‘Take Ten’ with Kim Prevost
By Nancy Lockyear for The NIN Hotline, reporting from New Orleans

      To many of Trent Reznor’s fans the name Kim Prevost summoned up many intriguing questions. She is both as singer with multiple credit listings on The Fragile, and the haunting voice on its first single, "The Day The World Went Away (Quiet Mix)”. Although she is a woman of mystery for some NIN fans, Jazz listeners may recognize Ms. Prevost as a popular member of the vibrant New Orleans music scene, and 1999 winner of the BET National Jazz Discovery Award. What happened to a minister’s daughter, who grew up listening to classic R & B and Gospel, for her to find herself in a recording studio with a leader of Industrial/Art Rock? Kim answered that, and (nin)e other questions during a ten minute break during sound checks for the live show “Ladies Sing The Blues” here in sultry New Orleans.

For listeners new to your work, how would you describe your music and unique abilities as a vocalist, and what was the inspiration?
It’s interesting because people often say I have a lot of influences from the Sarah Vaughn era, the Billy Holiday era, and also a new Sade’ish kind of sound. We really describe it as very ‘Earthy Jazz’, because we have Jazz-based influences. But we put a different spin on it, a modern’istic spin you could say to a lot of the old standards. It’s really about getting back to the music’s roots. I’m a huge Phyllis Hyman fan. Also Lauryn Hill, Aretha Franklin… Incognito is definitely one of my favorites… I love anything that’s groove oriented. I’ve been listening a lot to George Porter, Jr. (a bass player in New Orleans), too…and Nine Inch Nails, of course.

How did you get the gig working with Nine Inch Nails?
Well, actually, it was really weird because I got a call from my agent with the information that Trent was looking a vocalist for his new album. He said Trent wanted me, and I said OK, so I showed up and I asked Trent personally “how had you found out about me?” He said he had seen my name in the local papers, had gotten some really good response about my vocals in the Jazz genre, and he just wanted to try it and see how it went. It was a good collaboration, and I should say Trent was very pleasant to work with, and he made me feel very comfortable. We even exchanged some ideas. I thought that was really cool.

Has the experience of collaborating on a non-Jazz project like “The Fragile” had any lasting effects on your own work?
Actually, it has, because one of the things I learned from Trent is how he uses his own musical sounds, and comes up with them himself. This has inspired Bill Solley and myself to really delve into not just keeping the roots of our music to just Jazz…to go adventuring out into some other areas of music. We have been listening to a lot of different types now.


You have album credit for vocals on “Into The Void” and “The Day The World Went Away (Quiet)”, as well as a receiving a special thank-you listing. Any stories about “The Fragile” sessions? Since you are usually described as a Jazz performer, was it very different working with a Rock-based musician such as Trent?
Because I brought my fiancé (Jazz guitarist and music partner Bill Solley) with me, of course he was totally, completely enamoured with all of Trent’s guitars that were in the studio. But for me it was a chance to musically collaborate with Trent. He would play parts of what he wanted me to work on, and to play with creatively. He was just very easy about letting me find that, and do it without stress or pressure. It was a good working relationship in retrospect... and of course him showing us around his fabulous studio was really, really great!

Is Nothing Studios physical size anything like it appears from outside? Also were there any unique, technical features that are totally different from other studio you have worked in?
The studio is huge! It has several different levels… top notch stuff. With the quality of the equipment, if you compare it to many studios (Nothing) has better sound. The technical level of the equipment is VERY impressive. Also working with his crew was notable. His engineers in particular were very easy to work with, and very professional. Because the studio was so advanced it was all easier to work with. I didn’t have to spend a lot of time on just having to repeat everything, particularly stopping and starting the tape, etc. Everything ran very smoothly.


What is the best thing about being a member the New Orleans music scene?
You get to play with everybody, to meet all types of musicians, actually get to play and go sit in on the set with them… and just ABSORB the music! Also you can collaborate with different musicians in town. Recently a guitarist just gave a song to Bill and me because he thought we would represent it very well, so we have decided to put it on our next CD. We have a lot of love and support here in New Orleans.

Why did you choose this community? What has kept you here?
I was born here. My Dad is a minister, and I always sang in the church choir until I was four years old. My Mother sang as well as my father. She loves Gladys Knight and the Pips, so I heard all that R&B, too. I listened to R&B after I prayed. That is where my roots are.
We have done very well in New Orleans, and I think you can accomplish getting a major record deal with an independent label and still have a home base. New Orleans is our home, and I think we can do anything we want to as if we were living in New York, Los Angeles, or any big city because it has happened. In the last three years we have had all that, and developed both our careers by making contacts everywhere.

In summing up, is there anything else you would like to tell music fans?
I just want to say that I’m very glad to see Trent having a home base here in New Orleans, because it’s great for this city to have a person like him with his music and recognition. Whether you are an independent artist, or trying to make it on a national level, he is an inspiration. For him to give local talent a chance and an opportunity is really inspiring. It definitely did me.

      Fans can currently watch Kim perform live here in New Orleans with fellow ‘blues ladies’ Suzanne Yee McKamey and Anne Marie Guidry in the show “Ladies Sing The Blues: The Songs of Billie Holiday, Sarah Vaughn and Ella Fitzgerald”. The next performance is scheduled for May 28th at 8:00 PM in the beautiful Ponichartrain Hotel on St. Charles Avenue. For more information please call 504/455-6146. Kim and partner Bill Solley also schedule many concerts in New Orleans clubs. Listings for these dates can be found in Gambit Weekly, OffBeat, the Times-Picayune Friday entertainment section, and online at www.insideneworleans.com

      Kim’s current CD with Bill Solley is titled “I Would Give all My Love” It is available on STR Digital Records (www.strdigital.com). Her music is also on sale in New Orleans at Tower Records, Virgin Records, and Louisiana Music Factory. Upcoming recordings will include a follow up to their 1999 release, due early next year with their Jazz/Funk band. Also in the works is a Jazz/R & B collaboration with a piano and flute duo from Holland. That album is scheduled for release later this year. Neither CD is as yet titled. Worldwide Jazz fans will also have a chance to catch the duo live. Kim will be performing soon at the Yervan International Jazz Festival in Armenia, with concerts also planned for various clubs in Paris, France. A tour of Holland is also booked for this September through October.


Interview conducted 5/21/2000 in New Orleans. Reporting by Nancy Lockyear, with additional material by Jonathan Tabac. Technical support from Pete Olivier, with special thanks to Miguel Malespin Productions and Phil Melancon. Do not reprint without permission. Trent Reznor photos courtesy evendeeper.net. Prevost & Solley pictures courtesy STRdigital.com. Article ©2000 Nancy Lockyear.