Thank you for taking the time to have this interview with IMAAI.
Tell us about your music.
I come from a background of listening to Soul, R&B Rock (and and later jazz, ) so all of that comes through the music I write.. I tend to gravitate toward melodic but energetic, bass & drums driven grooves. I also write slower more lyrically thought provoking songs when I’m moved to do so. My lyrical content has covered bad relationships, being in love, in a satisfying relationship, social commentary thoughts or just plain party approach, having a good time. Sometimes I’ve tried writing in a more stream of consciousness approach. I do think writing angry songs are ok…as long is the beat is right! Much of my music come out from the inspiration of artists that I listen to, my own experience and just looking at the world around me.
When did you start performing?
If you count being at play as a child then maybe 8 years old, pretending, singing (to the records and radio). I played around briefly on harmonica, tried guitar. At age 15, I joined up, singing and playing flute, with a friend on guitar. We started jamming to a lot of Beatles, Dylan, Led Zeppelin. We played some coffee houses and a high school radio station broadcast, here and there. I joined my first band right out of high school by answering an ad in the Detroit News or I would put in an ad, if I recall. My mom would answer some of these calls. I would get the occasional crank call, asking me what I was wearing or something! In the first band (I can’t even recall the name for sure..) we did a lot of James Gang, Yes, Doobie Bros., music that was happening in ’73-74 and prior to that. We would play community centers, hall parties. I played in 2 more groups in the Detroit area before I moved to Colorado in 1975. (I had it my mind to move to a good area to grow musically, learn how to run a band, instead of moving to music center like LA or New York. I wanted more musical experience, mountains, more sun. I thought I would find less macho groups there. I actually did, with a few exceptions.) I kept hearing about Caribous Studio thinking there was a something of a music scene. After being drowned out by loud bands, singing and playing flute, a drummer friend convinced me that the sax would be a logical choice to play. When I lived in Aspen, as live-in maid, and I drove to Denver and rented a Tenor sax for $10/mo. I made horrible sounds trying to learn to play along with Charlie Parker, John Coltrane records (usually after parents would leave) to the bewilderment of the kids.
Later I moved to Evergreen, near Denver, and joined a band. I knew I needed guidance playing because the sax, even though the fingering was similar, the mouthpiece made it a challenge. I was playing at bar and started asking around for a good sax teacher and found George Keith, a bebop musician, in the area. I would go to him for the following 8 years or so.
George was like musical shrink to me, also telling me what I needed to do and what I didn’t. I’m an ear player and he made me realize that not sight-reading is ok. But he also taught me to sharpen my ear and learn theory, intervals, scales arpeggios backwards, forward and upside down. Learn your instrument, how to buy, repair them. “Do you really need to sightread in a band?” he would ask. “No, I guess not”. But he’s still put music of Charlie Parker in front of me.
I tend to write out my own parts because I never quite took to it beyond “See Jane run”. Go spot go” speed.
Eventually after several bands, I was getting more experience. I changed my name to Kat and formed my first band in a garage studio in Boulder. I’ve played with many groups between Detroit, Colorado, LA (Orange County) but I eventually reformed my band when I came back to Michigan, mostly doing cover music. I’d like to focus more on my performing my own music live (if the right tour opportunity presented itself) but in reality, that involves putting on my own shows. I’ve been performing with my band in Detroit area and with my husband, guitarist Larry Pinho as a duo, in Florida in winter.
What do you consider to be your hometown and how does that affect your music?
I grew up in Detroit at a time that was ground-breaking, nationally and locally in music. During my early teens I was not allowed to go see artists like Janis, Hendrix or whoever at Eastown or Grande, Detroit’s concert halls of the time. This was also when many of the local rock bands were getting signed. As vice president of my High school class, I had a choice of who would play the high school dance: let’s see…. Bob Seger, Ted Nugent and the Amboy Dukes, Mitch Ryder, Alice Copper, hmmm?.… It was a very exciting time to grow up. Detroit rock and Motown is definitely in my DNA.
What performers have been your inspiration?
I listen to so many artists, ones I grew up with, Steve Wonder, Tina Turner, too many to mention, really. I can only hope I capture their essence in my songs. Motown, girl groups, the Beatles were already in my head, early on. I would sing to the mirror. I was too young to do anything about it at the time, so I read and listened to the albums my brother brought home. With Traffic, John Mayall I thought in terms of flute and later the sax. I heard the Stones sax player Bobby Keys and anyone that put sax and flute in their music. I may know Ellen MacEllwaine’s album sax solos by heart, for instance. Candy by Cameo, Urgent by Foreigner. I listened to many of the great jazz sax players but in my musical mind, I was Junior Walker. So it all comes out, in some form, in the way I play, sing with phrasing. Gladys Knight, Chaka Khan, Aretha, Bonnie Raitt, Bonnie Bramblet, Merry Clayton were all my idols. I studied artists Herbie Mann, Ian Anderson, Hubert Laws for flute.
What do you base your success on?
I can’t stand negative reinforcement when it comes to learning, but I also would not let anyone tell me I can’t do something. I thought it wasn’t likely I would be an outstanding singer or I would get lost in the shuffle (everybody sings!) so I decided to play too. Some flat out told me not to play sax (early on) or sing (later on). So I did. So I would say determination and discipline are major factors. I have too much music in me to not get it out. I’m not my best PR person but I have kept my bands busy, kept myself visible. Getting my music out to the masses is the goal.
What was your latest musical release?
My latest EP “There Said It” is a blend of R&B, Funk, Rock with jazz influences. Some hear Prince or Tina Marie in my music or my voice. I was writing love songs about my husband, on my last several albums with some social commentary. Then I wanted to go a bit beyond, expressing outrage in my lyrics, with the situation we were experiencing these last 3-7 years, in our country, in the media. So “Some People” is about bullying (“It’s not ok”), “St. So and So” asks who’s going to be a hero? (“St. So and So, We need you now”.) That’s what’s great about songwriting. You can be as abstract or literal as you want, in your message. I want to reach those who can recognize the lyrical situation. I’m not famous enough to piss anybody off. The song “Player” is about the entitled rock star we tend to idolize. The woman in the song is putting him down another notch, checking his ego. (“I’ve got news for you…”. )
Do you have any news to share?
I hope to announce a tour playing my music. I hope to follow up “There I said It” EP with more songs soon. I’m working on local Detroit area shows with emphasis on my music. Until then, please listen on Spotify Pandora most online outlets.
How can fans find you?
www.katorlando.com
youtube: @katorlando
Lastly, please share some final words with the fans.
We are in a strange time for acquiring and discovering new music. Chances are the indie artist is not on mainstream radio, so the internet is all we have as an outlet. Some audiences (older ones) are missing out on new music because they are intimidated by the method, things like QR codes, streaming apps. People are cut off from music because the listening experience (having an album with artwork, credits etc) has been taken away. Vinyl is not financially feasible for me as a format for music release. CDs are outmoded, with players not in cars, for intance. If you know people who put music on the back burner, show them how to find what they like, how to subscribe, download, stream! Hope you enjoy my music.