Phillyist Interviews... Abra Moore

A lot has happened since your first record.
I know. Lots of life.

It's true.
A lot of living going on.

I was in high school with your first record.
Oohhhh!! [laughing] That's amazing.

Has there been anything that significantly affected your new record? Is it just life?
It's just capture to capture of my life. A lot of it is captured pieces of different experiences and different emotions that were captured in each song.

Is there any one experience that stands out for the record that influenced it?
Gosh. [a long pause] "After All These Years"—have you heard that one?

Yes I have.
Did you like it?

Yes, of course. [laughing] I am huge fan.
Oh yeah!!

You don't have to convince me.
I love that song. It's very gentle and that's how the record rolls.

Your album was one of the first albums that I ever purchased.
Wow!

A long time so I have truly been a fan since the very beginning.
Oh....yeah!

It's been fun to take your musical journey with you.
Oh....yeah! Thank you so much for jumping on.

Definitely.
I'm all ready writing for the next one [musical journey], for the next chapter.

You've actually had a couple of CDs that haven't been up on the store shelves.
Right.

Are they ever going to be there?
Nope. No. They are beautiful, though. I'm really proud of them. Hopefully you have heard them.

Actually, I haven't heard them.
Oh... we need to get them to you.

Yes. I would love that.
Which ones do you not have?

The first one, No Fear.
I'll dig out a copy for you.

Definitely! Thanks! You've played with a lot of musicians over the last ten years. Is there anyone that has inspired you? Helped you continue on in the music business?
That has inspired me? Yes. My husband. He is a big inspiration in my life. He's an incredible, accomplished pianist and educator.

Oh, he's a music educator?
Yes. He's a professor at University of Texas.

Cool. I'm a music educator as well.
You teach music?

Yeah. I teach general music at an elementary school.
Oh, that's great. Yeah! He's had a great influence on me with growing my ear and all that stuff.

I read that you are a fan of jazz standards.
I am. I am fan of that music; always have been.

Are you going to be singing any jazz standards on your set for the tour?
There's a song that has a little [jazz] flavor in it called, "You." You will hear that. Do you have the record yet?

Yes I do. I actually heard that song tonight and thought it was quite jazzy.
Right. Right. Right. That's something I wrote. I'm really glad I was able to put it on this record.

What is your favorite jazz standard?
Oh gosh. There are so many. Off the top of my head I wouldn't be able to grab just any one. "For All You Know," the cover by Billie Holiday is really beautiful. That's really great. There's that one Chet Baker record that I really love. I can't remember the title of it right now. [pause] I can't think of it.

You've toured with Lillith Fair, Matchbook 20 and others... [interrupted]
Matchbook 20! I love them. Matchbook 20! I love it.

Do you like to tour with the bigger venues and crowds over the smaller settings?
Oh I like them all. Sure. I love theatres. That's my ideal playing in a theatre with a piano. That's always a real treat. I really love a well-lit, well-sounding, intimate room. Yeah.

Are there any tours or concerts that stand out to you that you loved?
Right. There are so many different kinds. I did a full rock band thing which was a really great fit. I had more of a rock thing going. More of a full band type thing. That was a real wonderful thing. I toured with Mark Cohen. That was a real treat, just me and a cellist. That was a totally different thing, but you know we performed in theatres which was really lovely as well. Two different types of vibes, you know? Yeah.

With your current, what are you planning?
You know it's just me and Will Sexton. He and I are going to be a humble little duo.

What are you going to be playing?
I'll probably play a few things off my new record, a few things off of Everything Changed and a few things off of Strangest Places. A little bit of everything.

Very cool. Are you playing on the guitar or piano for this tour?
A piano is a tough one to lug around so I usually play the guitar unless the room already has a piano in it. Yeah. It's a real strip down touring thing that I am doing. It's not like I lug a keyboard around.

It's true. Are you looking forward to any of the cities in particular?
Any city that will have me.

[Quick break while Abra is calming down her dog, which is barking incessantly.]

Is there anything that you love to do on your time off besides music?
Oh...I love to groom dogs. I love critters. I love to do nothing. I love to lots of stuff. Different things.

Well, we are really looking forward to your show here in Philadelphia.
Thanks. I am glad you like the new record.

I really do. I have been listening to it all day today. I look forward to listening to it in the future.
Yeah.

I'll probably come up and introduce myself at the concert.
Yes please come and harass me.

I will. You've been a favorite of ten years, so when I heard you were coming to Philly I was all over it.
Great. How do you feel about my evolution so far? You've been a fan for that long. Is this what you expect? Does it do it for you?

Yes it does. Obviously I have changed a lot from high school - got married, finished college - it just works for me. I love the acoustic feel of it and it just works. I love it. I think I will always love your music. In high school I had the opportunity to see the Lillith Fair but I missed it. You and Sarah McLachlan are my favorite artists so I was so sad when I missed it.
God, that was a great tour.

Definitely excited. Thank you for letting us talk with you today.
Thank you so much. I look forward to seeing you.

Good luck with your tour and upcoming release.
Thank you! Talk to you later.

Photo courtesy of www.abramoore.com