounding song, really up beat - kind of obvious rhythm...but it was NOT WORKING...and that cut - a live cut - was just a test and in the end, Lenny and I loved it....It was so far from where it began...and I think it is interesting that the title track is the most simple of them all...as for the others...NO INTENTION....they just kind of fit in that space on the album...maybe someday I will add something extra...MY B-SIDES...you know - when I am uber famous! :-)

*"Sober" seems to be taking your listeners to another place entirely, with a
dose of humor and conversational songwriting, then suddenly this awesome jazzy style takes over, and some great experimentation with your vox. Is that a mandolin at beginning and end?

It is totally mandolin...and really cool Lenny effects...he is big into effects...doing them live when he is playing...and I was totally down. This was the very first track we recorded...and it took us FOREVER....it was the two of us really getting to know each other...it is truly a Jenn and Lenny musical marriage song...and I love that he added some dimension to a song that I really think was clever and different to begin with...though I have to say...the jazzy bits...all Jenn Hartmann...he added the piano and all of a sudden...I thought it was perfect!

*Finally, what's ahead for Jenn in 2007?

I get to take over the world in 2007, don't I? I have always said that 2007 was going to be my year...and I think I am setting myself up for it to be! L.A. has been great - I am playing out A LOT - and I am starting to take a bit of advantage of the film industry here...getting a bit more into the placement thing...and maybe even looking more into POSSIBLY making some money as a songwriter...what a  concept! I don't plan on selling myself out quite yet...but my pocketbook sure wouldn't mind some songs on Grey's Anatomy or Desperate Housewives, HUH? I am happy, loving life, find some great new things to sing about, in love, and wearing flip-flops every day...I look forward to the future!