One Night in Winnipeg

The Wailin' Jennys go from one-off folk concert to full-time job

A one-night stand featuring three women named Jenny The Wailin' Jennys go from one-off folk concert to full-time job

A one-night stand featuring three women named Jenny. Sure it sounds like something you might watch in the privacy of your own home on late night pay-per-view, but in this case, it is much purer. And with a better soundtrack.

When Winnipeg singer-songwriters Cara Luft, Nicky Mehta and Ruth Moody took an evening out of their individually successful music careers to play together in a guitar store, it was supposed to be a one-time deal. When that show sold out and another was immediately added, the three women began to think that this might have the makings of a good thing. Somebody thought of a tongue-in-cheek moniker, and The Wailin' Jennys was born. The three haven't had a chance to look back since.

With a sound that combined traditional and contemporary folk with Celtic, country and even pop, the three Jennys go beyond simply taking turns doing their own tunes. Each member contributes songs and favourite covers to the project, but the group is able to make it their own, complete with signature spine-tingling harmonies.

Their debut full-length 40 Days combined songs by each of the three songwriters, with tunes by Neil Young and John Hiatt. "I think we've been able to go beyond just the idea of backing each other up," says Luft, a former Calgary resident. "Whoever's song we are doing, we want to make it a Jennys song. Nobody in the band wants to feel like they're just standing there strumming the G chord for the entire song.

"We are still able to showcase each individual writing talent and singing style, and yet there's this common thread."

While strong harmonies form a backbone to the Jennys' sound, Luft describes this as a happy accident rather than something that was top of mind when the three first played.

"It was totally strange, because if you've ever heard any of our solo stuff or other projects we've been involved in, the styles were really different, so you'd assume our vocal stylings would be an odd combination," she says. "But for some reason, it works."

And audience reaction affirms it works undeniably well. An overwhelmingly positive response at a North American Folk Alliance Conference led to shows across the continent, as well as future European tours. They have even been called "the next big thing" by some music industry observers.

Such buzz was not something the trio had planned for. What began with a one-off show has become a full-time job. Yet Luft is quick to point out that it is still an enjoyable project, even though it takes more time than they ever imagined.

"It is still fun, but it has been a lot of work. And it's the kind of work that we weren't prepared for, in terms of the business end of things, because we were busy doing our other projects."

"Right now we jokingly say that the Jennys have taken over our lives. It is a priority for us right now, mostly because of the work we're getting out of it. And we just spent a bunch of money and time doing a brand new album, and that's our commitment - that's our baby."

So with their evolving success and "new baby", The Wailin' Jennys indeed prove a one-night fling can lead to a long and beautiful friendship.

It was lovely at first sight for the Jennys

Distinct voices meshed into folk-roots stew. Many groups spend years together before they realize their potential. The Wailin' Jennys hit their stride a little earlier - like, at their very first gig Distinct voices meshed into folk-roots stew

Many groups spend years together before they realize their potential. The Wailin' Jennys hit their stride a little earlier - like, at their very first gig.

The Winnipeg roots trio blew away the tiny crowd at their first show - Sled Dog Music in January 2002 - and haven't stopped since, hitting folk venues across the continent and festivals such as the prestigious SXSW in Austin, Texas.

"It's weird. It took everybody by surprise and we've been so busy we haven't had a chance to reflect on it," says Mehta, the guitar and harmonica-playing mezzo who was shocked to hear how well she meshed with multi-instrumentalist/soprano Ruth Moody and guitarist/alto Cara Luft on that cold night a little over two years ago.

This week, the trio finally has a record to complement its live show: 40 Days, a debut album for Vancouver's Jericho Beach, the in-house label run by folk-music powerhouse Festival Distribution.

The disc, already in stores in Winnipeg, captures the interplay between the Jennys' three distinct musical voices.

Mehta is a former rock singer who writes straight-ahead singer-songwriter fare with serious lyrics. Luft, the most outgoing member of the trio, pens acoustic-folk pop songs and harbours a not-so-secret desire to rock out in a Darkness-like metal band one day.

And Moody, the former lead singer for Celtic band Scruj MacDuhk, has a rootsier style and writes music with a slightly neo-hippie flavour.

"People tell us it was such a smart thing for us to get together, in terms of getting gigs, but that wasn't the motivation. We just clicked," says Moody, 28.

True enough, the three vocalists are a perfect fit. Where they don't agree is the definition of the Jennys' sound.

Folk music dominates, but doesn't define the group, whose debut album sports two traditionals, a pair of more recent folk covers - Neil Young's Old Man and John Hiatt's Take it Down - and nine originals split between the trio of songwriters and their varying influences.

"People come to our concerts and tell us they like us even though they thought they wouldn't because we're 'folk,' " says Luft.

"Folk can be a dirty word. We hope we're not considered the (trio) that didn't make it into A Mighty Wind.

The story behind the Jennys'origin is actually quite mundane: They were each solo artists who happened to play together.

"That's not exciting? Then say we all once dated the same guy," jokes Moody.

The reality is, there are few groups who can claim such a purely musical motivation. Look for an actual Winnipeg date by the trio in May.

Born to wail

Wailin' on a whirlwind, these three women are at the beginning of a promising career Wailin' on a whirlwind, these three women are at the beginning of a promising career.

After just releasing their first full-length album 40 Days, the Wailin' Jennys are hittng the road on a series of release parties including Medicine Hat on Tuesday, April 16 at the Grandstand Banquet Room.What was supposed to be a one-time performance of three solo folk artists, Nicky Mehta, Cara Luft, and Ruth Moody, blossomed into a folk trio sensation with instant musical chemistry. Their first show at a guitar shop in Winnipeg, where the group calls home, quickly sold out - twice. They knew instantly there was potential for a future collaboration. Little did they know it would happen so quickly.

"It was really surprising the way our voices fit together," says Mehta.

The trio went directly into the recording studio to put together a demo to accompany them to the North American Folk Alliance conference. Their showcases saw huge crowds, much of which they attribute to their clever name.

"We took the most awful picture of ourselves and put it on the poster. A lot of people told us that they came to see us because the poster was so hilarious and they liked our name," says Mehta.

From their debut at the Folk Alliance, the Wailin' Jennys filled their schedule with festival dates and other performances.

Soon after, they released a self-titled EP of six tracks and it was only a matter of time before they hit the studio once again to record 40 Days, which is just now fresh on store shelves.

Mehta says while the Jennys haven't had any time to write some new material as a group, there are nine original tracks on 40 Days they arranged together. With all three members being songwriters, there was no shortage of material.

The album also includes some traditional folk songs as well as cover tunes by artists including Neil Young and John Hiatt.

"There is potential for us to co-write, but there has been no time because we're on the road so much," Mehta explains.

As for the recording process, Mehta says they are glad to finally have the finished product in their hands.

"It was a lengthy process. It was really exciting for us and we learned a lot."

She says for the Wailin' Jennys show that have added a lot of instruments. And while they are still evolving performers as a group, it will all be new for Medicine Hat because they have never performed in the Gas City before.

"We like to have fun," says Mehta.

"There's lots of humour in between songs and we love to interact with the audience. We even do a couple of sing-alongs. But don't worry, we don't force you to sing."

Wailin' their way North

Folk trio enjoying 'crazy whirlwind' of a year, hit Yellowknife for Gumboots show Folk trio enjoying 'crazy whirlwind' of a year, hit Yellowknife for Gumboots show

No cats were harmed in the course of this interview, though one did get its head stuck between the slats of a set of blinds.

Nicky Mehta, who sings mezzo-soprano for folk trio The Wailin' Jennys, was laughing as she explained the crisis to a reporter. Thankfully the cat managed to extricate itself without her aid.

"Now, where were we?" said Mehta.

It was a perfecly legitimate question. Mehta described the past two years as a "crazy whirlwind." The group has just celebrated its second birthday. The trio formed in 2002 and has since toured all over Canada. They've produced a six-song self-titled CD and have a second album due out in March.

The Jennys, who perform at NACC tonight and tomorrow on a double bill with the Gumboots, thrive on three-part harmony. Complimenting Mehta's mezzo-soprano, Ruth Moody sings soprano and Cara Luft sings alto.

All three are also songwriters an bring their diverse influences to the group's songs.

"Cara's stuff is a blend of folk influences and her desire to be a rock star," said Mehta.

"Ruth's stuff has a more traditional feel, more down home and acoustic. And my stuff is sort of ambient contemporary folk. But they all end up sounding like Jennys songs," she said.

Together they produce a sound Mehta described as roots with influences from Celtic music, country and alt country.

On the phone from her home in Winnipeg, Mehta said all three Jennys were excited about coming to Yellowknife.

"We were in Whitehorse last summer," she said.

"So we're looking forward to the chance to experience both extreme seasons."

Mehta decided to take a year off school before pursuing her Masters degree. That was eight years ago. She fell into folk music when she attended the North American Folk Alliance festival as a back-up singr.

"What a scene," she said.

She found the folk music community very supportive.

"They make it possible to actually make a living," she said.

Mehta's first solo album, Weather Vane, was nominated for a Canadian Music Award.

Gumboot Ray Bethke told Yellowknifer he was pleased to bring the Wailin' Jennys up north now because a year or so down the road, they might be impossible to book.

"It's so funny to hear stuff like that," said Mehta. "It's hard to imagine that. I'm sure we'll always play smaller places. We'll b back."

Local Trio Building on Strong Start

In the middle of January 2002, a trio of Winnipeg singer/songwriters got together for a one-time show at Sled Dog Music in Wolseley. The immediate interest in that show spawned a second night, and the interest in both nights would go on to spawn a very promising career that’s taken off over the past 22 months In the middle of January 2002, a trio of Winnipeg singer/songwriters got together for a one-time show at Sled Dog Music in Wolseley. The immediate interest in that show spawned a second night, and the interest in both nights would go on to spawn a very promising career that’s taken off over the past 22 months.

The three musicians who make up The Wailin’ Jennys had each previously worked hard to carve out their individual careers, each with different focuses, but all with promising success.

Nicky Mehta has been singing and playing around Winnipeg since 1995. In 2001, she released a critically acclaimed solo CD called Weather Vane. It’s a collection of serious and thought provoking songs that are introspective and poetic and beautiful. Cara “Lovely” Luft was raised by professional folk singing parents, and has a great love and appreciation for traditional folk. She also harbours, what she calls “her inner rock child” which has helped make her a well-respected guitarist who once played England’s prestigious International Guitar Festival. And Ruth Moody spent four years touring the world as the lead singer for internationally renowned celtic band, Scruj MacDuhk. When that band broke up, she went on to release a solo CD called Blue Muse.

With such promising individual careers, there was no plan to form a band and start something else, the pieces just sort of fell into place, says Nicky Mehta, “I remember at the time, the person who helped us put our first show together, the owner of Sled Dog Music, John Sharples, I remember him saying, ǃ

Three of a Kind

Three singer/songwriters were comfortably pursuing careers, recording albums, playing concerts and festivals, until Ruth Moody, then a member of the soon-to-be-defunct folk/bluegrass band Scruj MacDuhk considered the possibility of hooking up and singing with other female artists Trio stacks the deck with talent

Three singer/songwriters were comfortably pursuing careers, recording albums, playing concerts and festivals, until Ruth Moody, then a member of the soon-to-be-defunct folk/bluegrass band Scruj MacDuhk considered the possibility of hooking up and singing with other female artists. That was two summers ago, when she approached Winnipeg musicians Cara Luft and Nicky Mehta at the Winnipeg Folk Festival-and the Flying Jennys were born.

"A mutual friend of ours who owns a little guitar shop in Winnipeg got wind of the whole thing and thought that it would be a fabulous idea," says Mehta. The proprietor of that establishment (Sled Dog Music) offered to stage a show for them in January, and even give them a name (a play on the late Waylon Jennings' moniker).

The original intent was just a one-off performance, but the response was so persuasive that the three shelved their solo aspirations for the benefit of the collective.

"In the beginning we had our eye on our solo stuff," Mehta explains. "There is still the intention of doing that, but we've decided that our primary focus at this particular point is the trio. We're still able to do original material and there's just way more work for the trio."

"There's so much interest in the act that it would be kind of stupid not to follow it."

When the natural soprano (Moody), mezzo (Mehta, and alto (Luft) are combined, the results are dazzling, an effect well demonstrated on the six song CD they put together last year. The record is a nice introduction into their world of folk and country, with a touch of acoustic pop, and their version of Leadbelly's "Bring Me L'il Water Silvy" is simply breathtaking. Now their next problem is getting together enough material to record a full-length effort, probably sometime this spring.

"We haven't had a chance (to write together) because we've been on the road so much, and if we're not on the road, we're planning tours or we're dealing with business. We actually are going to make it a priority in the next few months. Some will be done independently of each other, but we're probably going to take a stab at writing together at some point."

However, despite the hectic pace at which the group has evolved, they've managed to get their act onto such a solid platform pretty quickly because, as Mehta puts it, they just know what the gig involves.

"It's kind of like the way our voices are: we're very different singers and we're very different people but for some reason it just works when we come together. It's a nice blend of personalities and a nice blend musically. There's not a whole bunch of ego happening in this band. We're all pretty respectful of each other, and by virtue of having done this for a while and our age and just making sure we listen to each other, we do pretty well."

The Wailin' Jennys

None of them is actually named Jennys and they don't play Waylon Jennings covers, either. Instead, The Wailin' Jennys are the trio of Winnipeg musicians Cara Luft, Nicky Mehta, and Ruth Moody-all of whom are singer-songwriters in their own right, and each with burgeoning independent solo careers None of them is actually named Jennys and they don't play Waylon Jennings covers, either. Instead, The Wailin' Jennys are the trio of Winnipeg musicians Cara Luft, Nicky Mehta, and Ruth Moody-all of whom are singer-songwriters in their own right, and each with burgeoning independent solo careers. What started out as a mere folk lark exercise about a year ago has turned into a much bigger concern than any of the individual members' solitary enterprises.

Within days of performing what was supposed to be a one-off show at a hometown music shop, Luft, Mehta and Moody started fielding gig offers with guarantees well in excess of their usual take. In fact, before the trio had even so much as recorded a demo tape, the Jennys had already been booked to play a half dozen Canadian folk festivals last summer, including those in Ottawa, Guelph, Winnipeg, and Victoria.

To be fair, the unit's overnight discovery had more than a little to do with the solid reputations the three artists had already cultivated on their own (in Moody's case, with her former Juno-nominated band Scruj MacDuhk). As well, part of the Jennys' appeal to folk festivals was the outfit's ability to package itself as four acts in one-a boon to programmers dealing with multiple stages and workshops. Ultimately, though, it's The Wailin' Jennys remarkable three-part harmonies (conveniently, the trio consists of a super-effective alto/mezzo/soprano split) that continue to win over promoters, artistic directors and audience members alike.

The Wailin' Jennys are currently touring in support of a self-titled debut EP. Fans coming out to their Lydia's show can expect to hear original material from the disc, as well as some playful covers by the likes of Emmylou Harris, Led Zeppelin, and Kim Mitchell-but not late, great country gentleman Waylon Jennings. Incidentally, the band took its name prior to Jennings' death earlier this year.

Wailin' Jennys prove there's strength in numbers

What was billed less than a year ago as a one-time-only concert featuring three of Winnipeg's best known female singer/songwriters has become one of the hottest new acts on the Western Canadian roots music scene How new act blends great chemistry with a sense of humour

What was billed less than a year ago as a one-time-only concert featuring three of Winnipeg's best known female singer/songwriters has become one of the hottest new acts on the Western Canadian roots music scene.

Working under the banner The Wailin' Jennys, Ruth Moody, Nicky Mehta, and Cara Luft made the right decision when they realized there was indeed strength in numbers following an overwhelming reception at two sold-out shows in their hometown kast January. Moody had just finished watching her band Scruj MacDuhk implode after a four-year run when she approached Luft and Mehta about pulling a concert together that would feature both traditional folk material and originals from each performer.

"Those two shows went so well that we decided to team up for a few impromptu shows at the Folk Alliance Conference in Jacksonville, Fla., a few weeks later," says Luft.

A mandolin and guitar player who has recorded three solo albums, including last year's Tempting The Storm, which was nominated for a Prairie Music Award, Luft quickly saw the writing on the wall after the four-day blitz of solo and group performances at the major roots music showcase.

"We were getting a lot of support from people like Rick Fenton, the artistic director of the Winnipeg Folk Festival."

Luft said the chemistry between the three was particularly strong on the vocal front.

"Our voices work well in terms of ranges. We all sound different but the combination makes for one unified voice, plus we had fun with it right from the start."

The Jennys played a number of major folk festivals this past summer, and lately have opened some dates for Zubot and Dawson and played a few A-circuit roots rooms like Vancouver's Railway Club.

One component of the Wailin' Jennys' game plan is to begin writing as a team, or in pairs, once they've pulled off the road. But there's no pressure to rush into an album.

Joining The Wailin' Jennys this evening on the double bill at the Westwwod Unitarian Church Hall will be harpist and singer Keri Lynn Zwicker.