Pregnant Pause Only Piqued Fans' Interest

When the Wailin' Jennys are upset with their manager, they will have no one to blame but themselves. Band members Nicky Mehta and Ruth Moody have taken the folk group's matters into their own hands and are self-managing the band, which is back in a big way after a year-long hiatus.

"Ruth and I, we've always been the type of people that are very involved with the running of the band. We've always been at the helm anyway, so why not do it ourselves?" Mehta says with a laugh over coffee at a Corydon Avenue restaurant. "Nobody cares about what happens to our band more than us, and we're both workaholics -- no one would sacrifice their mental health for us the way we do."

Being their own boss is only one of several changes for the Jennys over the past few years.

The first was in 2007 when Annabelle Chvostek left the group to pursue a solo career, opening the door for New York's Heather Masse to become the third Jenny.

As the new lineup was settling into a groove and recorded the Live at The Mauch Chunk Opera House album, Mehta discovered she was pregnant, and in July 2009 the 38 year-old and her partner Grant Johnson, a local musician who acts as the group's soundman, had twin boys, Beck and Finn.

The pregnancy led to a break for most of 2009, giving Moody time to record a solo album, The Garden (being released Dec. 9 at the West End Cultural Centre), and work with Mehta behind the scenes, setting themselves up as their own administrators, essentially launching Wailin' Jennys Version 3.0.

"We were touring so hard before the hiatus and we were just really tired. I think sometimes you need to step away from something to realize what we have," Mehta says. "The other thing we both found interesting is people really wanted us not to do that for our career: 'You won't be able to work again. People will lose interest if you step away for too long,' and that hasn't been true."

"If anything, people are more excited that we're back again" Moody adds.

The sold-out shows across North America included participating in two different episodes of Garrison Keillor's long-running public radio show, A Prairie Home Companion, and appearing at Massey Hall in Toronto with artists such as Ron Sexsmith, Sylvia Tyson and the Barenaked Ladies as part of a tribute night to Bruce Cockburn.

Getting to that point didn't come overnight. The group formed in Winnipeg in 2002 with Cara Luft and has circumnavigated the globe, making fans from Dublin, Ireland, to Sydney, Australia. They have released two studio albums, the live album and have a new studio set, tentatively titled Bright Morning Stars, recorded and ready for release early next year.

Winnipeggers will get to hear about half of the new album when the Jennys play their first local show in three years (with the exception of the Winnipeg Folk Festival) at the Burton Cummings Theatre Sunday.

The album was recorded at a cottage in Haliburton, Ont. last November with producer/engineer Mark Howard, who has worked on releases by the likes of Tom Waits, Bob Dylan, Emmylou Harris and Lucinda Williams.

A new song that isn't on the album but that's become something of a live staple doesn't have an official name, but is known as The Pants Song.

The track was written by Johnson for Beck and Finn -- who travel with the group -- and was "Jennified," by the trio with three-part harmonies. They performed it for fun a few times and the tune took on a life of its own, with fans requesting the song at concerts.

"We sang it at one show and we started laughing during one of our a cappella songs, which sometimes happens, and we couldn't get it together, then someone yelled out, "Sing the pants song again," and everyone started yelling, 'Pants! Pants! Pants! Pants!' so we had to sing it again," Mehta says.

Wailin' Jennys Voices Fill Sauder Concert Hall

When The Wailin’ Jennys walked onto the stage of Sauder Concert Hall for the performing arts series concert Tuesday night When The Wailin’ Jennys walked onto the stage of Sauder Concert Hall for the performing arts series concert Tuesday night, and the air of hushed anticipation in the packed room finally lifted, it was only the first magical moment of a concert that took the audience deep into heart-woven harmonies and what one attendee called “really personal music” that demonstrated both the Jennys’ versatility and seamless vocal blending.

The Jennys -soprano Ruth Moody, mezzo Nicky Mehta, and the newest Jenny, alto Heather Masse - claim Winnipeg as their base, and have only recently been back on tour after a one and a half year break in which Mehta brought forth two twin boys, Masse got married, and Moody and Masse both produced albums of their own. Now, touting their latest album, “Live at the Mauch Chunk Opera House,” the Jennys continue to create music filled with “the sound of voices three, singing together in harmony.”

After the first two songs, “Bird Song” and “Beautiful Dawn,” which showcased Moody’s banjo picking and Nicky Mehta’s swinging harmonica, Mehta called for interpretive dance from the audience in the choral terrace, saying “We’ve always wanted more of a show.” But the Jennys put on a beautiful show of their own in the songs that followed, bringing in styles ranging from Celtic Airs to Gospel and Jazz.

“Arlington” opened with a pure blend of Mehta’s crystal-clear guitar and Moody’s ponderous lead soprano in a back to basics duet, and rose in intensity with the addition of accordion and a fiddle interlude that seemed to pull at the edges of the melody.

“Sweet Mona Louise,” was an original composition by Heather Masse, who said she sang her newborn niece “into the world.” Featuring Masse’s tonally diverse alto, the lullaby was punctuated by a mandolin solo that painted a musical portrait of the fragility and beauty of a baby’s movements.

During the intermission, Goshen students expressed how the music had moved them so far. “I almost cried,” said Henry Stewart, a freshman. “It shows you what you can give in the pursuit of beauty.”

“I listened to their songs all day before this,” said Renae Weaver, who was ushering for the event.

Patrick Ressler, a senior and self-proclaimed “big fan” of the Wailin’ Jennys only made it for the second half of the show. All the same, “I couldn’t stay away,” he said.

The second half of the show opened with a more upbeat version of the gospel song “Motherless Child,” an echo to last week’s PAS concert by the vocal ensemble Conspirare, which also performed the piece. Masse shone brightly in “Cherry Blossom,” an Andrews sisters Jazz number that demonstrated Masse’s vocal range and her rich background in the genre.

The Jenny’s performed their trademark piece “One Voice,” joined in the peace song by the audience with the words “this is the sound of all of us.” After a standing ovation, the three finished by with “The Parting Glass,” an Irish traditional air which they sang together on the front edge of the stage, stripping the sound down to the three voices which make up the core of their music, and filling every corner of the hall with “Goodnight, and joy be with you all."

The concert provided a reinvigorating experience in the midst of a busy week. “I feel like after that concert I just got a half hour back massage and twelve hours of good sleep,” said Kate Friesen, a freshman. No doubt the Wailin’ Jennys have left their music in the hearts of all who have received the gift of their sound.

Tulips and Traffic

The Wailin' Jennys Return to Magic Skagit for Two Sold-Out Concerts The Wailin' Jennys Return to Magic Skagit for Two Sold-Out Concerts. The first time the Wailin’ Jennys appeared at the Lincoln Theatre (Mount Vernon, WA) in 2008, it snowed. While you might not find that strange, the trio came to Mount Vernon in April and in the midst of the annual tulip festival which draws thousands of tourists from around the world. Two years later, the Jennys arrived again during the height of tulip season, though this time, traffic jams that practically paralyzed the small city of Mount Vernon provided an obstacle for the concert goers and the musicians (the matinee and evening concerts sold out). The musicians showed up late for the sound check, after enduring tulip traffic, as it has become to known by locals.

After what seemed like an endless delay, the theatre filled up to its capacity and the musicians strode out onto the stage opening with their classic, “Beautiful Dawn” (Ruth Moody on guitar/lead vocals, Nicky Mehta on drums/harmonica/vocals, Heather Masse on bass/vocals and Jeremy Penner on fiddle). Mehta’s “Arlington” another classic and Emmy Lou Harris’ rousing “Deeper Well” also appeared in the opening set of songs.

The Jennys provided hungry ears with a combination of older material, favorite covers and new songs yet-to-be-released. The musicians provided lush musical environments even with their barebones instrumental setup or when the women launched into their signature 3-part a cappella harmonies as with Gershwin’s “Summer Time” or with the Irish classic, “The Parting Glass” which ended the afternoon concert. Of course every time the vocalists launched into an unaccompanied piece, a baby or two in the audience would chip in its own vocal harmonies.

The newest member of the group, Masse who took the lead on “Summer Time,” Ledbetter’s “Bring Me L’il Water Silvy,” the traditional “Motherless Child” and her own compositions, carried the weight of the band. Many fans of NPR’s “The Prairie Home Companion” have been graced with Masse’s regular appearances. And her debut solo album, “Bird Song” (Red House Records) sold out copies in just months after its release.

Oozing charisma in a silky blue frock with black cowboy boots and sporting a tan which she acquired on a recent Prairie Home Companion Caribbean cruise, Masse grabbed the spotlight without trying. She set loose her vocals holding nothing back. Her vocal range that slides from low and smoky to jazzy soprano would be the envy of any vocalist, but hopefully her talents just inspire other vocalists. And the smile that radiated from her face for most of the performance certainly captivated audience members. Now, there’s a woman living her passion.

The other two singers, Mehta and Moody held their own, though Mehta must have felt exhausted playing the dual role of new mother and Jenny. The mezzo-soprano (also sings alto) performed my favorite Jennys songs, “Arlington” and “Begin” with vocals that have grown gutsier and more powerful over the years. Her humor about her nine month old twins (who were backstage with their nanny), certainly created an intimate environment between members of the audience and the performers. She presented at least two new songs and the one with the title “Away, but Not Gone” which she performed on a ukulele nearly knocked me out with its magical and beautiful melody. You could hear audience members holding their breath and soaking in the song’s otherworldliness. The song felt angelically-inspired. I’m not talking new age, but the real deal.

Moody appeared well-rested after the band’s sabbatical. She brought new songs and played the old chestnuts with renewed vigor, as if songs from the band’s first two albums were written yesterday. Wearing an orange tulip-like dress with ruby slippers, she easily switched from percussion to guitar, banjo, and accordion. She brimmed over with mirth often doling out jokes about her band mates. She commented on Penner striking a “GQ” pose which lead to hilarity or about Mehta’s multitasking efficiency which also invited a few chuckles from the audience. She also led a cappella songs in which she excels, but the gospel number about a storm (from the yet to be released album), sent shivers up my spine. In addition she dusted off and presented her signature tunes, “One Voice” and “Glory Bound” to an enthusiastic audience.

Meanwhile fiddler Penner dressed in black hung out in the shadows of the stage squeezing in a few virtuosic moments. His solo on “Deeper Well” ignited applause (which is d_

Wailin' Jennys Headed to the Calvin Theatre

Ruth Moody loves being one of The Wallin’ Jennys. Ruth Moody loves being one of The Wallin’ Jennys. But the soprano from Winnipeg, Manitoba is glad they spent most of the past year apart. “I think it was really important for all of us to go away for a little bit and do our own thing,” Moody said during a recent telephone interview.

During their year apart, Moody recorded a solo album released on Tuesday. Fellow band member Heather Masse also recorded a solo album, while band mate Nicky Mehta gave birth to twins.

Now, back on the road and touring together, Moody enjoys playing with the group even more ǃ

The Wailin' Jennys to Perform at the Lucas Theatre

After a yearlong hiatus, acoustic roots group the Wailin' Jennys After a yearlong hiatus, acoustic roots group the Wailin' Jennys is once again taking their show on the road.

They will return to the Lucas Theatre on Friday.

The female trio is known for their inspiring three-part harmony.

"We play folk music but it's colored by pop and Celtic, bluegrass and jazz," said soprano Ruth Moody. "It's really quite diverse but what threads it together is this three part harmony."

Those harmonies earned the Canadian based group a Juno Award - the Canadian version of the Grammy award - and several appearances on the public radio show Prairie Home Companion.

The Wailin' Jennys include Moody who also plays the guitar, banjo, accordion and bodhran, mezzo-soprano Nicky Mehta who plays the guitar, harmonica, ukulele and percussion, alto Heather Masse who plays the upright bass and instrumentalist Jeremy Penner who plays the fiddle and the mandolin.

In the year away from the group each "Jenny" - as they call themselves - had a project of their own.

Moody's new solo album, titled "The Garden," is due out Tuesday, Masse released a solo album "Bird Song" in November and Mehta concentrated on a non-musical project - she had twins.

The eight-months-old twins will be joining the group on this tour, which has the Jennys criss-crossing the country and performing 15 shows in 18 days.

Before the hiatus, the Jennys put out a live album, "Live at the Mauch Chunk Opera House." The album gave their fans a little taste of the Jennys while they weren't on the road, Moody said.

"It's a very true representation of what we do on stage," she said. "It's the four of us, no bells and whistles - just basically our acoustic show."

After the break, but before hitting the road, the Jennys returned to the studio working on their fifth, as yet untitled, album. It is expected out in early fall, Moody said.

The newest album will include 12 songs, four from each Jenny.

Moody said the album will be recognizable to their fans, but with a flavor of its own. It showcases some jazz influences from Masse who trained as a jazz singer at the New England Conservatory of Music and a few pop tunes from Mehta along with more pared-down acoustic songs.

"It takes things in a new direction in some ways, but in other ways it's true to what we've done in the past," Moody said. "It has tons of three-part harmony but at the same time it does go in some interesting new directions."

Harmonic Blend

The key song in the Wailin’ Jennys’ repertoire, “One Voice,” The key song in the Wailin’ Jennys’ repertoire, “One Voice,”was written by founding member Ruth Moody. When the three ladies are onstage, singing this a capella, you’ll learn everything you need to know about why they do what they do:

This is the sound of voices three
Singing together in harmony
Surrendering to the mystery
This is the sound of voices three

Moody and Nicky Mehta put the band together in 2002. The third founder, Cara Luft, has seen been replaced by Heather Masse, but three criticallyǃ

Smooth-harmonizing trio to be in Greensboro

This is the sound of voices three/Singing together in harmony/ This is the sound of voices three/Singing together in harmony/Surrendering to the mystery/This is the sound of voices three/ This is the sound of voices three.

This is the sound of one voice/One people, one voice/A song for every one of us/This is the sound of one voice/This is the sound of one voice.

So goes a trademark Wailin' Jennys song, "One Voice." When the Jennys sing, it can be hard to tell where one voice ends and another begins.

It's the Canadian folk trio's signature sound -- clear, warm and honeyed three-part harmonies laid over old and original tunes, ballads and traditional songs.

The Jennys frequently turn up as musical guests on American Public Media's A Prairie Home Companion. They'll be in Greensboro on Wednesday for a show at Guilford College.

For Nicky Mehta, the group's medium-pitched mezzo voice, singing with her band-mates -- Ruth Moody as soprano and Heather Masse as alto -- is as much a physical experience as it is an artistic one.

"You can feel it when it really blends," Mehta said in a recent interview. "It feels right physically. It just kind of settles in you somehow. When things are not blending well ǃ_ you feel like you're a bit on edge physically.

"It's hard to describe. The analogy I've used before is if you're on a really snowy road and you kind of get into the ruts in a street, that's what it feels like. Like you sort of just slide into the ruts and you're on rails in a way, and when you're veering off you can feel it, you can feel it physically that you're off the tracks. It's not just about your ears and it's not just about what's in your throat and your diaphragm."

In this age of Auto-Tune and digital manipulation, the Jennys' sound feels familiar and fresh at the same time.

"You can't manufacture that," Mehta said. "It's just the voices. Nobody can take credit for something like that, it's just the quality of the voices and it's getting lucky with having them match."

All three of the Jennys had -- and have -- solo careers, too. Mehta started singing with Moody and other original member, Cara Luft, while she was in the midst of taking a year off between college and graduate school to work on her singing and songwriting and promote her own solo album.

"(Moody) just wanted to sing with two other women and we were just lucky that the voices worked together," Mehta said. "I hadn't a lot of experience singing three-part harmony alone. I have done choir stuff and I had done two-part harmony, so that was a new experience for me. I think the signature sound comes from the voices just blending well."

Today, Mehta and Moody live in Canada, and Masse lives in New York. Masse is the group's third alto -- Luft and later Annabelle Chvostek left to pursue their own musical careers.

But through the years, the group has continued to garner accolades and success. In 2005, the Jennys won a Juno (Canada's equivalent of a Grammy) for Roots and Traditional Album of the Year.

The trio are so in synch that Mehta won't even single out one favorite song off the Jennys' new and yet-to-be-titled album, which will be released later this year. "I'll pick a favorite of all of ours, then, because I can't just pick out one person," she said diplomatically.

So that would be: "Cherry Blossom," a cheeky jazz-inspired song, by Masse; "You Are Here," by Moody, and "Away But Never Gone," a lullaby Mehta wrote when she was pregnant with her twin boys. She originally started the song a few years ago when a friend died, put it down and then picked it up again. "I realized that it was kind of about both things. It ended up being about that world where people go and people come from that we don't know a whole lot about."

The Jennys will likely play all three during their Guilford College performance next week.

They also favor covers old and new -- their last album, Live at the Mauch Chunk Opera House, includes Jane Siberry's "Calling All Angels," jazz standard "Summertime," and Emmylou Harris' "Deeper Well."

"On albums, the majority is original. In shows I would say it's a 60/40 split, originals being 60 percent and covers and traditionals being 40," Mehta said. "We love to re-interpret traditional music. Anything from something that's actually field music, that's sort of public domain stuff, to a standard like ǃ

Musical Storytellers

At the heart of The Wailin’ Jennys’ music is good storytelling. At the heart of The Wailin’ Jennys’ music is good storytelling. Through harmonious voices or banter with the audience, group members often share the stories behind their award-winning songs, said mezzosoprano Nicky Mehta.

“We love to talk to the audience and tell stories,” Mehta said. “That’s a huge part of our show.”

The Canadian folk trio won a Juno Award in 2004 ǃ