<body><div>ATHENS — On Saturday, Texas-born blues artist Vanessa Collier is set to make a compelling impression on Athens’ audience at the town’s Summer Concert Series. Known primarily as a saxophonist — though she is by no means a slouch with her multi-instrumentalist talents on guitars, vocals, and more — Collier, is celebrating the release of her latest record, “Do It My Own Way.” Building a career around her expert-level ability of weaving genres the likes of blues, soul, funk, and rock, Vanessa brilliantly adds another layer with the new album: Americana. Her performance at the concert series is sure to make for quite an entertaining night out.The Athens Summer Concert Series is held at 1 South Water St. in Athens. The free-to-attend event is held from 7-9 p.m. For more information, please visit www.apacrocks.org.I had a chance to sit down with Collier prior to her performance. What follows is our conversation, edited for content and clarity.Lucas Garrett: So, you’ve had quite an impressive career and you’ve only been going at it for 10 years. How has that time gone for you?Vanessa Collier: It’s been a really good journey so far; I’ve had a lot of great people take a lot of chances on me, and every single show helps. It helps you refine as an artist. The whole journey … it’s always a challenge — it’s always a struggle — but it’s been rewarding at the other side of it.LG: What got you started into music?VC: I heard a saxophone when I was eight years-old; I heard it on a television show after school and I fell in love with it. I had this urge to play it, and I’d come home and my mom would buy me these play along books, and I would just sight read through the books. I joined every band I possibly could. My middle school band director knew Chris Vadala, and [at the time] he was the director of jazz studies at the University of Maryland. [My school director] set up this appointment for me to go play for Chris, and thankfully, Chris took me on as his student and I studied under him for seven years. He’s the reason why I knew this career [could happen]. I knew after my sophomore year that I’m going to do music, thanks to Chris.LG: Now that you’ve gone through ten years — some of those during the pandemic — how is it for you as an independent artist on the other side of COVID?VC: We’re seeing a lot of different changes in the industry. Venues are taking less chances; if you’re not selling tickets they will cancel the show. The ticket thing is crazy. Venues take a larger percent overall, but on the flip side, people are so ready to hear music all the time. They’re so appreciative that [musicians] are back. Everything’s coming back; all the festivals are back and that kind of thing. It’s a double-edged sword but you take the good with the bad.LG: Speaking of festivals, you’re playing one at the Athens Summer Concert Series on Sept. 28.VC: Yeah. I saw the list and thought, “Man, this lineup is [great].” If you get above [New York City] people are just crazy for music. It’s some of the best crowds and I’m sure Athens will be. I’m super excited for it; it’s free.LG: I feel people are more ravenous at free festivals.VC: Yes, ravenous is a good word for it.LG: For those going to the concert series and seeing you for the first time, what can they expect from your act?VC: They’re catching [my sound] at a transition period, but you’re always going to get a show that’s full of stories and songwriting. Most of what you hear is original, written by me, with the exception of a couple covers that the band plays really well. I put out a record on Sept. 13, “Do It My Own Way,” that’s more soulful and funky, so we’re going to throw that in there, as well. I’m excited about the new record; high energy, lots of saxophone, and lots of storytelling.LG: How was it going in a different direction, and making the new album?VC: Every record you have that moment of, “Oh, my gosh. I don’t know if I have a record.” I went into the studio with my musicians and we laid down the basic tracks. I went in with an idea of what the songs would be about, but the lyrics were unfinished. I had forms of the songs, and I had demos of the song format should be, and some of the parts. Until I got home in between touring … then I was able to hash out and really work on the lyrics. I find lyric writing very much like solving a mystery: I have an idea that I want this song to be about this subject, this is where I have to get to in the chorus, and it has to progress — it has to be more powerful with each line.LG: It’s almost like putting a puzzle together.VC: It’s fun and arduous at the same time.LG: So, you’re mainly a blues artist. What made you go more Americana with this record?VC: I started in the blues-world because that's how I got my feet in this industry: I started touring with Joe Louis Walker. He does a little bit of everything. I think my idea was, “Oh, man. I love this; it’s right up my alley. Let me kickstart my career in the blues.” Everything I do has a tinge of that. All the blues is very gutsy, and I think getting a bit more of that into the music was important to me. I’ve always had this tinge towards soul, R&amp;B, and funk. I love James Brown, Sharon Jones … There’s a lot of different facets, and I think being a sax player you just play so much different stuff, and end up loving it all. It’s a different side of me. I’ve been in the blues for 10 years but I want to showcase another side.LG: There’s definitely that soulful side to the record, but there was also this Americana vibe that you don’t normally hear in funk music. It was a cool amalgamation.VC: You’re catching what I was trying to do.LG: There’re so many “voices” in the industry, and I think it’s important to have your own, unique voice. It’s so hard to do that without sounding contrived, but you nailed it.VC: I try to be genuine to me, regardless of where the industry is moving.LG: If someone were to go onto your Spotify right now, what would they hear?VC: I’ve been really into a lot of African music lately. I love the desert blues stuff, like Bombino. All that African-influenced [artistry]. I always listen to The Wood Brothers. I’ve been trying to find some different stuff — Madison Cunningham. She has a unique voice and approach to everything.</div></body>

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Q&A: Vanessa Collier chats ahead of show at Athens Summer Concert Series on Saturday

ATHENS — On Saturday, Texas-born blues artist Vanessa Collier is set to make a compelling impression on Athens’ audience at the town’s Summer Concert Series. Known primarily as a saxophonist — though she is by no means a slouch with her multi-instrumentalist talents on guitars, vocals, and more — Collier, is celebrating the release of her latest record, “Do It My Own Way.” Building a career around her expert-level ability of weaving genres the likes of blues, soul, funk, and rock, Vanessa brilliantly adds another layer with the new album: Americana. Her performance at the concert series is sure to make for quite an entertaining night out.