They weave a spell with hypnotic guitar riffs, profound poetry and an unpredictable blend of despair and hope. As the daughter of a renowned drummer, Alzara grew up in the rock-n-roll scene, acquiring a taste for the spotlight and what she poetically describes as ‘a love of lost souls living in the fringes between the sublime and disintegration’. Alzara formed the group in 2012, which consists of her guitarist Wilson, who had been playing guitar since he was young at the San Francisco School of the Arts. With styles in Americana and Bluegrass, Wilson mixes in a dollop of gristle and a spoonful of sugar. Dale Carlson joined in late 2013 adding sexy sax riffs, fluttering flutes and rusty harmonica. As an albino and transgender woman, Dale brings an exquisite sensitivity to the music. Together, Alzara & Brother Spellbinder create an authentic sound that simultaneously honors and breaks the traditional rules of songwriting. It is an approach that is earning them much acclaim lately and has propelled their debut radio single to the top of the charts. Reporter Blake Wright recently caught up with Alzara to learn more about this intriguing group, their artistic inspirations and plans for the future.

BLAKE: When When did you first discover your love of music?
ALZARA: I can't remember when I first knew that I loved music. A baby may hear music and start dancing, an old person who has lost her memory may start to sing, and even animals may be moved, as I have discovered. When I sing, my cat sings with me. I grew up in a musical household. My father was a professional drummer and was often performing or on the road. My mom began dabbling with various instruments when I was a toddler. So like the T-Rex song, ‘I danced myself right out the womb.’

BLAKE: Your song 'Speed Of Sound' is receiving a positive listener response on radio. What was your initial reaction when you first heard your song playing on radio?
ALZARA: Hearing good music on the radio is always a bit surreal. Radio brings an element of life that doesn't always happen when you intentionally put on a CD or select something from your iPod. When you listen to radio, usually you can't predict exactly in what order you will hear the music or what you will be doing when it plays. That puts the music into a ‘living space’ that makes it more immediate. When I hear music that I wrote on the radio, I am surprised by how naturally it flows. And then I realize, ‘Oh, that's me!’

BLAKE: What was the inspiration behind your debut radio single?
ALZARA: ’Speed of Sound’ is very personal. I can't say that it's about someone or something specific, but I will say that my life was touched by someone's mental illness and drug addiction and that it was a dark time in my life. While making some difficult choices, I had to reexamine many deep beliefs about what is right and what is wrong.

BLAKE: Would you say that the mood of your other songs is in the same vein as your debut radio single?
ALZARA: I strive for all my songs to be different. Yet, I think there is still an artistic whole and consistent sound. So in that sense, yes, my other songs would flow together with ‘Speed of Sound’, winner of the December 2014 Akademia Award for Best Americana Song!

BLAKE: How would you characterize yourself as an artist?
ALZARA: Hmm...How can one describe oneself as an artist or musician? Ask someone who knows me well. Or even better ask someone who knows me not. Art is more than a product and more than the human being that produces it. All I can say is that I try to live my life ‘artistically’, for whatever that's worth.

BLAKE: Tell us more about your musical background and the other musicians in your family.
ALZARA: I was born into a musical environment. My father was and still is the drummer for a well known 60s band called Big Brother & The Holding Company. Janis Joplin was their singer. My mom became a recording engineer sometime during my elementary school years and successfully ran several recording facilities in Northern California. For a long time I wanted nothing to do with the music business. That's what my parents were doing and I suppose there was a natural rebellion in me to stay away from it. Ultimately, I guess the apple didn't fall too far.

BLAKE: What do you find most rewarding about being an artist? What do you find most challenging?
ALZARA: To repeat the old cliche, creating in any art form is often a type of therapy. It can be very cathartic to work out your sorrows, fears, and musings through music. Also, I believe there is a god-like drive in all of us to create things. This drive is manifested throughout the day in various ways. It can be channeled via something as simple as creating order from chaos in your home, baking a pie, or finding a new way to communicate about something difficult. People are born to create, so I think it's important take your ego out of the process when writing, although it is a challenge. At some point you must decide to keep writing songs or to keep playing music because you want to, regardless of any material success.

BLAKE: Who are your role models in music?
ALZARA: Wow, that is a good question. I could list my influences, but I suppose that's a slightly different question. In regards to who sets an example, let's start with Beethoven. He could hear symphonies in his head, despite being nearly deaf, reminding us that we all have a rich internal life- a world in and of itself. How about Brahms? He wrote his first symphony when he was 42, well at least the first one he was willing to share publicly. Ok, enough with the classical. Let me jump ahead to something more recent. I'll say that Bjork was both an influence and role model. She sings with her own voice and doesn't appear afraid to be different or make mistakes, all while retaining a sort of child like wonder that I find inspiring.

BLAKE: Describe your best or most memorable performance.
ALZARA: The best live performances are when you and the audience are on the same page. When people are listening or connecting with the music, that is the best possible outcome. Music is the great connector of people, the universal language. It breaks through loneliness by bringing people together. Then again, just like wine, music can move the soul all alone.

BLAKE: Do you have a music video for your hit single? If so, what can you tell us about it?
ALZARA: We have two music videos for ‘Speed of Sound’. One uses archival footage to match the old world feel of the song. It opens with shots of ice skaters going round and round. I think this conveys the sense of repetition within our personal lives and throughout history as a whole. But ice skating is also a dance of sorts. When we do it well, it is a beautiful thing to watch and perhaps even more so, to feel. The other video is homemade, shot entirely with a webcam. The main focus is a gritty domestic life with its own rhythms and cycles. You will see the man in this video washing dishes, feeding the pets, and drinking to wash the blues away. My three cats are the silent and helpless observers in this scenario.

BLAKE: Excellent. I look forward to hearing more. Thank you for your time and for sharing your story, Alzara. I wish you and the band much continued success!

http://www.brotherspellbinder.com



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