Interview: Lea DeLaria Talks HOUSE OF DAVID, Jazz, and Concerts

Lea DeLaria, the television, stage, and music star who is currently best known as Carrie 'Big Boo' Black in the hit Netflix series Orange is the New Black, recently released House of David: delaria + bowie = jazz. The innovative album earned strong reviews, and she has been treating New York audiences to live performances of the record. To get the inside scoop on the record and concerts, I recently chatted with DeLaria.

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BWW: Tell me a little bit about House of David. I know that you're a David Bowie fan, but in your own words, what was the inspiration to create this album?

Lea DeLaria: I think everybody in the jazz world-and this is something that possibly Broadway people don't know about me-but people in the jazz world, including myself, consider me to be kind of a weird jazz person. Like, I don't do the American Songbook. My records aren't really the American Songbook. I had one live recording that was American Songbook. The rest were all very strange jazz.

Personally, I just think that the world of jazz has changed over the course of time, you know. I make a lot of jokes about the fact that it's dying out, that people aren't going to see jazz, and it's sort of my thing to incorporate the language of that music into other popular music so that jazz doesn't die out, basically. So, since I started Play It Cool [her debut jazz album] with "The Ballad of Sweeny Todd," I knew it was going to be different and unique. And it did bring a lot of other people to the table, and by the table, I mean the jazz table.

I wanted to continue in that vein, and I was looking to keep the younger audience and have more people be interested in music and blah, blah, blah, blah, blah. Then, I thought, why not David Bowie? I love him. No one under the age of seventy doesn't know who David Bowie is. The music is ridiculous. There's so much to choose from, that was probably the hardest part-picking twelve tracks out of the hundreds and hundreds of tracks. So, once I realized that I needed to do something even more interesting and different than I had been doing, the thought of doing a tribute album, or just doing a "House Of," as it were, came up. As soon as I knew I was going to do that, I knew it would be David Bowie.

BWW: So, in this cabaret that you're doing, you're showcasing the music from the album. Are there songs that maybe didn't make the album that are in the cabaret, or are there any surprises?

Lea DeLaria: No, no, no. No, no, no. Absolutely not. It's just the music of the album, and I've gotta say it's not cabaret because I don't want people to come Smoke Jazz and Supper Club expecting that. Yes, I will be talking. But, there is far less talking than there would be if I was doing a cabaret show. So, it's a concert. I would definitely call it a concert. It's a live set, late night, at a jazz club. So, what they're going to get there that they wouldn't get from your normal cabaret. One, it will be a little less talking from me. Although, trust me, I talk plenty, and the room is laughing because, you know, that's what I do. And, secondly, you're going to get more souling. There's going to be a lot of jazz, a lot of just instrumental music, as well as me blowing. And, it's just the tunes off the record.

BWW: Perfect! I gave the album a very positive review. I was amazed by it, which for me, kind of blew my mind because I am one of those people who doesn't quite get jazz. So, what would you say to people who are new to the art form, or who don't have a love for it, to get them to come see this concert and give it a try?

Lea DeLaria: I would say what you just said. I hear that all of the time. People come up to me, they are coming to see me, and they don't really love jazz, and this is what happens after every concert. There's somebody, like you, who walks up to me and says, "I don't really like jazz, but I loved this." And basically, what I want to say to them is, "You actually do like jazz. What you don't like is sort of the current state of jazz where a lot of very heavy musicians get together and they play music that only heavy musicians can appreciate." You know what I mean? As an audience member, it feels like you're being talked at rather than brought into the show, and I feel that when you're onstage in a concert situation, that the show is just as important as the music, and the music is just as important as the show.

If you feel like you are a person who doesn't like jazz-"I don't like jazz. I don't know when it's ever going to end"-there's all these different things in this set. (Laughs) That's my favorite quote I've ever heard about jazz. "I don't know when it's going to end." (Laughs) It makes me laugh so hard. Well, you know what, we don't know when it's going to end either. We just listen to each other and create an ending. I think right there is something interesting. Anyone who is interested in music and art ought to be interested in that. You know what I mean? "What? There's not a set ending? You guys make an ending up?" Yeah! It's kind of awesome when you think about it.

But, you're going to know this music. This isn't going to be straight up jazz written by Dizzy Gillespie, Charlie Parker, or Miles Davis, though there's nothing wrong with that. Trust me. I'm a huge fan. But, you're going to know this. These are David Bowie tunes that I've reinvented using the language of jazz. I wouldn't call it jazzy because it's not the same thing. It's jazz covers of David Bowie tunes, and it's being presented by me, who is a showman first and foremost.

BWW: Oh yeah, through and through.

Lea DeLaria: Yeah! So, I think you're going to end up liking this show and liking jazz. I'd be very surprised if you don't come up to me and buy a CD afterwards.

BWW: Awesome. Let's talk about transitioning Bowie's pop music into jazz. What challengers did that present for you as an arranger?

Lea DeLaria: I mean, Bowie is pop in the sense of the word pop comes from the word popular. So pop is popular music. But, I would refer to him more as Rhythm and Blues, or Rock and Roll, rather than pop. Rock and Roll has its roots in Rhythm and Blues, and Rhythm and Blues has roots in Jazz. So, it makes it simpler to do than people realize because it's already rooted in the basis of what jazz is. It's all about interpreting the song, the music, in the way that you enjoy without ever losing that love for David Bowie that you have in your heart in the first place.

When I approached this, I looked at every song. I wanted to do this as a tribute to him, and I wanted to do it using the music that I love. So, it was easier to do than I think people realize, but also hard because I didn't want to insult him at all. I wanted him to listen to the tunes and say, "This is great." That was what I was looking for.

I think I've achieved it. He started following me on Twitter. His official site has been all over this record. We've had his backup singers, his guitar player, and his saxophone player in to see the concert at Smoke. So, I think we've done it. (Laughs) And, fingers-crossed, maybe David himself will show up. Although, he's a little busy with a musical now, and he's got his own record coming out soon, so you know. Hopefully, I'll look up and there he'll be one day, which would be exciting as hell.

BWW: That would be extremely exciting.

Lea DeLaria: Oh my God, I'd lose my mind. Especially at Smoke; it's such an intimate club. That's one of the reasons why I chose it. I thought, "I can sit there at midnights, twice a month, pretty much for the rest of my life and just do my David Bowie show, and work on other records." But, I am excited that we're doing the David Bowie show at the moment. That's really exciting for me.

BWW: Yeah. For me, I was born in 1985, and when I think of Lea DeLaria I think mostly of Orange is the New Black because that is where I was the most exposed to you. In doing research into who you are outside of "Big Boo," I found out about the Broadway career and everything else. I am just blown away by how versatile of an artist you are. You can do such great work. What is your preferred medium for performance?

Lea DeLaria: You mean like if I was hit by a magic wand and was told that I could only do one thing of all of the things that I do, what would I do?

BWW: Yeah, for sure! That's a great way of putting it.

Lea DeLaria: Okay. I mean, when people ask me this question, it's very difficult for me because I really, really love everything that I do. Right down to writing. I really enjoy it. But, I guess I'm probably happiest if I'm downstage center, belting a D-sharp. So, I would have to go with the Broadway stuff.

BWW: Awesome.

Lea DeLaria: And, I love all of it. Don't get me wrong. There is a joy about Orange is the New Black that is just unbelievable. But, where I'm happiest, that would be either in a Broadway show or doing jazz. It's rough. Let's just put it that way. It's hard for me to choose.

BWW: Your love for performing is obvious in the quality of performances that we see from you.

Lea DeLaria: Thank you. That's really nice. Thank you.

BWW: Before we wrap it up, I feel like this question gets asked all of the time, but I love to include it. What advice would offer to anyone who is trying to become a living, breathing artist?

Lea DeLaria: I would say, learn how to wait tables. (Laughs) Really. Or how to make a good coffee at Starbucks. I would say that would be the biggest advice. (Laughs) But honestly, all kidding aside, when I go and speak at universities this is something that I talk about, and I feel very strongly that the biggest and most important thing is that you have to have to be able to make it in this business is stick-to-it-iveness. You must always believe in yourself and never give up. Without those two things you're never going to make it.

Don't miss your final chances to see Lea DeLaria perform her House of David album live. Her final set at Smoke Jazz Club (2751 Broadway at 106th Street) is Wednesday, November 25at 11:30 PM. You can also catch her on Sunday, December 13 for two Sunday Brunch Concerts at Ginny's Supper Club (310 Lenox Avenue). For more information about Lea DeLaria's upcoming live performance, please visit http://www.leadelaria.com/live/.

Also, Ghostlight Records released Lea DeLaria's House of David digitally on June 23, 2015. Physical copies were released on July 24, 2015. The album can be purchased from Ghostlight Records' online store, iTunes, Amazon, and elsewhere music is sold.