Michael Becker News Editor michacl@nusnews.com A certain heat is to be found on Patricia Barber’s latest disc, Modern Cool. Her confident, gorgeous voice, stirs smouldering embers from the charred) con- structs of those who came before. Barber has had a cult: tol- lowing in C hicages since 1984, The windy city’s love affair has gone global with the release of her fourth disc, Modern Coal. It’s earning claborate affirm: tons, called eversthing froin “one or the best jazz records of the century” (Anda Magazine, Germany) to “the jazz record of the vear™ ( Four Magazine, Montreal). On this dise she balances between intimacy and aloof- ness. It’s an effective conceit courtesy of incisive lyrical irony and intellectual rigour framed by a romantic moodi- ness at the piano. Barber specified an e-mail interview. Herc is some of the result: Why an e-mail interview? Barber: “I’m short on time. Pm on the road and I need to save my voice. I appreciate this greatly. Thank you. Top Ten “baie WEEK'S PICKS: Good music is about ten- sion and release. Does this dynamic come into play for you consciously as you choose your approach to songs? Barber: “Definitely. ICs one of the things fam very aware of when } arrange the music. Arranging isa big part of what Ido and I'm very conscious of tension aad release. One thing Pve noticed with many female artists, when it comes to marketing, the thrust is all about gener- ating a cult of personality. Tr’s all in the packaging. Just check out Diana Krall’s lat- est. What do you make of the seeming victory of pack- aging versus performance so prevalent in this era of full- frontal multi-media impact? Barber: “Beauty is a power- ful and wonderful force in the world. One can’t blame mar- keting people for crying to capitalize on it. All oF my Videos ACTOR/ACTRESS vendo williams Bill Paxton, Bly Bob Thorton, Bridget Fonda sessssesesooecEtifah Wood, Usher Raymond David Kelly, Fionnula Flanagan py nt Carr Peni, Kevin Spacey, Garry Shandting r Purgatory .... Eric Roberts, Sam Shepard, Eddie Murphy, Kelly Preston ...Rose McGowan, Rebecca Gayheart career, Pwanted to be a musi clin, nota ‘girl singer’ because Pwanted to be my own musical director, Pm stubborn that wav and it has paid offin the end. With or without marketing the ‘girl sirger” thing, people want sub- stance and interesting music. There ts enough room for everybody who has something interesting musically to sav~ 1 interviewed Kurt Elling a few weeks ago. You're both from Chicago and you share a sense of musical adventure and bring intelli- gence to what you do, Is this a coincidence or is there something about the Chicago scene you share that feeds these inclinations? Barber: “Chicayo is eco- nomically viable — an artist of any type can afford to develop his/her art without using cheap hooks to get by. “That is the greatest gift Chicago has to offer any artist. There are lots of clubs, the- atres, and the city has all the cultural advantages but not ver the economic suffocation of the coasts.” What's next in terms of recording projects for you? Barber: “A live short CD... alive companion to Modern Cool, And then an elegant, Pano tio with vocals doing, standards... ves! Believe it or not, Pve waited 20 vears to give my mother and may fate night tans a recording of stan- dards and now FT believe my identity is solid enough not to be cornered into only doing standards, se Pim going to do it. “After that, a continuation of the compositions, a natural follow-up to Madera Cool for which I'm composing now.” Pve read that you’ve referred to your music as “jazz, for the next century.” Can you expand on that? Barber: “I believe Pm on to something with my com- posing and music in general. Pve been studving and playing jazz tor years, Now as a cam: poser, I take it as my task to combine all chat [’ve absorbed, studied, in conjunction with all that 1 can imagine into a jazz music that speaks to now.” Today is a G’Day for drive. a test STRAIGHT FROM 2 TROMAVILLE. S ALL YOUR FAVORITE TITLES. FROM THE TOXIC AVENGER TO TROMEO & JULIET, WE HAVE TOO MANY.TO LIST! 6TH. 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Modern Cool, her latest release, is a provocative effort. 2.5L, 165hp engine, all-wheel drive, 4 channe! 4 sensor ABS, air conditioning, heated seats, power windows/locks, power heated minors, keyless entry, block heater, sport rack & fog lamps, 15° alloy wheels, cruise control, and much more, *31 198 & inclueing PD! & freight 1999 Outback Sport 2.9L 142 hp engine, all-wheel drive, 4 chan- nel 4 sensor ABS, air conditioning, power windowsfocks, Dower mirrors, 80 watt arvim cassette, split folding rear seat, alloy wheels, roof rack, mud flaps and much more. from °25,890 =~ & freight $98,895 93 WOUT. , $23,995 93 HONDA ACCORD SE $15,995 $20,995 90 NISSAN AXXES SE 4WD $9,995 §