Here is the second and final part (read Part 1) of my interview with Miss Velvet (of Miss Velvet and The Blue Wolf). Miss Velvet and The Blue Wolf just announced details of their upcoming 2018 US tour as opening act to legendary group George Clinton and Parliament Funkadelic. The 32-city coast-to-coast tour begins on December 29th, in New Orlean’s iconic venue Tipitinia and finishes March 28th, at the House of Blues, San Diego.
And do you have plans for another album in the future?
Of course!! We already have 7 new songs that we can build a new album around.
I have to ask this question: where did Miss Velvet get such a pulverizing voice? It’s like something out of a cosmic Folkvangr. It’s so buff it hurts. But really, it’s a gift, right? Or is it possible to actually develop such a voice?
There has been a lot of work we have done, daily and committed work for years, Constance has single handedly given me infallible technique. I mean no one would believe it, but when I first went to study with her when I was 17, I was really shy and had a very small voice and range. I loved to sing and loved music, but at that time was thinking I would go to music school and maybe study opera or Broadway. She had a big career in opera and was very well versed in the music industry, so I was super excited to go work with her, but WOW what this deep connection in my life has turned into for both of us, is one for Ripley's Believe it or Not. The first summer I met her, she unexpectedly planned to take me to a live show, thinking it would be opera or Broadway because of her background and my parents would take me often, however she very unexpectedly took me to hear U2, and I was like 'wait, what? We are going to U2?' Also super intense because I had lost my father a few years before and was at a point with that grief that I couldn't really express it. He loved U2 and she didn't know that beforehand, so on the way there I was telling her about my Dad and how he used to play U2 when he drove us to school. And to make it even more intense, at that concert Bono talked about his father and how much he missed him and started singing an opera aria from Aida. I had tears streaming down my face and looked at her and said 'Omg THIS is what I want to do' and she said 'opera?' and I said 'NO...THIS!' And I pointed out to U2 and the stadium! So there are a ton of amazing stories in between, but the short of it was one day when we were working on technical exercises, suddenly this sound came out. It was like a real supported rocker belt. I felt so excited; and she said 'there it is, that's YOUR voice, that's your sound' and from there it accelerated and accelerated with technique and arrangements she wrote for me of standards, so I could begin to discover the right material. I was able to express what was going on inside of me and it was exciting and confusing and I have to say threatening to people because it didn’t fit my upbringing or my looks or how people conceived me, but I knew it was who I was deep inside. Sp for both of us, the most important song on the album is SUMMERTIME. That was the first arrangement she wrote for me based on the famous Janis Joplin version. It was the first song that I could sing all the way thru with my new and real voice, but above all, it always, always connects me to my Dad directly. I sing it for him every single time.
Any plans to tour?
Well, we have super-amazing news. So amazing. So Constance chose United Sound in Detroit for us to record “Bad Get Some.” Primarily because Parliament Funkadelic, Red Hot Chili Peppers, Earth Wind and Fire and Rolling Stones all recorded there. Everyone in the band is a huge George Clinton and P-funk fan. So it was just incredible to be there with all their platinum and gold records up on the kitchen walls at United where we would cook and eat together between recording sessions in Studio A. When we finished recording in Detroit a year ago - Oct. 2016, we all went to B.B.King's NYC on Halloween for the 1st Annual Funkdown with the man himself and P-Funk. Then THIS YEAR, ON HALLOWEEN, Miss Velvet and The Blue Wolf OPENED for George Clinton and P-Funk for the 2nd annual Halloween Funkdown. Then got a 2nd date with them at the historic Howard Theater in DC, 2 days later and NOW, we are so stoked to announce that we are doing a 34 city tour with them starting Jan. 31st 2018!! But we really start with with 2 ‘run off’ shows with them in New Orleans Dec. 29th and 30th at the famous venue Tipitina’s. Then Jan. 31st we start the US ‘Mardi Gras’ Tour with the 1st show out of 33, in Chicago at the Thalia Theater.
And will you be getting out to California to perform?
YES!!! You can hear us with GC and P-Funk in San Fran. Mar. 16th, San Diego Mar. 28th, San Luis Obispo Mar. 29th. BOOM!!!!
Tour dates here.