NICOLE MILLER/Daily Bruin Jenni Alpert
breaks from convention when it comes to promoting her music.
By Suneal Kolluri
Daily Bruin Contributor
The music industry can often be a cruel world for up-and-coming
artists searching for a record label that will find them gigs and
maybe even make them as big as the Backstreet Boys.
Folk-pop artist and UCLA alumna Jenni Alpert, however, prefers
to diverge from the conventional method of promoting her music.
Avoiding the wrath of the record labels and record deals, she opts
for a road less traveled.
Alpert is her own record label.
“I’m a musician, but I also do the business
aspect,” Alpert said. “I love every moment of the
business and the music. It feels great to do both.”
Alpert, who graduated from UCLA in June 2000 as the only jazz
vocal music/ethnomusicology student in her class, has gone far by
doing things her own way.
Alpert performs tonight at the Whisky A Go-Go along with several
other featured artists.
At the age of three she discovered her love for music on the
piano and began taking lessons to learn how to play.
“I was attracted to pressing buttons and having sound come
out,” Alpert said.
Even as a toddler Alpert steadfastly refused do things
conventionally.
“It was really hard for me to pay attention and learn the
traditional way,” Alpert said. “I kind of would diverge
from the traditional way and sort of play by ear and make up
melodies.”
Later, Alpert continued her musical growth by participating in
musical theater. Here, she learned about the performance aspect of
the music.
“I was just swooped off my feet trying to develop the
triple threat syndrome ““ where you dance, sing, and
act,” Alpert said. “I really believed that I could
succeed in it. I really thought that I could go somewhere with
musical theater.”
When her father developed cancer, Alpert decided against leaving
Los Angeles to seriously pursue musical theater.
She stayed in the Los Angeles area and became the “guinea
pig” for the new jazz program at UCLA.
Under the wing of jazz guitarist Kenny Burrell, creator of
UCLA’s jazz program, Alpert took advantage of the variety of
programs offered by the music department.
“I think Kenny Burrell really influenced me a lot; he saw
something in me,” Alpert said. “He gave me confidence
that inspired me to run.”
While at UCLA, Alpert did all she could to perfect her music.
She produced her own record while taking classes, interned at
Geffen Records and even taught music to children in Compton.
“I had my own curriculum,” Alpert said. “I
didn’t know what I wanted to do, so I did everything. Other
days I knew exactly what I wanted and I still did
everything.”
This diverse and somewhat unusual musical background pays off,
as now Alpert focuses her time on writing and producing music.
Alpert takes a somewhat unconventional approach to songwriting.
She relates her craft to that of a painter who adds layers, colors
and shading to her picture and brings an eclectic mix together to
create a beautiful portrait.
“The canvas first would be just a song,” Alpert
said. “Then I would paint on it ““ here’s a little
bit of percussion, here’s a little bit of drums, here’s
a little bit of bass.”
“Then I’ll bring in the musicians have them fill in
the shaded gray areas and then all of the sudden they bring their
color to it,” she continued.
A folk artist, Alpert cited influences that are somewhat unusual
for a musician in her genre. She claims such influences as Led
Zeppelin, Tool, Crosby, Stills, Nash and Young, and Duke Ellington
among other groups.
“My vocal style emulates certain people that I’ve
heard before, and my songwriting style emulates other
people,” she said. “I prefer not to be generalized.
I’m influenced by so many people.”
Alpert believes, however, that her most prominent inspirations
come from those who are closest to her, in particular her friend
guitarist Chris Jones.
“He changes my life every time he picks up his
instrument,” Alpert said. “I look at him and I want to
be him. I want to play guitar like that. I want to pick up my
instrument and just express myself.”
Alpert now spends her time writing music, playing at local clubs
and touring, while at the same time working part-time jobs. To make
extra money, Alpert works as a clown for birthday parties, a
driver, a nanny, a teacher of Jewish music and much more.
“I do all these things to keep my head above water and to
pay for my life,” Alpert said. “It’s not about
money or really control ““ it’s about being able to do
what you love and having the freedom to do it. Music is more than
just the notes on the page, it’s also about your
soul.”
MUSIC: Jenni Alpert will perform with Marko,
Derek Frank, Chris Jones and Dawn Thomas at the Whisky A Go-Go at
8:45 p.m. tonight. Tickets are $6. For more information call (310)
652-4202.