Photo courtesy of Marcya Danielle
Marcya Danielle
Marcya Danielle
"Strange Fruit” could easily have been written today. The injustices and unrest that have become a part of our daily lives in this country are frightening, vocalist Marcya Daneille says.
“This is supposed to be a ‘civilized’ society, right? I never thought that I might perform “Strange Fruit” at a time when current events would still reflect the sentiments and images so poignantly conveyed in the lyrics of that song,” Daneille says.
Billie Holiday’s signature take on the song, written by Abel Meeropol about a photograph of two Black teens lynched in Indiana, became her closing number when she performed at Café Society in Greenwich Village.
The song was selected for preservation in the National Recording Registry by the Library of Congress as being “culturally, historically or aesthetically significant,”
Café Society Redux
Daneille’s performance “Cafe Society: A Tribute to Billie Holiday” will take place on Feb. 20 at Story Hill Firehouse. The intimate evening will bring the iconic “Lady Day” sound and spirit to life with songs “God Bless the Child,” “Lady Sings the Blues” and more. She will be accompanied by a premier ensemble—Sam Belton (drums), Clay Schaub (bass), Jamil Shaw (saxophone), and Jerry Weitzer (piano).
“Billie Holiday sang her life every time she performed or recorded,” says Daneille. “Cafe Society was the first integrated jazz club in New York City. I wanted to create a space infused with the energy I imagine the original club to have had—intimate, raw, and full of emotion.”
Holiday's unique phrasing and “genius of survival” is heard in Daneille’s approach to interpreting this music, “to find an internal space where I allow myself to be informed by the emotions I feel when I hear Billie's voice. I aim to offer an experience that is authentic to my musicality and life experiences rather than an imitative one.” Preparation for this type of show is one that must be selfless, she says.
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Milwaukee Jazz
Daneille also noted Milwaukee’s vibrant jazz scene and the importance of celebrating Black musical history in local spaces. Jazz is an original American artform that has its roots in the African American culture, she says. In order for it to survive and thrive, its presence must continue to be amplified in our community.
“We are in the midst of a renaissance when it comes to jazz. There is an increased interest from young people who want to explore jazz and the culture from which it was born,” she says. “It is exciting to witness the development of new spaces in the city that want to offer jazz experiences to the community at large.”
