The
country of Finland continues to amaze music fans worldwide with the
2016 CD release of Jump, Sister, Jump by Tina Bednoff
And The Cocktailers. A colorful figure on the 21st century music
scene, Tina is one of the hottest female blues-rock guitarists in
Finland and in fact, all of Scandinavia. A bandleader, songwriter
and lead singer, Tina sounds very influenced by blues giants like
T-Bone Walker, Big Mama Thornton and Memphis Minnie. Filled with rockin
R&B, slow blues, rhumba blues and couple haunting ballads, Jump,
Sister, Jump features Tina with first class backing by her band
matesincluding Ville Doc Tolvanen (piano),
Long John Rantapuro (bass), Honey Aaltonen (drums, vocals)
and Jani Ahtiainen (percussion). Speaking about the recording
process during the making of Jump, Sister, Jump, Tina tells
mwe3.com, "We spent a few months writing and finishing the
songs but the recording was done practically in a day. Everything
was recorded live and mostly in one take. We did not aim at a "perfect"
mistake-free thing but rather a good feel, like a nice small gig.
Some vocal tracks, a guitar solo here and there were done over but
that's all." Theres a few classic covers here, including
Aged And Mellow by Johnny Otisand a smokin' cover
of blues great Jesse Mae Robinsons Gonna Catch Me A Ratbut
most of the music on Jump, Sister, Jump is original. With a
timeless affinity for Americana music roots and a deep understanding
of modern day rhythm & blues, Tina Bednoff And The Cocktailers
get their rocks off on Jump, Sister, Jump. www.ElToroRecords.com
mwe3.com
presents an interview with
TINA BEDNOFF
mwe3:
Can you tell the readers where youre from originally and where
you live now? Being from Finland, what do you like best about Finland
and what are your favorite towns and cities to play and perform in
Finland? Have you traveled to the USA or played live in other countries?
Tina Bednoff: I was born in Helsinki and live in Helsinki today.
I lived in a smaller town when I was a child, then moved back here
25 years ago. I think the best things about Finland is that it's relatively
safe and peaceful here, and we have pretty good social security, which
the present government is working very hard to ruin and lots of empty
space too! Our climate did not make it to my list!
The gigs in Helsinki are of course my favorite ones, no need to sit
for hours in a car after you're done. The audiences are great everywhere,
small town or a big city. We have done some gigs in Estonia, trying
hard to get established in mid-Europe. I would love some gigs or a
small tour in the USA!
mwe3: What were some of your original inspirations that made
you want to be a performing artist and a musician? Did you start in
the blues world or rock and pop and who have been some of your favorite
recording artists over the years? How about 3 favorite blues or rock
or pop albums that you still play today?
Tina Bednoff: My mom and dad played a lot of old jazz, dixieland,
ragtime LP's so I grew up with jazz. In my teens I got struck by Little
Richard, Chuck Berry and other 50's rock & rollers, from my twenties
and on I got more and more into blues. Love the 1940's-50's black
vocal groups too! And 60's girl groups! Some of my favorite artists
are Memphis Minnie, Big Mama Thornton, Little Richard, Louis Jordan,
Roy Milton, Junior Parker, Hound Dog Taylor, Elmore James...of course
the blues giants too, BB King, Muddy, Wolf, Little Walter. The list
could really go on for a few pages.
Also my 3 favorite albums is a tough one, just so many of them. The
first 3 all-time faves that come to mind are John Lee Hooker's House
Of The Blues, Here's Little Richard and Amos Milburn's
Chicken Shack Boogie.
mwe3: People are often surprised that Finland has so many
fantastic musicians and composers. What is it about Finland that makes
it such a unique place for musicians and music lovers? I know you
mentioned Jim Pembroke, was a seminal figure in Finnish pop and rock.
Funny enough, Jims first big band was called Blues Section!
Theres the blues again!
Tina Bednoff:
I'm not sure if we have any more talent here than anywhere else. Maybe
it's just easier to be creative when you have lots of room to be by
yourself. That doesnt apply to Helsinki, of course. I do most
of my writing at our summerhouse by the lake, preferably alone.
The big thing in Finland seems to be our own kind of rap-music, sort
of. Don't really know much about the artists, not exactly my cup of
tea. Old school rock & roll and blues are not that big, although
we do have very vital scene here.
mwe3: How popular do you think is the blues in Finland and
even throughout Europe? It seems like the American blues legends get
more respect outside of the US.
Tina Bednoff: I think the blues is doing all right in the UK,
Germany and France. Maybe its not so big in Italy or Spain but
its growing. Actually, our album has been getting a lot airplay
in Italy and Spain!
mwe3: Speaking about great musicians, how and when did you
put your band together and whats the chemistry like between
the players, especially your co-writer Long John Rantapuro?
Tina Bednoff: Oh, thank you! Long John knew me somehow through
some common friend and called me and asked if I had anything going
on and if I wanted to try out something with him and our drummer Honey
Aaltonen. This was in 2012, I think. So we started with some "cocktail-jazz"
stuff and rhythm & blues. Soon the R&B took over, and here
we are. In 2013 a pianist Jorma Niemi got on board but somehow things
did not click with him. Then the good doctor Tolvanen joined us and
that was it! I'd say the chemistry is superb between us. Of course,
my name is first and I'm the front figure and all but really we are
a democracy. I just have the veto right.
Most often Long John has a rhythmic / melodic idea of a song, maybe
a rough idea of the lyrics too, he brings it to me and I start to
write the story. Our cooperation works wonderfully well.
mwe3: What is the inside story behind the Jump, Sister,
Jump album? How long did it take to write and record the album
and what was it like working in the studio with Tomi Leino? Were the
tracks recorded live or was there additional overdubbing in the final
mix?
Tina
Bednoff: We spent a few months writing and finishing the songs
but the recording was done practically in a day. Everything was recorded
live and mostly in one take. We did not aim at a "perfect"
mistake-free thing but rather a good feel, like a nice small gig.
Some vocal tracks, a guitar solo here and there were done over but
that's all.
Working with Tomi was so easy and relaxed it felt like just us band
members having a good time and recording it. Tomi really is a wonderful
person and he knows his stuff in the studio. And the studio, it is
unbelievable! Everything is analog stuff from the 1950's and 60's
and the room itself sounds beautiful.
mwe3: From your choice of music on Jump, Sister, Jump is
seems like you just touched the tip of the iceberg with just three
covers? Have you recorded other classic covers from the blues greats
of yesteryear? I particularly like your cover of Jesse Mae Robinsons
Gonna Catch Me A Rat. When did you start playing that
track and when did you first hear it?
Tina Bednoff: I kinda think it's a good practice to play the
songs you wrote or you wish you wrote. On our previous EP there is
a cover of Irma Thomas' "You Can Have My Husband" and on
an older promo EP is our version of Duke Ellington's "Solitude"
and that's it. I heard Gene Vincent's recording of "Gonna Catch
Me A Rat" in the mid-80's but I did not consider it a big deal.
It was only years later after I heard Milt Trenier's version when
I fell in love with the song. I think it's been in our set since the
day one. Definitely a song I wish I wrote.
mwe3: How did you become involved with El Toro Records? Theres
some great artists on that label. Is that the perfect label for your
music?
Tina Bednoff: We just thought we'd ask several European companies
if they were interested in us and El Toro was. Really too early to
say if it is the perfect label but so far everything has worked smooth
and nice with Mr. Diaz.
mwe3: Tell us about your guitars. What guitars did you record
Jump, Sister, Jump with? Are certain guitars better for your
sound than others? What do you look for in a guitar and what are your
favorite amps, guitar strings and guitar picks?
Tina
Bednoff: I used 1991 Japanese copy of a '62 Stratocaster in "Gonna
Catch Me A Rat" and "Who's Loving You", a 1961 Silvertone
1329 in "China Blues" and an old prewar parlor guitar, maybe
a Lyon & Healy or a Regal in "Dream Man Blues". The
rest of the tracks were recorded with a 1954 Gretsch Streamliner or
the Silvertone. The amp was a Kalamazoo Type 2 from mid-sixties.
I worked for years as a repair-luthier. I love vintage everything
so it comes quite naturally that I use old instruments and amps. There
just is something magical in the sound of old wood, DeArmond pickups
and all-tube amps. I prefer fat, soft v-necks, shorter than 25"
scale and narrow frets.
Currently on stage I use mostly a 1956 Harmony H65 and a 1961 Ampeg
M15. I string my guitars with .012 Thomastik flatwounds. I love their
mellow sound. I have always hated the squeaking of roundwounds, that
is the main reason I guess. In my playing, I use a lot a combination
of bare fingers and a flatpick. The brand does not matter as long
as they're thick and smooth. Most of them seem to be Dunlop Ultex.
mwe3:
Have you been thinking about the next musical project with Tina Bednoff
& the Cocktailers as far as future writing and recording goes?
What would be your dream album to make? How about touring plans for
the Fall of 2016?
Tina Bednoff: I think the next recording project will come
naturally when the time is right and there's enough new good material.
I am writing all the time, whenever the inspiration hits. Sometimes
they turn out fine, sometimes they remain only as raw material for
years, maybe forever. I would love to record an album with a full
horn section and some ballads with a vocal group, maybe the Velvet
Candles... they are on El Toro, too.
We
have a mini-tour in Estonia in the fall, and just regular one-nighters
in Finland. Hopefully some more things will come up. If someone would
want us to book a tour for us in the USA, I'm all ears.