Three Stars: Peaches O'Dell

Visit her online at:: www.peachesodell.com

See her next: at the Black Cat's New Year's Eve Ball, $20

Questions for Peaches O'Dell:

So, is Peaches O'Dell a stage Name?

Well, yes and no. Peaches was my grandmother's name and O'Dell an old family name, and onomatopoetically speaking, it was a good mix for a girly singer.

What kind of music did you listen to growing up?

Eclectic and fairly loony — anything that I could dance around to, which did not go over so well in elementary school. I also came upon an enormous cache of ancient 78 rpm records — art objects all by themselves — and was listening to original hotsy-totsy fare at a formative age.

How did you get interested in the music of this era?

A few pivotal tunes in the college years prompted my love affair with swing, old cartoon music, the music of vintage Hollywood, lush Latin, swank 1950s fare. It's like a big awakening, a consciousness-raising. A chance recording or some old song in an old movie leaves one thunderstuck, asking...Geez! Who's Carmen Miranda? Who's Rita Hayworth and where did that dress come from? Who the heck is Ina Rae Hutton? You pine to share just a little thread of that big fat tapestry.

When/how did you decide to make it your career?

I started painting pictures of evening gowned chorines and wearing Revlon's "Cherries in the Snow" lipstick, singing "My Heart Belongs to Daddy" and "I Yi-Yi". Very happy stuff. I decided 18 years ago to be in the happiness business, which means bringing this ebullience to public events, brides, corporate parties...

People generally understand "pianist" or "singer”, what is being a bandleader?

It's sergeant-at-arms, oracle, mommy, architect... many things. That sounds fatuous, sorry. How about this: I wave a 3-foot sequined baton! But one thing's fer sure: A good bandleader respects the music and the musicians who bring it all to life, and never forgets that it is an honor to be on stage.

How has being a female bandleader impacted your career?

To be honest, gender has never really entered into the mix, though I have had a couple of musicians tell me the bandstand seems more "cozy" up there with a woman keeping things in check. Tee-hee.

Which singers, musicians and bandleaders of that era do you like?

Some of my favorites: Raymond Scott, early Glenn Miller and Duke Ellington, Xavier Cugat, Betty Hutton, Ella Fitzgerald, Cab Calloway, the Ink Spots, Louis Prima, Fred Waring, Mel Torme, Jimmie Lunceford.

Do you have any contemporaries you think are doing it well?

The Beau Hunks from the Netherlands are simply sumptuous and wonderful. I admire some of the kooky remixes of old stuff from Six Degrees Music, and cutie-pants Brian Setzer has certainly been a stalwart.

How did you land the Black Cat New Year's show?

We did their first public party upon getting liquor license back in, oh, 1994, perhaps. It grew out of that. Club owner, Dante Ferrando, is an incredibly creative, imaginative, wonderful person to work with. And brave, too. Over the years, we also did Halloween, Valentine's Day, summertime "Sea of Love" dances and a double bill with the Squirrel Nut Zippers at one point.

What do you remember from your first performance?

Beautiful girls and boys, ethereal stage lighting, wearing a complicated red dress and eating spaghetti when I got home at 4 a.m.

This will be your 11th New Year's Eve performance at the Black Cat, have there been any noticeable changes in the experience over time?

The experience is getting LARGER. The Conga Line is behemoth. The audience is diverse, and quite splendid, really. We have a number called "The Night of a Thousand Maracas" in which we ask ladies to come up and dance on stage during a big Ricky Ricardo-style number. Years ago, six would come forward. Now there are 20... or more. They all get party favors, though.

How is it different from your other dates?

New Year's Eve is a huge cultural moment. And there is THAT moment as one year slips into another with hopes, dreams, drama and happiness afloat in the interim. We set our official stage watch to the U.S. Naval Observatory's Master Clock, so it's the real deal. The night's hoopla, a hubbub - our job is to serenade it all with something snappy, and keep the collective
spirit sparkling.

What do you for the other 364/5 days of the year?

Keep the business afloat, stay curious, stay humble and be grateful to the Big Man Upstairs. I'm writing a book of course, but so is everyone else, so that's not much news. Maybe I should do a cooking show, in eveningwear.

How do you prepare for a show?

An iron-clad set list. Don't eat much, have a cup of tea, have a walk outside. I pack up my costumes as if I wear packing up a parachute — it's all got to be right there, as I only have about 10 minutes to change. And I change 4 or 5 times a night.

What do you have to say about this year's New Year’s Eve performance?

Whoopee! Our favorite night of the year, with a cavalcade of stars (including the audience). A big stroke-of-12 count-down. A swell band, chanteuse Christina Midnight and guest performers; our golden throated, silver-tongued crooner Mr. Douglas Bowles, the traditional Conga line. I have some new sky blue gloves to wear, and something with a lot of roses on it. Oh, and we play four sets, until 2 a.m.

Photo from www.peachesodell.com