Louise Isackson, Songstress, Red to Blue
Experiencing a profound yet simple connection to nature is vital to feeling inspired ...
Local songstress Louise Isackson has been immersed in the world of music as long as she can remember, with some her earliest memories being of live theatre performances and watching her parents sitting behind the piano together. She began honing her craft at age five when she started piano lessons, with stints at the Queensland College of Art, as a cabaret singer in Japan, and a spell in New York City immersing herself in all things jazz nurturing her musical prowess. Louise has recently completed her second album Red to Blue, which will launch at Brisbane Powerhouse on June 21, treating Brisbane jazz lovers to a taste of local talent. The new album traces the introspective journey Louise has taken during the last five years, marking a slight change of direction from her 2008 release How to Love, which reinterpreted an arrangement of songs from artists including Paul Simon and Jimi Hendrix. Ahead of the album’s release, Louise had a chat with The Weekend Edition about her weekend rituals.
How do you like to start your weekend?
Working from home, it can sometimes become a blur when the weekend begins and ends. Generally I like to go away for the weekend. Or if at home, reading the papers, singing and learning some new songs.
What’s your favourite thing to do on a Saturday morning?
Fabulous coffee, two omelettes, papers and giving Cassidy (my half-chihuahua, half-not-sure dog – yes, named after the singer Eva Cassidy) a bath.
How do you like to unwind?
Playing the piano for literally hours is the most relaxing way for me to unwind. Time and all the other pressures simply disappear. Of course playing overlooking a beach or an ocean would be ideal.
What are your essentials for a well-spent weekend?
Two omelettes with great coffee, hanging out reading papers, dreaming and sleeping (sometimes not at the same time), gallery visits, shopping, poetry, listening to and playing music. Oh, and some of this can spill into the week, too, and often does.
What’s something you’ve been meaning to do on the weekend but haven’t got around to yet?
Playing piano all day, with a view to writing a song form start to finish in one session.
What’s your favourite thing to do on a Sunday evening?
Eating Chinese food from Yummy Yummy Asian Cuisine in Spring Hill, while trying to explain to them what gluten is. Writing a mountain of lists that may not be done even by the following Sunday, and the merry-go-round begins again.
What are you looking forward to next weekend?
Performing my songs for everyone at the Brisbane Powerhouse. It’s really exciting to be launching a recording project – especially original material.
What are you reading at the moment?
The Poets of Tin Pan Alley: A History of America’s Greatest Lyricists by Philip Furia, and always on hand is Pat Pattison’s Songwriting Without Boundaries.
What inspires you?
Exploring nature – from rainforests to deserts. Experiencing a profound yet simple connection to nature is vital to feeling inspired. Equally inspiring is a dose of New York City.
What was your childhood dream?
To be Barbra Streisand or one of the singers from ABBA.
What has been your greatest achievement?
Besides living in New York for an extended period of time, I would have to say the greatest is my latest achievement – recording some original songs to release on a CD entitled Red to Blue.
What is success to you?
Either mastering social media or ignoring it – probably the former. But seriously, success would be knowing at least 500 songs well enough to perform them.
What are your words of wisdom?
The greatest joy you’ll ever learn is just to love and be loved in return – quoted from the classic standard ‘Nature Boy’.
Only a local would know … to say you’ve been overseas can literally mean Bribie Island.
FAVOURITE WEEKEND SPOT TO:
Perk up … Dandelion and Driftwood – my local. Great people and inspiring, great coffee.
Relax … Mount Tamborine.
Dine … Deer Duck Bistro, Milton.
Indulge … Wherever they make creme brulee.
Shop … Coles.
Catch-up … At Mum’s place.
Be inspired … GOMA.
