Rebecca Zapen

Florida CD/Albums of the Year 2011

Including Best Album or CD of the Year, Best Florida Album/CD by a group or duo, Best Florida CD by a Folk Artist and Best Traditional or Bluegrass CD

CD/Album of the Year (Best Overall)
“Nest” Rebecca Zapen
Produced by Rebecca Zapen and Jeremy Douglass
Recorded and Engineered by Jeremy Douglass
Mastered by Jesse Mangum

“Nest” is a beautifully recorded CD whose songs show the maturation and growth of one of Florida's most exciting recording artists and performers, Rebecca Zapen. Classically trained with a musical family history that obviously seems to help, Ms. Zapen was, until recently, a regular on the Jacksonville, North Florida music scene, for what it is, and has since relocated down South to the Tampa/St. Petersburg area, where she quickly became a significant and favorite musical performer there.
“Nest” is a deeply personal CD, pulling at your collar and tugging at your sleeves long after the first play. The music is wonderful and the lyrics are intelligent, sometimes funny and often times deeply moving. The concept of the CD revolves around Rebecca's first pregnancy and the birth of her son Joel Sebastian Zapen Douglass. Many of the songs reflect this theme including “I'm Gonna Make So Many Things For You,” “Tiny And Strong,” “888,” (written on August 8th, 2008), the very beautiful “Peace,” and finally “Jacaranda,” which says simply,

“...With a cat and a dog and most of all a man who loves me so,
Sitting here in our nest, waiting for this little egg to grow.
I never knew how much my life could change in one short year,
And I'm so glad that I'm here.”

Husband Jeremy Douglass shares co-producing credits and his instrumentation on many of the cuts is top rate. At times he may be heard on the melodica, the glockenspiel and vibraphone, but mostly piano and general keyboards, adding this husband's talented touch to the musical “nest.”
In celebrating her new found family in song, Rebecca also acknowledges her genealogy and family history in two beautifully written songs, “Grandfather's Song,” where her Jewish heritage is revealed proudly primarily in the melody and music, and the wonderful “Lakewood,” which lays open the wounds of divorce and how that effects a daughter's unconditional love for her father.
Rebecca has always provided her listeners with a delightful sense of humor in her previous CD recordings, “Hummingbird,” “Zapstar,” and my personal favorite, “Japanese Bathhouse.” “Nest” has it share of make-you-laugh-out-loud moments that highlight Zapen's humor in her songwriting. In “Swamp Pit” she asks, “Is he there for you? Would he carry you though a swamp pit?” and in “Beautiful Love Songs Without The Love,” she sings “I have a true love I've never seen/ He's waiting for me on the moon/ His spaceship is powered by marmalade/ I hope that the engine starts soon."
The one non-original song, Robert Palmer's “Addicted To Love,” gets a bossa nova remake and highlights Rebecca 's vocation even as she prepares and eventually settles at home in her “nest.” She remains first a musician and a performer, steeped in many styles of music but still doing it best in the clubs and with her live performances, where is she apt to surprise her audiences with an old standard or cover with a different spin. The theme “Addicted to Love” fits nicely into the concept of the album as well.
The CD is not all about love. Rebecca is sentimental but the CD is multi-layered and as we draw back the music there is revealed a darker side to the "Nest" as well. “You Did Me Wrong,” suggests betrayal and bitter disappointment in a relationship that has turned sour and on “The Ledge,” she sings “...Daylight brought hindsight and my dreams went stale/ Act like you don't care/ We were an unlikely pair/ Who said all in life and love was fair?”
After the Robert Palmer cover, Rebecca ends the CD with the Irish/Appalachian flavored “Colorado,” where she wraps it all up with a sad but realistic bow of her view of life and love. “The Nest,” it turns out is more than just having a baby and building a home and a family. In the end, our “Nest” is that place where we are ourselves, that place where we are most honest and true with who we really are. The CD's final lyrics summarize this nicely:

“...I put a chunk of faith in you, you ended up in Colorado,
I used to ask you what to do, I learned its best to lead, not follow,
With teeth of corn and hair of twine, I was living in my brother's shadow,
Do what you're told, just be a girl, And on the wall my name is burning,
I'm stronger than I ever knew, far weaker than I ever fathomed,
Lord, let my path in life be true, Lord, give me signs that I can follow,
And love the space you're in today, 'Cause room to grow is awfully hollow.”

On a final note, Rebecca Zapen will be performing in Jacksonville on Monday, Sept. 26th at the European Street Listening Room where she will be introducing her new CD. Rese - Florida Times-Union

Florida CD/Albums of the Year 2011

Including Best Album or CD of the Year, Best Florida Album/CD by a group or duo, Best Florida CD by a Folk Artist and Best Traditional or Bluegrass CD

CD/Album of the Year (Best Overall)
“Nest” Rebecca Zapen
Produced by Rebecca Zapen and Jeremy Douglass
Recorded and Engineered by Jeremy Douglass
Mastered by Jesse Mangum

“Nest” is a beautifully recorded CD whose songs show the maturation and growth of one of Florida's most exciting recording artists and performers, Rebecca Zapen. Classically trained with a musical family history that obviously seems to help, Ms. Zapen was, until recently, a regular on the Jacksonville, North Florida music scene, for what it is, and has since relocated down South to the Tampa/St. Petersburg area, where she quickly became a significant and favorite musical performer there.
“Nest” is a deeply personal CD, pulling at your collar and tugging at your sleeves long after the first play. The music is wonderful and the lyrics are intelligent, sometimes funny and often times deeply moving. The concept of the CD revolves around Rebecca's first pregnancy and the birth of her son Joel Sebastian Zapen Douglass. Many of the songs reflect this theme including “I'm Gonna Make So Many Things For You,” “Tiny And Strong,” “888,” (written on August 8th, 2008), the very beautiful “Peace,” and finally “Jacaranda,” which says simply,

“...With a cat and a dog and most of all a man who loves me so,
Sitting here in our nest, waiting for this little egg to grow.
I never knew how much my life could change in one short year,
And I'm so glad that I'm here.”

Husband Jeremy Douglass shares co-producing credits and his instrumentation on many of the cuts is top rate. At times he may be heard on the melodica, the glockenspiel and vibraphone, but mostly piano and general keyboards, adding this husband's talented touch to the musical “nest.”
In celebrating her new found family in song, Rebecca also acknowledges her genealogy and family history in two beautifully written songs, “Grandfather's Song,” where her Jewish heritage is revealed proudly primarily in the melody and music, and the wonderful “Lakewood,” which lays open the wounds of divorce and how that effects a daughter's unconditional love for her father.
Rebecca has always provided her listeners with a delightful sense of humor in her previous CD recordings, “Hummingbird,” “Zapstar,” and my personal favorite, “Japanese Bathhouse.” “Nest” has it share of make-you-laugh-out-loud moments that highlight Zapen's humor in her songwriting. In “Swamp Pit” she asks, “Is he there for you? Would he carry you though a swamp pit?” and in “Beautiful Love Songs Without The Love,” she sings “I have a true love I've never seen/ He's waiting for me on the moon/ His spaceship is powered by marmalade/ I hope that the engine starts soon."
The one non-original song, Robert Palmer's “Addicted To Love,” gets a bossa nova remake and highlights Rebecca 's vocation even as she prepares and eventually settles at home in her “nest.” She remains first a musician and a performer, steeped in many styles of music but still doing it best in the clubs and with her live performances, where is she apt to surprise her audiences with an old standard or cover with a different spin. The theme “Addicted to Love” fits nicely into the concept of the album as well.
The CD is not all about love. Rebecca is sentimental but the CD is multi-layered and as we draw back the music there is revealed a darker side to the "Nest" as well. “You Did Me Wrong,” suggests betrayal and bitter disappointment in a relationship that has turned sour and on “The Ledge,” she sings “...Daylight brought hindsight and my dreams went stale/ Act like you don't care/ We were an unlikely pair/ Who said all in life and love was fair?”
After the Robert Palmer cover, Rebecca ends the CD with the Irish/Appalachian flavored “Colorado,” where she wraps it all up with a sad but realistic bow of her view of life and love. “The Nest,” it turns out is more than just having a baby and building a home and a family. In the end, our “Nest” is that place where we are ourselves, that place where we are most honest and true with who we really are. The CD's final lyrics summarize this nicely:

“...I put a chunk of faith in you, you ended up in Colorado,
I used to ask you what to do, I learned its best to lead, not follow,
With teeth of corn and hair of twine, I was living in my brother's shadow,
Do what you're told, just be a girl, And on the wall my name is burning,
I'm stronger than I ever knew, far weaker than I ever fathomed,
Lord, let my path in life be true, Lord, give me signs that I can follow,
And love the space you're in today, 'Cause room to grow is awfully hollow.”

On a final note, Rebecca Zapen will be performing in Jacksonville on Monday, Sept. 26th at the European Street Listening Room where she will be introducing her new CD. Rese - Florida Times-Union

While some musicians spend a lifetime avoiding responsibilities and domestic duties as if they were sunlight or sobriety, classically trained violinist, singer-songwriter and ukulele-shredder Rebecca Zapen has taken the art of settling down to new heights with her latest album, the aptly titled "Nest."
The Jacksonville native, a longtime player on the Northeast Florida music scene, moved to Tampa/St. Pete three years ago. She had been involved with projects ranging from ZapStar, her winning jazz combo with Jacksonville University guitar guru Gary Starling, to playing as a duo with her sister-in-strings, double bassist Chelsea Chason. She even appeared on Michael Feldman's radio show, "Whad'Ya Know?"
Now 37, Zapen has amassed an impressive musical resume that ranges from award-winning soundtrack work in 2009's "Look Both Ways," appearing in clubs and festival stages the world over. An avowed devotee of the 1930s "gypsy jazz" of guitarist Django Reinhardt and violinist Stephane Grappelli, Zapen has appeared at Seattle's DjangoFest and France's legendary annual Festival Django Reinhardt in Samois-Sur-Seine. Zapen has also documented her career on albums like 2003"s "Hummingbird' and '05's "Japanese Bathhouse."
Zapen's marriage to fellow musician, keyboardist and recording engineer Jeremy Douglass, and the birth of son Joel, now 22 months old, are the inspirations behind "Nest,"an impressive 13-track collection with highlights like the ethereal "Peace," the klezmer-waltz of "Grandfather's Song," the haunting Appalachian-drone of "Colorado" and even a sharp bossa nova reading of Robert Palmer's "Addicted to Love." For her performance next Monday, Sept. 26 at European Street Cafe, Zapen helps a 12-piece ensemble.
We recently spoke to Rebecca Zapen about her highly melodic lineage, and some River City reveries.

Folio Weekly: You come from an incredibly musical family. Could you talk a bit about your upbringing?
Rebecca Zapen: On my father's side, my grandfather was a jazz guitarist, and my 92-year-old grandmother still plays her accordion. My mother, violinist Lois Gosa, is in her 40th season playing with the Jacksonville Symphony Orchestra; my stepfather, Dale Gosa, was a double bassist with JSO for about 30 years; my father, Ronald Zapen, was an assistant conductor with JSO and is now conductor of the Hollywood Philharmonic Orchestra. My earliest musical memories include sitting beneath the baby grand piano as my mother played, hearing the JSO play "Hawaii Five-O" with my father conducting, and observing my mother teaching violin students. Being so utterly immersed in music from the time I was born, you'd think it would only be natural to go into music, but my family, knowing the instability of the field, encouraged me to consider other options. After a few years of trying to follow their advice, music called me back, and the two of us have been inseparable these past 10 years.

F.W.: How would you describe your music to someone who's never heard it?
R.Z.: Maybe I'd say the product of a classically trained violinist, heavily influenced by jazz, writing delicate, cinematic New Folk foraying into Americana, bossa nova and pop -- Suzanne Vega meets Chet Baker meets the Ditty Bops!

F.W.: You began production on "Nest" when you were six months pregnant and sort of shelved working on it until Joel was 13 months old. Was that delay intentional?
R.Z.: To sum up the process, it was 1) be a parent 2) make a living and 3) be creative, in that order. Becoming a parent was a huge adjustment, mentally and physically. The baby woke up every 2 to 3 hours to be fed, throughout the day, throughout the night. Imagine going at least six months straight without ever sleeping more than a few hours at a time. That makes for a whole new kind of reality! Our central focus was learning how to take care of the little guy, and I was gradually returning to gigging and teaching violin, but trying to strike a balance so that I was with the baby much of the time.

F.W.: Has being a good parent cut into any Janis Joplin post-gig, extra-curricular honky-tonkin' activities?
R.Z.: For sure! No, really, I was never much into the post-gig extra-curricular activities. Jeremy and I usually hightail it home after our gigs. My wild nights are dinner and a movie, or going out for a couple hours with another mom. Par-tay!

F.W.: How do you feel about coming back to our city?
R.Z.: I have a lot of great things to come back to when I visit Jax. Of course there's my family, and they're always excited to see Joel, who generally travels with me on out-of-town gigs. I feel sentimental when I drive past my old neighborhoods. I grew up in Lakewood and San Jose Manor. As an adult, I have lived in Riverside, Murray Hill and San Marco. When I come home, it's almost always to play a gig, often a private gig. Hence a lot of people don't know that I've been gigging somewhat regularly in Jax. I have great memories of being a strolling - Folio Weekly

While some musicians spend a lifetime avoiding responsibilities and domestic duties as if they were sunlight or sobriety, classically trained violinist, singer-songwriter and ukulele-shredder Rebecca Zapen has taken the art of settling down to new heights with her latest album, the aptly titled "Nest."
The Jacksonville native, a longtime player on the Northeast Florida music scene, moved to Tampa/St. Pete three years ago. She had been involved with projects ranging from ZapStar, her winning jazz combo with Jacksonville University guitar guru Gary Starling, to playing as a duo with her sister-in-strings, double bassist Chelsea Chason. She even appeared on Michael Feldman's radio show, "Whad'Ya Know?"
Now 37, Zapen has amassed an impressive musical resume that ranges from award-winning soundtrack work in 2009's "Look Both Ways," appearing in clubs and festival stages the world over. An avowed devotee of the 1930s "gypsy jazz" of guitarist Django Reinhardt and violinist Stephane Grappelli, Zapen has appeared at Seattle's DjangoFest and France's legendary annual Festival Django Reinhardt in Samois-Sur-Seine. Zapen has also documented her career on albums like 2003"s "Hummingbird' and '05's "Japanese Bathhouse."
Zapen's marriage to fellow musician, keyboardist and recording engineer Jeremy Douglass, and the birth of son Joel, now 22 months old, are the inspirations behind "Nest,"an impressive 13-track collection with highlights like the ethereal "Peace," the klezmer-waltz of "Grandfather's Song," the haunting Appalachian-drone of "Colorado" and even a sharp bossa nova reading of Robert Palmer's "Addicted to Love." For her performance next Monday, Sept. 26 at European Street Cafe, Zapen helps a 12-piece ensemble.
We recently spoke to Rebecca Zapen about her highly melodic lineage, and some River City reveries.

Folio Weekly: You come from an incredibly musical family. Could you talk a bit about your upbringing?
Rebecca Zapen: On my father's side, my grandfather was a jazz guitarist, and my 92-year-old grandmother still plays her accordion. My mother, violinist Lois Gosa, is in her 40th season playing with the Jacksonville Symphony Orchestra; my stepfather, Dale Gosa, was a double bassist with JSO for about 30 years; my father, Ronald Zapen, was an assistant conductor with JSO and is now conductor of the Hollywood Philharmonic Orchestra. My earliest musical memories include sitting beneath the baby grand piano as my mother played, hearing the JSO play "Hawaii Five-O" with my father conducting, and observing my mother teaching violin students. Being so utterly immersed in music from the time I was born, you'd think it would only be natural to go into music, but my family, knowing the instability of the field, encouraged me to consider other options. After a few years of trying to follow their advice, music called me back, and the two of us have been inseparable these past 10 years.

F.W.: How would you describe your music to someone who's never heard it?
R.Z.: Maybe I'd say the product of a classically trained violinist, heavily influenced by jazz, writing delicate, cinematic New Folk foraying into Americana, bossa nova and pop -- Suzanne Vega meets Chet Baker meets the Ditty Bops!

F.W.: You began production on "Nest" when you were six months pregnant and sort of shelved working on it until Joel was 13 months old. Was that delay intentional?
R.Z.: To sum up the process, it was 1) be a parent 2) make a living and 3) be creative, in that order. Becoming a parent was a huge adjustment, mentally and physically. The baby woke up every 2 to 3 hours to be fed, throughout the day, throughout the night. Imagine going at least six months straight without ever sleeping more than a few hours at a time. That makes for a whole new kind of reality! Our central focus was learning how to take care of the little guy, and I was gradually returning to gigging and teaching violin, but trying to strike a balance so that I was with the baby much of the time.

F.W.: Has being a good parent cut into any Janis Joplin post-gig, extra-curricular honky-tonkin' activities?
R.Z.: For sure! No, really, I was never much into the post-gig extra-curricular activities. Jeremy and I usually hightail it home after our gigs. My wild nights are dinner and a movie, or going out for a couple hours with another mom. Par-tay!

F.W.: How do you feel about coming back to our city?
R.Z.: I have a lot of great things to come back to when I visit Jax. Of course there's my family, and they're always excited to see Joel, who generally travels with me on out-of-town gigs. I feel sentimental when I drive past my old neighborhoods. I grew up in Lakewood and San Jose Manor. As an adult, I have lived in Riverside, Murray Hill and San Marco. When I come home, it's almost always to play a gig, often a private gig. Hence a lot of people don't know that I've been gigging somewhat regularly in Jax. I have great memories of being a strolling - Folio Weekly

"Nothing adequately prepares for the way in which her deeply personal album instantaneously envelops and never loses its grip.... The title song and others bring to mind no less than early solo McCartney and Brian Wilson's SMiLE.... One of those near-perfect hidden gems..." - RELIX

"Nothing adequately prepares for the way in which her deeply personal album instantaneously envelops and never loses its grip.... The title song and others bring to mind no less than early solo McCartney and Brian Wilson's SMiLE.... One of those near-perfect hidden gems..." - RELIX

This album is an absolute dream, from the very first note to the very last second; every idiosyncrasy and personal quirk flourishes within the most sublime melodies and infectiously charming lyrics. The opening track is a bitter-sweet ode to a fleeting, and ultimately doomed, romance with a Lego pirate. Dreamy, ethereal, (think early Lush) Zapen’s vocals swoon and sweep, instantly hypnotic and effortlessly charming, it sets the mood for the rest of the album.

The second track, ‘Smile’ is one of the many highlights of the album, a gorgeous folk pop duet with Christopher Estes. An unusual ukulele love song that name checks Jacques Cousteau and Florence Nightingale, and also features tap dancing interludes. It is its simplicity and happy-go-lucky feel that makes it instantly accessible and really demonstrates the ease of Zapen’s talent and originality. The style and arrangement of ‘Dolores’, has a sound not dissimilar to The Cardigans’ ‘Life’. That laid back European lazy summer afternoon atmosphere, but with a hint of melancholy waiting beneath the surface.

The title track ‘Japanese Bathhouse’ has that Woody Allen vibe; musically it’s mix of clarinet and swing, and lyrically, it’s been a while since ‘thee’ and ‘ha-cha-cha’ were used in a contemporary pop song. The track itself is an affectionate and comical take on being naked with a bunch of strangers, light and breezy, always seeing the funny side. Its not all fun and joy though, ‘Miss You’ and ‘I Am Fine’ are twinged with sadness and sorrow, and although there is an air of sadness in the lyrics, the songs are never depressing as the musical accompaniments and vocals arrangements are so transcendent.

The album also features three instrumental tracks; they are the kind of songs that would instantly feel at home on the soundtrack to a Wes Anderson film. They make curious little interludes and exemplify the extent Zapen’s musical talent. Of course this album won’t be to everyone’s taste, but for those of you (like me) enjoy intricate little folk pop songs about unconventional situations, and the soundtracks to Wes Anderson, I warmly recommend this gem of an album.

By Helen Sadler
- Subba-Cultcha (UK)

Zapen is a multi-award winning singer-songwriter with a vocal range that allows her to go from a jazz-sultry croon to a dreamy, honey-sweet cry, and a classically-trained violinist who also plays ukulele and guitar. She infuses her sound with elements of acoustic folk, Americana, and gypsy jazz, and brings a warm swinging feel to her pretty melodies. Zapen lists her own quirky talent as “strong urge to turn T.V. show themes into bossa novas” and plans to release a fourth album, Grandfather’s Song, sometime later this year. - Creative Loafing

Zapen is a multi-award winning singer-songwriter with a vocal range that allows her to go from a jazz-sultry croon to a dreamy, honey-sweet cry, and a classically-trained violinist who also plays ukulele and guitar. She infuses her sound with elements of acoustic folk, Americana, and gypsy jazz, and brings a warm swinging feel to her pretty melodies. Zapen lists her own quirky talent as “strong urge to turn T.V. show themes into bossa novas” and plans to release a fourth album, Grandfather’s Song, sometime later this year. - Creative Loafing

"This one falls firmly into the "wow, this is really well (self) produced and (self) recorded at home category.' ... I suspect that the old adage that good sounding music is easy to record is also part of why this sounds so good. Zapen not only writes great songs and sings them well, but she also has real arrrangement talents and plays a variety of instruments. "
- Tape-Op

"This one falls firmly into the "wow, this is really well (self) produced and (self) recorded at home category.' ... I suspect that the old adage that good sounding music is easy to record is also part of why this sounds so good. Zapen not only writes great songs and sings them well, but she also has real arrrangement talents and plays a variety of instruments. "
- Tape-Op