The prolific Chicago-based bass player and improvisor discusses her many projects—including Twin Talk, Wayfaring, and Edith Judith—and her role in inspiring the next generation of musicians.
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The Spotlight shines On bassist and vocalist Katie Ernst. In addition to many other things, Katie is one half of the duo Wayfaring with last week’s guest James Falzone.
Katie is also co-leader of the Chicago-based jazz trio Twin Talk and the indie rock band Edith Judith. She has garnered much acclaim for her Dorothy Parker poetry song cycle Little Words, which premiered at the Kennedy Center in Washington, DC.
Katie is a working musician, performing in many jazz and improvised music ensembles in the Chicago area. She is also a committed educator, working with young musicians as a teaching artist for the Jazz Institute of Chicago’s Jazz Masters Residency Program in Chicago Public Schools and serving on the faculty at Birch Creek Music Academy's summer program.
I was very fortunate to see Katie perform as part of Wayfaring earlier this year and even more fortunate to have this conversation. Enjoy.
(The musical excerpts heard in the interview are from Twin Talk's 2019 album Weaver and Wayfaring's recent Intermezzo)
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0:00 - Introduction
2:31 - The experience of being a busy musician
3:20 - Traveling with a double bass and adapting to different instruments
4:30 - The interplay between Katie and James in Wayfaring
6:02 - Katie's main projects and the lifespan of different bands
7:54 - The lineage and influences of Twin Talk
11:04 - The sonic palette and sensuous analog warmth of Katie's projects
12:51 - Katie's musical upbringing and early influences
17:55 - Discovering jazz through library CDs and the Eastman School of Music
22:07 - The resonance of the Chicago music scene and its values
25:04 - The origins and evolution of Wayfaring
27:46 - The importance of folk elements in Wayfaring's music
31:13 - The murder ballad as a form and its social purpose
35:55 - The interplay and structure in Wayfaring's music
38:56 - The role of education in Katie's life and career
44:30 - The next generation of players and the importance of representation
46:48 - Upcoming projects and collaborations
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Visit Katie Ernst at https://www.katieernst.com
Listen to music from Katie Ernst's projects:
Wayfaring → https://songwhip.com/wayfaring
Twin Talk → https://songwhip.com/twintalk
Edith Judith → https://songwhip.com/edithjudith
Follow Katie Ernst on Instagram → https://www.instagram.com/katieernstmusic
Facebook → https://www.facebook.com/katieernstmusic
and Bandcamp → https://katieernst.bandcamp.com/album/little-words
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