My mother. All three grandmothers. My sister. All those paid to teach me between ages 3 and 18 (my ages not the teachers' ages). Those are without doubt influences - I used to think it was important to draw a line between those who influence us and those we like the sound of. I wish I sounded like a lot of fabulous people - but I don't. Then again, influences are funny things, subliminally creeping along under the earth like tubers - once planted they spread unseen, making themselves visible every few yards if you're lucky. You can hear for yourself right here what I sound like...and those that I like the sound of (and hope have given me a few potatoes) are: Kurt Weill, Vinicio Capossela, Eudora Welty, Gene Autry, Zora Neale Hurston, Flanders and Swann, Paolo Conti, Mayte Martin, Ben Okri, Zarah Leander, Edith Piaf, Georgia O'Keefe, Serge Gainsbourg (early on, cheri), Seu Jorge, Duke Ellington, George and Ira Gerswin, Cole Porter, Julian Barnes, Noel Coward, Ed Harcourt, Crescent and Frost, Kate Atkinson, Kate Schutt, Meg Toohey, Sam Cooke, Randy Newman, Gabriel Garcia Marquez, John Denver, Leslie Feist, L.S Lowry and pretty much anyone who wrote a song with the name Martha in it.
And now a note on Hemmingway. I hated him when I first read him. But here's the fantasmically wonderful thing about art - it exists. And so do we. And when we meet for the first time I might be someone to whom "The Garden of Eden" is not relevant. I become frustrated that I don't what all the fuss is about and then brush it off. A few years later along comes an "old man and the sea" and I was flawed. What changed? Me. I was ready. And that's one of the most beautiful things about art - it waits for you to get it. And that means there's hope. And beauty around every corner. Just hold on.
Sounds Like
She spent a lot of time with grandpa's record collection and communing with nature...
Basically I fell in love with Maria Von Trapp when I was 5 years old and decided I wanted to become a nun. About 10 years later it dawned on me that I liked the singing part more than the habits and I started writing songs.
Now when life is good I play shows with Teitur, Ed Harcourt, Jennifer Kimball, The New Standards, The Weepies and occasionally, when he's free, with God (except he insists on the whole habit thing which I feel can be distracting from the music - don't you agree?).
Reecently, something very lovely happened. I met a band here in Rome called L'Orchestra di Piazza Vittorio and they asked me to join them for their realization of Mozart's "The Magic Flute". It's pretty radical and I'm honoured to be involved. We'll debut in June 2009 in Lyon, France. So in the meantime I'm writing album number 3 which I hope will be released next spring. I much prefer writing songs to writing bios.
Aloha Sylvie and thank you for including us in your circle of friends. Please accept our respects and a heartfelt "mahalo" to you for giving the world your beautiful sweet sounds. ~ Namaste Sweet Soul. Wishing you well, Annette, Bia & Dee LaBorte
Sylvie! Your recortd has been released almost a year ago now .. we're all loving it, please write a new (tenth?) bio .. Germany's still waiting by the way ..
I've been listening to your music during the last days and I really, really do like everything about it. When are you playing live? Are you coming to London? Let us know, pleass... Regards, Alex
Moved you to my Top Friends - I want my people to hear your fine fine voice and brilliant songs. So happy with your CD and have put it amongst my favorites that won't grow stale to my ears.
