The sun and moon have been explored in countless ways since humans started looking up at the sky. American poet E.E. Cummings once said, “The sun watches what I do, but the moon knows all my secrets.” Earlier in human history, philosopher Confucius said, “The sun and the moon shine on all without partiality.”
For Seattle-based nonbinary singer-songwriter and musician Brittany Davis, who has been blind since birth, the sun and moon are unseen forces that nonetheless amaze and mystify her and are personified through music.
It’s something she sought to capture on her song “Sun and Moon,” which is on her new album Black Thunder, due June 13 via Pearl Jam member Stone Gossard’s Loosegroove Records.
“This song represents what it feels like for me to know of the sun and the moon yet not experience either one of them visually,” explains Davis via press release. “Each one of the ultra lights of our universe is depicted by a certain chord. The sun is one chord and the moon is another. I’m trying to make the sonic version of what it means to have a light and dark balance.”
“An intimate view upon the musical staff of my mind when it comes to the world I inhabit through sound and song. The sun and the moon, the ultra lights.”
It echoes the album’s initial offering, the six-minute-plus spiritual jazz meditation “Amid the Blackout of the Night.”
Throughout her life, Davis has sought to make sense of the complexities of the universe and her life through the corresponding eclectic and complex music they make. That includes drawing upon influences such as Nina Simone, Roberta Flack, and Rahsaan Roland Kirk for the sound of Black Thunder.
The album was recorded at Seattle-based Studio Litho with the help of producer Josh Evans. It features Davis on acoustic piano and vocals, Evan Flory-Barnes on bass, and D’Vonne Lewis on drums. Together, the trio found instant chemistry, improvising the songs together quickly over the course of two days in the studio. The 17 tracks have a lively, poignant, and cathartic nature to them, thanks to Davis and the band’s ability to pull out emotional, raw emotion.
The process was much different than it was for Davis’ 2023 debut album, Image Issues, which was also released via Loosegroove Records. For that album, Davis wrote and recorded nearly every part of the album. The album speaks about the challenges she faced growing up as a blind person. You can learn more about the album in our review here. While the debut opted for a contemporary soul-funk sound based upon drum machines and programmed keys, Black Thunder strives to capture a fully live, organic performance. It showcases her growth as a musician and individual, and provides a further glimpse into her versatility.
SWT recently had the opportunity to interview Davis by email about her unique experience recording Black Thunder, why music is such a powerful force for her, and why she likes lengthy albums.
What are some artists or songs you’ve been listening to lately? What drew you to those artists or songs?
I’ve been listening to a lot of funk music and Afro-Cuban jazz. I love some of the big band feelings I get from Earth Wind and Fire. That raise the roof sound from George Clinton. Full-bodied and free. Some old-school Snoop Dogg as he also got down with some of that same funky goodness. It’s the blend of rhythmic pulses and drive for all the different styles I’ve listened to lately that really drew me in. How they all made each other happen like a chain reaction of sound.
You’ve mentioned in the past that sound is the way you’ve always seen your world, and it seems like you’ve been able to find new ways to understand, appreciate, and utilize the sounds you hear in your life as you’ve grown older. Can you talk a little bit about that? How has that enhanced ability to connect with sound continued to be a valuable teacher?
Well, as I often say, music is my first language. So, the sound I hear is just new vocabulary. It’s sort of like learning the color spectrum, but in detailed layers. I knew jazz the style, but now I’m learning the different colors of jazz and how they can work with other styles and colors of music. As I’ve gotten older, I can see that it’s all meant to flow like many rivers to the ocean and not stay separate in little streams, as the modern model of sound would have you think. The dance of life is with sound itself. Without it we couldn’t have breath because our very heart could not beat in the absence of sound’s power.
Your new album builds on some of the themes from your debut by exploring how you connect to the world. Your debut album focused quite a bit on growing up and overcoming struggles and your new album is more in the present. What were your goals lyrically and thematically on this album compared to your debut?
The beautiful and strange thing about this project is that I didn’t have any particular goals in mind. I just wanted to play with some people and see what we could come up with. I wasn’t expecting to be blessed with such a heart rush of inspiration. Some of the feelings and themes that came out in that album, I didn’t even know I had them living within my soul so deeply. It was like being a tree and seeing my roots for the first time.
Despite singing about some unpleasant and serious topics, you often find glimmers of hope. Why is that important? How do you hope your new songs offer listeners hope and courage to face the challenges the world throws at them?
I truly believe that hope is our future. Without the ability to hope, we lose the foundation of our visions and what it takes to bring them to life. I hope that each listener gets whatever they need to get out of this journey because the only thing that matters when you press play is you and the music. My part’s done. I know that whoever picks up Black Thunder will receive the medicine, method, or messages that they were called to receive from it. And even some, nothing at all. But it’s the hope and love that keeps Black Thunder alive.
On your debut, you created nearly every sound on the album. This time, you decided to play as part of a trio. Why did you decide to go that route? What do you like about performing as a trio? What do you like about Evan and D’Vonne’s playing? How do they enhance your songs? In what ways has it expanded the possibilities of what you can do?
When it comes to this three piece, it was all fate. I knew that I was going to be playing with D’Vonne, but Evan was the cool wild card we needed to tie the roots of this album down. And it felt so good to stretch out in a style of music that I hadn’t before. The jazzy feel and poetic cadences wouldn’t have been there if not for the playing of these beautiful brothers. I love performing as a trio because I’m able to give my creative voice to the project without the need to control it all. I love reacting to what someone else might do and also having them follow my lead as well. There’s something electric about discovering myself in jazz and poetry. I’m feeling like the possibilities for my sonic future are endless because of the fire and ease in which this project came about.
The three of you improvised the entirety of the album in a very productive two days in the studio. Was that planned, or something that was more spontaneous? How would you describe the atmosphere and chemistry of those sessions? Why do you think things gelled so quickly? What were your favorite moments?
It was so totally spontaneous. We had no idea we were going into the studio to create such a masterpiece. The colors, the lyrics, the changes, the instrumentation, it was all from the soul. We’re so good, and that made it even easier to relax into a rhythm. We had so much fun just kicking things around and playing with hits and misses. Little suggestions from Josh Evans and probably more laughter than an album with such deep topics should have. There were even more recordings that didn’t make the album but were just as poignant because they came from our real-life stories. Somebody would say something, and then all of a sudden, we had a song about it. They were pretty solid, too. It was really a good time.
Your new song “Sun and Moon” is about how you experience the Sun and Moon. In the song, you called them “ultra lights of our universe.” How do you correlate those things with different chords? How do they form a sonic spectrum or, as you’ve said, a light and dark balance? What were your favorite parts of writing and recording that song?
The sun and moon were always my favorite things to talk about in school. I think I was fascinated by how something so far away could have such a direct impact on how we exist on this planet. Also, I thought it was funny how they are both bright, but the moon doesn’t give off heat like the sun. And when I was a kid, everything I interacted with had some type of musicality to it. I was showing the guys what the sun’s chord was and what the moon’s chord was. That’s when Josh says, “Let’s hear what that would sound like as a song.” I loved telling the story of how, as a kid, I prayed to God and asked Him to show me the stars, then played for them the sound I heard as I slept. That was such a happy memory for me. I think that’s why “Sun and Moon” came out so bouncy. It was colored by that childhood memory.
What’s the story behind the album’s title, Black Thunder? Why was it appealing and fitting for this collection of songs?
I think Black Thunder became the name of the album because the song itself was so involved. So many rich textures and deep wisdom. When I was composing the song, I thought about the whole of the earth. How it responds naturally to itself and everything within it. Then, building upon that concept, I call on the experiences I’ve had and I’m sure many others have had. Where we also respond in natural ways to our circumstances and our creator. Black Thunder represents to me the voice of God. The very movement of life itself. The words of the song are calls to do or be the livers of life. To watch from up close what happens when God speaks. That’s why this name fits this body of work so well, because every song embodies this doing and being alive.
Piano has a more prominent role on your new album. Why did you feel that was important? In what ways did it most shape these new songs?
Piggybacking off of what I was saying about Black Thunder, it’s all about doing and being in the moment completely. The piano was there, so I lived in that space with it. I don’t think I’ve ever played piano like that. Or so deeply. I gave my heart to and through those keys. There are no spaces between the notes of a keyboard, just one note to the next. So, speaking through a piano can be a bit difficult when you need to weep. You need microtones for that. Where the soul breaks and the heart blazes with fury, I had to use my whole body to speak with that instrument. So, when these songs came from me, they were everything I knew about playing piano and then some.
You’ve been playing piano since you were 3 years old and trying to recreate bird songs. What do you like about playing piano? How has it allowed you to connect to the world? How do you think your growth as a player opened doors in what you’re able to do?
I love playing piano because it has all the notes that the human ear can hear. I can go as high or as low as I want to go. The keys feel nice too. And there’s always something new to learn or revisit.
Your music is very dynamic and eccentric, incorporating a rich diversity of genres. Why is that appealing to you? What do you hope listeners get or learn from getting bombarded by different sounds?
I think I blend so many styles because I’ve heard the world exclusively. No visuals to create the contextual boundaries that sometimes can be associated with particular genres. There are just no barriers for me at all. If it feels good in my soul, it gets recorded. And I love that because you get the real ones that way. Good conversations come from people experiencing something outside of their comfort zones and processing new perspectives. But today’s model can kind of leave the fullness of human experiences out just to check the boxes. As a person without sight, I’ve lived my life adapting. Pushing the boundaries of what others may think is possible, and even myself sometimes. I know that’s why I take on that same challenge in my artistic process. Letting the listener come to their own place of pushing away from the typical path is my goal. I want folks to really have a safe place to take control of the way they see things for themselves. That’s why my songs can’t be classified as one genre. You may like “Sun and Moon,” but not “Mirrors.” But that’s okay because it’s all about how you see the process. Not what I want from you. Take what you need. You’re home.
You’ve released your music on Loosegroove Records, who have been very accommodating in allowing you to share your vision. What does it mean to be able to have that freedom and not be beholden to the usual 10-14 track albums most make these days?
The truth of my vision is still developing. And I love Loosegroove for letting me explore what it all means. To not have the formulaic approach to building an album hanging over me allows me to let my heartbeat. To remember where the music all started and why it must go on. It’s also very beautiful and rare that everybody that you work with as an artist is like family. From the production to management, I feel completely enveloped by a team of people who are ready and willing to hold space for my vision to be born. Oh, and I get to dream up albums and record them in 48 hours. You want studio time for 2 days, but you don’t have any material? No problem. Unheard of.
What do you find appealing about longer albums? What longer albums do you look to as inspiration and why?
I love albums that have something to say no matter [what] the length. I really love all of Stevie Wonder’s albums because they all speak. I haven’t been listening to a lot of long albums right now. But when I do hear a long one, I just want it to reach my heart. To move my body. Take me on an adventure. Tell me a truth or secret. And even if I don’t get it. Just knowing that the artist and I spent some time together, and we got something special that nobody can take away.
What are you most looking forward to in the future? Are you planning to play shows solo or as a trio?
I’m excited for Black Thunder to be released. I will be playing some trio and some solo shows. And it’s been confirmed that I’m going back to Paris this year. I’m really looking forward to that trip. I think Paris is becoming my 2nd home.
You can follow and listen to Brittany at the below links:
Instagram: @brittanydavismusic/
Facebook: @TheRealBrittanyDavis
YouTube: @brittanydavis4300
Apple Music: Brittany Davis on Apple Music
Spotify: Brittany Davis on Spotify
You can see Brittany perform live at the below dates:
SEATTLE AREA:
JUNE 8th – SNOVALLEY PRIDE (SOLO)
JUNE 14th – BLACK THUNDER RECORD RELEASE PARTY EASY STREET RECORDS
JUNE 17th – THE RABBIT BOX (BLACK THUNDER)
JUNE 19th – THE FIDDLERS INN
JUNE 20th – OLYMPIA DAY CELEBRATION
SEPTEMBER 6th – THE TRACTOR TAVERN
FRANCE:
OCTOBER 15th – MALAKOFF SCENE NATIONALE
OCTOBER 16th – ENGUEIN CENTRE CULTURAL
OCTOBER 17th – ROUEN Le 106
Joshua is co-founder of Scummy Water Tower. He’s freelanced for a variety of newspapers, magazines, and websites, including: Rolling Stone, The Boston Globe, Chicago Sun-Times, Guitar World, MTV News, Grammy.com, Chicago Magazine, Milwaukee Magazine, MKE Lifestyle, Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, A.V. Club, SPIN, Alternative Press, Under the Radar, Paste, PopMatters, American Songwriter, and Relix. You can email him at josh@scummywatertower.com.
