On the surface, Jessie Kilguss may seem somewhat unassuming. But when you look below the surface, what you encounter is a sharp, incisive mind, and a deep heart, as evidenced by her new album, Exotic Bird, an exquisitely charming and literate collection of songs that resonate powerfully both musically and emotionally. Growing up on a farm outside of Providence, Rhode Island, Jessie always had a deep love of music, and sang as a child. But her initial interest was on the stage, and to that end, she trained as an actress at NYU’s Tisch School of the Arts and the prestigious Webber Douglas Academy of Dramatic Art in London, honing both her acting and singing skills. Her work paid off in winning a role in the film adapatation of Arthur Miller’s classic, “The Crucible,” starring Daniel Day Lewis and Winona Ryder. She also toured the UK and the U.S. in Shakespeare’s “As You Like It,” and crucially, in Tom Waits’, Robert Wilson’s and William Burrough’s production of the Black Rider in both London and Sydney, Australia, where she got to work with Mary Margaret O’Hara and Marianne Faithfull, both of whom were enormous influences on Jessie. “Getting to work with Marianne every night and watching her every day was inspiring,” remembers Jessie. And she recalls, “Mary Margaret O’Hara – she sang the same songs differently every night. It’s stuck with me and has been a huge influence for me as a singer.”But after a while, Jessie began to find her experiences in the theater to be unsatisfying, and she cast about looking for her next undertaking. “I was lucky enough to be introduced to (production team) Super Buddha (Blondie, Scissor Sisters, Rufus Wainwright), who eventually became my producer, and that got me writing songs for the first time,” she remembers. “I always wanted to write, but I never had the courage to do it before I met them. But I found that I love it – becoming a songwriter has become a life changing experience!” To record Exotic Bird, Jessie drew upon her experiences both personally and professionally. She explains, “My theater experience was something I really took from. I’d bring my songs to them in filmic visions – I’d bring a melody and lyrics and I’d explain the situation and character in a visual way and they got it. They were excited to explore the strange landscapes that I bring to them.” And as a vocalist, Jessie concentrated on her love of the voices of Dylan, Marianne Faithfull and Nina Simone, who, as she says, “I love their voices; they’re so expressive because they’re not pure.” The album is an eclectic mix of songs that are a conglomeration of Jessie’s experiences and her literary influences. “My favorite song on the album is ‘Lord Lucan,’” she states, “He is a character who was an English aristocrat who murdered his nanny and disappeared. I used it as a metaphor for someone in my life. I think it’s the best song I’ve written.” Sonically, Super Buddha’s production creates a level of ethereal splendor throughout the album, creating soundscapes that highlight the lovely and lilting quality of Jessie’s voice, while underscoring the understated beauty of the songs. Jessie is proud of Exotic Bird, and she is looking forward to performing it live and recording more. “I’m just finding my voice,” she declares, “my goal is to begin to tour internationally. I start recording another album very soon, and I’m putting my band together and beginning to play out in New York.” With her skill, intelligence and a fine debut album in hand, you can count on hearing more from this very unique and talented artist.

Tom Waits, Nick Cave, Marianne Faithfull, Nick Drake, Joni Mitchell