Interview: Julie Dexter (Phone)Hard working, talented and inspiring are just a few words to describe Julie Dexter. She made a big move from the UK to Atlanta, USA to help her exceed with her music career. Calling from a park bench, in Atlanta with her new baby daughter sitting on her lap; Julie Dexter reveals all that we are wanting to know and more.
01. Matthew – Are you satisfied where you are as an artist?
. Julie Dexter - I'm satisfied with where I am considering the fact that I'm not a major artist, and I'm not signed to a major label. So, as an independent artist I'm satisfied. I don't think I could have done much better independently on my own, so yeah I'm satisfied.
02. Matthew – Is it difficult for the American’s to figure out where in England you are exactly from?
. Julie Dexter - Its more of a case, of, when they hear my accent, they have to work out where its from; they don’t detect its from Birmingham. The first thing they do is try to work out where it’s from, and the first thing they say is it’s from London because most people take it with a London accent more than a Birmingham accent. I have to explain that I am from Birmingham, which is two hours away from London, we get there eventually. They associate London with Julie Brown, who used to do Soul Train. That’s the things they associate it with; they're not familiar with the black population in Birmingham, I don't think (laughs).
03. Matthew – What was it like meeting all these creative people in Atlanta, GA and collaborating with them on your records?
. Julie Dexter - Well, this time I actually collaborated with another artist from Atlanta, called Michael Johnson. He basically produced all the music, except two songs. Were as on the first three albums (2nd being the ‘Peace Of Mind’ EP); I did all the music myself. I chose the musicians, went into the studio, and recorded it all live. W,ere as this time we used a few live instruments. Basically it was a track that was programmed and then put in a live bass and a nice guitar on but pretty much all of the tracks were programmed with the drums. I just did the melody, the vocals, and then came up with the lyrics. This time it was more of collaboration than apposed to doing all the writing, all the music, and all the producing. It was a little less stressful for me, as I could concentrate on the melody rather than having to writing the music.
04. Matthew – Was it more enjoyable working with Michael Johnson in the studio than doing a live recording where you have to do more work?
. Julie Dexter - It was more enjoyable but, you know what? I did most of the album with the help of a producer. I’m very strong-minded in the idea’s that I want musically. I kind of missed that, but this time I enjoyed putting my focus on the vocal arrangements and the lyrics. It was a bit of a holiday for me, in the sense that I could vacation more; worrying about every single aspect of the record.
05. Matthew – What was the move like from the UK to Atlanta, GA?
. Julie Dexter - Well, actually I went via London, when I was eighteen after I finished my A Levels in Birmingham Joseph Chamberlain College. I moved to London, I went to Middlesex University; did a Degree course in Music Communications, and that’s when I got the bug for singing. I’d been a Classically trained musician up until that point. I played the Clarinet and the Violin, and got the bug for singing from actually going to Middlesex and doing an exchange program, which was actually a semester in America at a place called Radford University. I was doing Classical Clarinet up until that point, and took my first jazz class, in this school in America, and you know? I discovered jazz vocals; I studied jazz vocals and scatting, like Billie Holiday, Ella Fitzgerald, and Sarah Vaughan. I really got into those guys, and messed up all the teachers in school (laughs).I was like, 'Oh, I don’t want to do Classical any more, I want to do jazz vocals!' And they were like OK then, and I ended up doing a major in jazz voice. Met Jason Yard, who’s a phenomenal musician from England’s jazz Warriors. So many different people played with me but we formed a group, that was birthed by Gary Crosby, called the Tomorrow’s Warriors, then we became J Life.
06. Matthew – What were the days like with J Life like?
. Julie Dexter - We toured with J Life, with the British Council, to places like India, Columbia, and Lithuania. We’d been ambassadors for music with jazz, and it was the five of us, and that was were I started, you know? Getting my touring skills together, my musician skills and arrangement skills. I got to tour with Courtney Pine, which was a huge deal for me, that was my first time touring but I went to Japan with him and it was then that I felt like I’d reached my highest potential. The opportunity came to me, to come to the States but it really wasn’t to come and live. I just came to do one live show, and fell in love with Atlanta. It was my first time here, I liked the scene, I liked the vibrancy, I liked the fact that it was Southern, and in the South. I’ve been to New York before, which is very similar to London for me, it’s very busy, very concrete jungle but Atlanta appealed to me because it’s like very green, with a lot of trees. People are polite, and the music scene again, is very vibrant, people like India Arie was on the scene, people like Donnie and Anthony David, you know? I was just drawn to it by curiosity, I’d never actually thought I’d live here, for six years, which is how long I’ve been here. Got myself a student visa, came over, and started my independent career as a solo artist, which I hadn’t actually done before.
07. Matthew – Did you experience any fear while doing the big move from the UK to America?
. Julie Dexter - I've always been in a group, so that’s the path that I took and how I got here, which was by accident, but I believe every thing is in divine order. So, I guess it was planned some how. But oh yeah definitely, but you can’t show fear even if you have it inside, you got to look like your confident, you got to look like you know what your doing. Take one step at a time and take everything as it comes to you. Remember as well, I wasn’t necessarily familiar with the place, but I was familiar with the musicians, and I knew how to interact with musicians and that’s how basically I moved around Atlanta. Getting in with musicians like Kebbi Williams, a phenomenal sax player, to Khari Simmons (Jiva). A bass player I’ve actually done this new project with and you just start meeting new people, and you move around in a musical circle. Instead of moving to a new city, looking for a new job, and looking for a place to live. It was more about rolling with the musicians and I felt comfortable doing that.
08. Matthew – When and where do you perform when you come to London? And do you come back home often?
. Julie Dexter - Pretty much every year I’ve come home and done a gig somewhere. If it hasn’t been at the Jazz Café, its at the Drum in Birmingham. I did Mau Maus last year in West London; you know that one in Portobello Road? I might be doing that again this year because I’m coming home in July. I’ll come home every year and try to do a gig somewhere, just to keep my name out there. I mean, it feels good to be at home for one, and the musicians that I play with are the people that I was inspired by and grew up with musically. I almost want to just get with them any way, to do a show, as it just make sense, you know? And just let people know that I’m still making music. Every time I come I might have a new CD to sell (laughs). Yeah, definitely, every year I try and make a point of doing a show.
09. Matthew - Which artists inspired you growing up?
. Julie Dexter - Bob Marley, and a lot of reggae artists because both my parents are Jamaican, so we have a strong West Indian heritage in the household. A lot of Reggae music was played. People like John Holt, and Desmond Dekker. My brother was playing artists of that time, you know? Artists like Tippa Irie, Deborah Glasgow, and Lovers Rock. Soul people like Michael Jackson, and Kool and The Gang. I listened to a lot of what he was listening to and I’ve developed my own taste to get into jazz and Classical, but it was just something that I was drawn to. It was quite a mixture of Reggae, Soul, and Funk, jazz and later on Classical.
10. Matthew – And is your Mum and family proud of where you are and how much you have achieved?
. Julie Dexter - Oh yeah, my Mum now brags about me and says her daughters in America and she’s doing bla bla bla. It’s definitely a good thing, were she can have a good conversation starter with her friends.
10. Matthew – What are your views on the music industry?
. Julie Dexter - I mean my industry is very different to the reality of the music industry and by that I mean. The reality is having four or five major corporation’s, which is Sony, EMI and I can’t remember the other two. Those are the main controllers. Then you’ve got all the labels underneath the sub labels, and you are kind of caught in a vicious cycle if you’re turned to one of those. It’s all about hit records, what’s hot right now, A&R, publicity and promotion, which is obvious but it’s almost like you've got to look a certain way, have a certain vibe about you, whatever is in right now, and its very much stipulated. Where as the independent ride, and the independent industry is very much reliant on how we feel, how we do it, and how we want. We might not sell millions of records, and we don’t get our name out there in a week, a couple of months or a year to get our buzz out there. But it’s done on our own terms, and I feel more comfortable doing that. I want to do this for the rest of my life, rather than being a one hit wonder, which happens to a lot of people, you know what I mean? It’s not in their control, the industry is almost dog eat dog, it’s about survival, but when you’re independent your surviving on your own terms. And there’s not so much pressure. As long as your making enough money to pay the bills, which is what I’m blessed to be able to do, and you can still be happy. I’d love to be on MTV, and VH1 and stuff, but I don’t make it stop me doing what I want to do, because I haven’t been on those programs.
11. Matthew – What are your current plans?
. Julie Dexter - Well, were going to be promoting this new record called ‘Moon Bossa’ with Khari Simmons, which is a new concept for me. Promoting a style of music as apposed to my own album, which is normally a compilation of songs that I enjoy whatever genre it is, jazz, Reggae or Soul. This is a very specific genre called Bossa Nova, so you’re going to dig it or your not, and if you’re not into Bossa Nova it might not be up your street. I’m looking forward to performing and doing gigs in that style, you know? I’m definitely looking forward to it, Khari he’s a phenomenal bass player and this is his baby, it’s his concept, his idea, and I just happened to be the vocalist that he chose. He could have chosen any body. Any-body could have been chosen to go on this album, so again I’m blessed that I’ve been chosen.
12. Matthew – Could you please talk to us about what life is like for you in Atlanta now?
. Julie Dexter - I’ve just had a baby girl. I’m married in the sense that I’ve found a man who I want to spend the rest of my life with. This is new to me; this whole family thing is new for the both of us. Where just playing happy families, just bringing up my daughter, and exchanging roles in changing dippers/feeding. It’s a new gig for me but it’s the best gig I’ve had. It’s the most rewarding and the most challenging gig for me, and being committed in a relationship, you ?
It has it’s ups and downs, and it’s a lot of hard work, but it’s also very rewarding, it also gives me an incentive to keep me doing what I do. I want to keep making music and leave a legacy for my daughter. I obviously want to make money so I can send her to a good school; you know what I’m saying? I have a new inspiration right now, her name is Miama Rayne. She was named after one of my favorite John Coltrane songs; it was probably one of the most beautiful melodies I have ever heard. It also means contented, satisfied, and she is really all those things. I know you’ve heard her crying but she’s not always crying (laughs)!
13. Matthew – What do you think of the title, ‘Queen of Soul’, from your UK fans?
. Julie Dexter - I know, that’s a really funny title. I have to keep telling everybody that. Because in my eyes, people like Sade, Mica Paris and Caron Wheeler, there my UK Queen’s of Soul, you know? But I could be somebody’s Queen to, you’ve got many Soul Queens, one minute its Chaka Khan, and the next it’s Mary J Blige. A Queen in your eyes is whom you see as your Queen. I take that title very seriously but at the same time very lightly, in a sense, I got my own Queens, so I’m aspiring to be like those other Queens.
14. Matthew – What is your biggest source of inspiration?
. Julie Dexter - Life, that’s the biggest inspiration of all. Experiences, love, work, and history inspires me a lot too. People who have been apart of history. As a musician, as a leader, people like Martin Luther King and Malcolm X. So many people, even Trevor McDonald, he used to inspire me because my Mother used to talk about how he was one of the first black faces she saw on T.V. When she came back from Jamaica. I'm sure he got knighted. I think he’s Sir Trevor McDonald, if I’m not wrong, and that says a lot to me. So in my Mums eyes he rose and then became a hero for me. I’ve got more contemporary heroes like Trevor Nelson and Ian Wright. Just basically people who have been successful, and you can see it with your own eyes, and you’ve seen the struggle, where they started from and where they end up.
Words by Matthew Daniel
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