ArtScape article
(The issue is posted in PDF format at http://www.londonsource.com/uploads/assets/minisites/artscape/pdf/200803.pdf)
Tremor and Slip is Kaya Fraser’s debut
recording. Return to that sentence after
you’ve listened to the CD (and you must
listen to the CD) and read it again until it
sinks in. You should do this because you will
not believe that it is a debut. Her album of
melodic, literate songs is such a tight whole
that you would be forgiven for thinking
you’ve been missing out on the career of a
seasoned pro. Fraser says that she “wanted
the record to have the continuous feel of a
well-structured album.” Once you hear it,
you’ll agree that she succeeded.
Like many Londoners, Fraser is from
somewhere else. She was born in Toronto,
but grew up in Montreal. Ostensibly, she’s
here to pursue a PhD. in Canadian
Literature at UWO, but she admits that her
“music is becoming almost a full-time job at
this point.” London is fortunate to be the
launching pad of a strong new Canadian
singer/songwriter. Her album is a London
product, recorded at a local studio,
Willyboy Recordings. As well, Fraser
credits the London Music Club with playing
an important role in career. Fraser is
generous with her thanks to those in
London’s music community, including
Alexandra Krakus, Jonathan Davis, Jason
Hakin and Will Haas. They “were very
encouraging and inspiring.”
Music is a family tradition for Kaya
Fraser. Her parents are both singers and
she started playing guitar at 13. Throughout
school in Montreal, she studied music and
she received vocal training through her
participation in choirs. However, Fraser’s
first career choice was academics. While
pursuing her graduate studies, she put
music aside for a time. As she says, though,
“the things you love find a way of sneaking
back into your life” and over the past year
and a half, she began focusing on her
music again. The last year or so has been a
busy one for Fraser as she’s been writing
songs, recording her album and performing
throughout Canada.
When I asked Fraser about her
songwriting process, she admits that she still
considers herself a beginner and feels that
her process is still evolving. Again, I would
refer you to her CD. If this is a beginner’s
work, just wait until she really gets going.
Fraser starts with “a mood, a feeling, a
sentiment, and maybe a phrase or two.”
She then moves to the rhythm of those
phrases which is the foundation upon which
she builds the music. Craft is important to
her because even though she initially writes
the song quickly to capture it, she continues
to work at honing it. The good songs,
according to Fraser, are always unfinished
because it’s possible to discover something
new each time she plays them.
Her influences are varied which is
reflected on her album. Although the songs
work together and there’s a smooth
movement from song to song, you can hear
various genres coming together. Fraser
mentions Al Green, Otis Redding, Bonnie
Raitt, Aimee Mann, Paul Simon, and Wings
as sources of inspiration. Her literary
influences include Leonard Cohen and
Michael Ondaatje. Of course, her parents
(her father was a member of the 1970s folk
band Fraser and DeBolt) have had the most
influence on her musically. She has even
played the same stage, 40 years later, as
her father did at The Yellow Door in
Montreal.
A few reviewers compare Kaya Fraser
to other Canadian female
singer/songwriters such as Sarah Harmer,
Sarah McLachlan and Jann Arden. Fraser
enjoys that she’s considered to be in the
same category as “extremely talented,
dedicated artists who don’t sell b.s.,” but
she feels that it’s too convenient for some
people to class all female artists together
despite the fact that they do not all sound the
same. However, Fraser does say that she
cherishes the review (her first) in which
when Dave Clarke at Scene Magazine
compared her to Lucinda Williams and
Charlene Carter.
Fraser began performing her songs live
before she thought about recording. She
decided to record her CD when people
began asking her if she had one available.
However, live performances are an
important of Fraser’s music. She says that
“writing [songs] is only half of it.” For her,
songs come to life when they’re performed
for an audience. She gets energy from the
audience when she feels that they are
responding to her music. “It’s almost
addictive,” Fraser states. Her (potential)
addiction is a good thing for her audience
because it means that chances are we’ll
have plenty of opportunities to see Fraser
perform.
Buy Tremor and Slip and get out to
Fraser’s upcoming performance at
Fanshawe College’s Forwell Hall on March
26th at noon as part of a Songwriter’s
Circle. That way, when Kaya Fraser is a
famous singer/songwriter, you can say that
you saw her when.
For more information visit
www.kayafraser.com
