• Singer, songwriter, guitarist, producer
• Singer, songwriter, guitarist, producer
• Originally from Pennsylvania, now lives in Guelph, Ontario, Canada
• At age 11, began studying with renowned educator and legendary guitarist John Dougherty
• Harvard University grad, Magna Cum Laude, English Literature
• Berklee College of Music Alum
• 2007 & 2009 John Lennon Songwriting Contest Winner in the Jazz Category
• 2006, 2007, 2008, 2009 ASCAP Plus Awards for Jazz Composition
• A constant collaborator, Kate has worked with Justin Faulkner (Branford Marsalis) John Ellis (Jason Marsalis, Charlie Hunter), Terri Lyne Carrington (Herbie Hancock), Viktor Krauss (Lyle Lovett, Bill Frisell)
• Self-produced her sophomore release, Telephone Game, engineered and mixed by Canadian uber-producer Michael Phillip Wojewoda (Barenaked Ladies, Rheostatics)
You could call Kate Schutt a musical triathlete. She is a creative triple threat - a guitarist, producer and singer/songwriter of rare skill and originality. The sports analogy is fitting, given that her teenage prowess as an ice hockey and lacrosse player helped the Pennsylvania born and bred Schutt gain access to the hallowed halls of Harvard. Her other passion, music, then took over. After a rigorous education at the famed Berklee College of Music, Kate’s commitment to music became entrenched.
Telephone Game, Kate’s self-produced second full-length album, is a remarkably lush, melodic record that deftly walks the line between pop, soul and jazz. This balancing act creates an uncanny sense of familiarity from the very first listen.
A myriad of styles and influences, Telephone Game showcases Kate’s innate ability to write from various perspectives and in different voices. The lead track, “Take Everything”, is a smoldering, soulful song that pleads "Take everything, but leave me something: something I can forget you by.” Inspired by the Eastern seaboard power outage of 2003, “Blackout” possesses an unabashed rock vibe. Laced with chaotic yet calculated guitar distortion and feedback, it perfectly captures the east coast’s plunge into darkness. “Take Me with You” coasts along like a lost jazz standard until you get to the rock-ish bridge – all energetic power chords and motion. Kate pulls this off magically, naturally; many of her songs sound like one thing (retro jazz standards) that then morph into and out of another style (rock interludes, blues vamps, gypsy jazz meditations).
Kate handpicked a “dream band” for Telephone Game. Her first choice for drums was the masterful Terri Lyne Carrington (Herbie Hancock, Quincy Jones, Cassandra Wilson) and she’s one of the reasons why the record feels so good. Young lion pianist Orrin Evans (Mingus Big Band, Kenny Barron) uses his formidable chops sparingly, subtly, and always in support of the lyric and the singer. Duane Andrews’s acoustic guitar serves as foil to Kate’s understated electric guitar work. Telephone Game features standout appearances by saxophonist John Ellis (Charlie Hunter, Jason Marsalis) and his horn section and by a trio of members from Kuumba, Harvard’s gospel choir. To preserve the vintage sound and vibe captured during the recording sessions, Kate committed to mixing the album analogue. She and Michael Phillip Wojewoda traveled to legendary producer Steve Addabbo’s Shelter Island Sound in New York for the final mixing and melding. Telephone Game was recorded, mixed and mastered in Toronto, Boston, New York and Nashville.
Instrumentation
Kate Schutt - guitar/vox, producer, arranger, canary-in-the-coal-mine
At any given time, Schutt adds these players (and others) to her band:
John Ellis, saxophones, NYC
Alan Ferber, trombones, NYC
Orrin Evans, piano, Philly
Justin Faulkner, drums, Philly
Shawn Pelton, drums, NYC
Brandon Ross, guitar, NYC
Madison Rast, bass, Philly
Damian Erskine, bass, Portland, OR
Paul Reddick, harmonica, Toronto, ON
Kurt Swinghammer, guitar, Toronto, ON
Duane Andrews, guitar, Newfoundland
Patrick Boyle, trumpet, Newfoundland
Jason Hunter, saxophone, Kincardine, ON
Marc Rogers, bass, Toronto, ON
Russ Boswell, bass, Toronto, ON
What's Love Got To Do With It?
Kate Schutt Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Makes my pulse react
That it's only the thrill of boy meeting girl
Opposites attract
It's physical
Only logical
You must try to ignore that it means more than that
What's love but a second hand emotion
What's love got to do, got to do with it
Who needs a heart when a heart can be broken
It may seem to you that I'm acting confused
When you're close to me
If a tend to look dazed I've read it someplace
I've got cause to be
There's a name for it
There's a phrase that fits
But whatever the reason you do it for me
What's love got to do, got to do with it
What's love but a second hand emotion
What's love got to do, got to do with it
Who needs a heart when a heart can be broken
I've been taking on a new direction
But I have to say
I've been thinking about my own protection
It scares me to feel this way
What's love got to do, got to do with it
What's love but a sweet old fashioned notion
What's love got to do, got to do with it
Who needs a heart when a heart can be broken
In Kate Schutt's song "What's Love Got To Do With It?", the lyrics describe a physical attraction between two people, highlighting the thrill of boy meeting girl, and the logical explanation for this attraction. The singer acknowledges that the touch of the other person's hand makes their pulse react, but emphasizes that this connection is only physical and should not be mistaken for something deeper.
Throughout the song, the singer questions the role of love in their relationship, ultimately concluding that it is a second-hand emotion not worth investing in. Despite feeling confused and dazed when in the presence of the other person, the singer emphasizes that there is a name and phrase for this feeling, but it does not necessarily mean love is involved.
Towards the end of the song, the singer mentions a new direction they have been taking, but also expresses fear in feeling vulnerable and unprotected. The idea of needing protection suggests that the singer may have developed feelings beyond just physical attraction, but still struggles with the idea of investing in love.
Line by Line Meaning
You must understand though the touch of your hand
Makes my pulse react
Your touch makes my heart race and my body react, but it's purely physical and not a sign of love.
That it's only the thrill of boy meeting girl
Opposites attract
It's physical
Only logical
You must try to ignore that it means more than that
The attraction between us is just a physical reaction, a natural attraction between two people who are different from each other and should not be seen as something more than that.
What's love got to do, got to do with it
What's love but a second hand emotion
What's love got to do, got to do with it
Who needs a heart when a heart can be broken
Love is not important, it's just a feeling that comes second to the physical thrill. Who needs a heart when it can be easily broken?
It may seem to you that I'm acting confused When you're close to me If a tend to look dazed I've read it someplace I've got cause to be There's a name for it There's a phrase that fits But whatever the reason you do it for me
When I am around you, I may seem confused, but there's a scientific reason for my reaction. It doesn't matter, though, because I am attracted to you regardless.
I've been taking on a new direction But I have to say I've been thinking about my own protection It scares me to feel this way
I am taking a new approach in my life, but being physically attracted to you scares me, and I need to protect myself.
What's love got to do, got to do with it
What's love but a sweet old fashioned notion
What's love got to do, got to do with it
Who needs a heart when a heart can be broken
Love is just an outdated idea, and it's not important, especially when hearts can be easily broken.
Lyrics © Warner/Chappell Music, Inc., Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: GRAHAM HAMILTON LYLE, TERRY BRITTEN
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind