In the case of 20-something singer/songwriter Hope Waits' sultry, soulful, jazz-infused style, drawing artistic comparisons can be quite a lot of fun. Think the gritty genius of Tom Waits (no relation) coupled with the poignant melanchily of Billie Holiday. Or, maybe it's a union of the soulful seduction of Ray Charles meeting up with the rich, velvety folk that is Emmy Lou Harris. Suffice to say that Hope Waits draws from a wide range of influences, which is remarkable given the relatively short amount of time she's been singing and writing music.
As the seventh of twelve children growing up in Monroe, Louisiana, Waits experienced a strict upbringing at the hands of her mother while dodging the challenges of having an alcoholic father. Hers is a hard luck story that in the movies seems to give the protagonist the toughness to make an escape and walk off into the sunset. In the real world, however, finding the strength to leave is easier said than done. Waits made her escape at age 21 and began to sing.
With the release of her self-titled debut, Waits draws upon her life experiences to write her own material such as the eerily beautiful, "Ignatius," while paying homage to some of her favorite artists with covers such as Bob Dylan's "Ring Them Bells" and Ray Charles' "Drown In My Own Tears." Waits recorded the CD in Los Angeles at Chessvolt Studios using the expertise of producer/musician Peter Malick who has played and recorded with Norah Jones, the James Montgomery Band, and legendary blues player Otis Spann. He helped assemble a band to back Waits which included drummer Butch Norton (founding member of the Eels), bassist Jeff Turmes, who is currently touring with Mavis Staples, and veteran horn players David Woodford and Lee Thornburg.
"It was the best experience of my life," says Waits. "I learned so much but it was hard because I was still living in the South and having to travel. My life really changed through the whole process of recording. I'd have to come every couple of months and do some tracks, stay a week, and then come back later. I think it was a great way to do it - I just don't see how you can build enough emotion behind your songs if you're going into the studio with everything just ready to go. One day I'd come to the studio and be fine and then next day, I'd be an emotional wreck. But I think it really played out well - it represented the emotion I was going through at the time."
It's precisely her expression of emotion that makes Hope Waits such a great listen, and it's easy to tell that Waits is a keen observer of surroundings and situations. One of the ways she keeps track of images and events is to write them down the moment they happen in order to capture every detail. "I write on cocktail napkins, my hands, the seats of my car when I'm driving - if it comes out, it comes out, you know? And you have to have something close by to write on. In the middle of the night...that's the worst." Waits is currently playing around Los Angeles and is in the process of setting up her tour.
