You can call the music she makes folk if you want, but there’s jazz in it, too, and blues, and a soulful something or other that you can’t quite put into words. Whether onstage or on record, she presents herself just as she is—no gimmicks, no flashy pyrotechnics, only the solid musicianship of someone who knows and loves her craft.
Natalia's bio from her website (July 2010):
Natalia Zukerman’s Weasel Records debut Brand New Frame introduces listeners to her rich layers of top notch guitar playing, contemporary beats and dark, sweet, provocative vocals. Musically sophisticated, intimate and irreverent all at once, this record highlights what’s best about Americana music and offers it a Brand New Frame.
It is an album about change. In Brand New Frame, Zukerman challenges listeners to break out of patterns and rhythms that hold them back from reaching the truth. The title track, “Brand New Frame” is a wake up call to those who tell the same stories over and over again to anyone who will listen. “Better Me” presents the idea that the people we are striving to be are there all along, waiting for us to catch up to what we already know we are capable of. “Only Trees” is a metaphor for what Zukerman’s album is all about – that things change: landscapes, ideas, music. In the song she recognizes the way we live our modern lives at breakneck speed, and invites us to slow down.
Produced by Willy Porter (www.willyporter.com), Brand New Frame features Zukerman on vocals and guitars, with Dave Schoepke on drums, Dave Adler on keys, Leroy Deuster on Pedal Steel, Bryan Mir on electric bass, Todd Sickafoose (Ani Difranco) and Marty Ballou (John Hammond) on upright bass. The album is also sprinkled with notable guest appearances by fellow songwriters Willy Porter, Melissa Ferrick and Edie Carey.
Warning: You may not be able to get over the mesmerizing guitar chops of the talented Natalia Zukerman, but if you can, you will discover layers. Country roads that lead to red barns, antique shops, glass bottles, resonators, lap steels, finger-picking and trembling slides. And alongside these winding roads are back alleys, flagging cabs, and the buzz of a streetlight clicking with kick drums, pleading organs, and speeding electric guitars behind lyrics that delve boldly into work, love, temptation and the journey to personal reinvention. Brand New Frame tells the story of valuing the past while growing new skin; the unraveling of a relationship with realism, humor and tenderness.
Zukerman didn’t have to look far as a child to find musical influence. She attributes her rigorous work ethic, discipline and instrumental predisposition to her parents. The daughter of violinist/conductor Pinchas Zukerman and flutist/writer Eugenia Zukerman, Natalia grew up in Manhattan immersed in classical music.
Her ears were tuned to perfect pitch, and the guitar dexterity, intricate sense of rhythm and meter evident in her own musicianship came naturally. So did the lifestyle of a traveling performer. Performing live—and experiencing what she calls the life of a “wandering gypsy”—is a family tradition. In addition to her parents, her sister Arianna is an opera singer, and her grandfather played clarinet in Klezmer bands in Poland and later in Israel.
In a sense, Zukerman explores family heritage in “Song For Ramblin’ Jack” one of the 10 original songs on Brand New Frame. She explains it is in part about blood-related family but even more so about the extended family of American troubadours who travel the country sharing both traditional and contemporary genres, songs, skills, instruments, and styles.
“The song ‘Ramblin’ Jack’ came after a Folk Alliance conference in Austin. I realized there that I was a part of this grand tradition of troubadours that was, for me, as much about my own family of traveling musicians as a shared American history. I consider myself a student of traditional music, even though some would say the noise I make is not so traditional.
I did meet Ramblin’ Jack Elliot at a friend’s place in Pt. Reyes, CA a few years ago. I loved him, loved his way of weaving a story and loved that I, in my own little way, try to carry on his legacy as much as the legacy of my own family.”
Since 2004, Zukerman has been touring the country opening shows for roots greats and guitar slingers including Kelly Joe Phelps, Richard Shindell, Lucy Kaplansky, Garnet Rogers, Melissa Ferrick, Catie Curtis, Susan Werner and many others. It was on the road that Zukerman formed the relationship with Willy Porter that would lead to producing Brand New Frame and releasing the album on his label Weasel Records.
“Brand New Frame is a perfect fit with what I’ve always wanted Weasel to represent. The small but mighty team here is thrilled to share Natalia’s record, and tremendous talent, with the world.” -Willy Porter.
Ice Cream
Natalia Zukerman Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
As far as I can tell
When milk, ice and sugar get together
They whisper secrets you should never tell
But if you keep it to yourself
You won't feel so well
And there's nothing quite like moving
You'll get knocked down over and over
By the slightest gentle push of summer breeze
It'll make you see
Well it'll make you see
It'll make you see
I'm unpacking that blanket that we kept at the foot of the bed
And when that old clock radio would scream
We would lift it up over our heads
And then we'd stay right here
Oh stay here
Instead
And I still have that dream sometimes
The on with you in it
Where there's water everywhere
And it is rising so fast
We're not sure if we should swim in it but we try
But we try
Can we make it to the other side?
Well I never did like ice cream much
Until I met you
And then I got used to sweetness and sugar
Fed to me on a silver spoon
But when it's gone
It's gone
I don't feel so well
The song "Ice Cream" by Natalia Zukerman is a beautiful and introspective ballad that, on the surface, seems to be about the simple pleasures in life (like ice cream) but at a deeper level, it's actually about the complexities of love, loss, and moving on. The opening lines of the song, "Well, there's nothing quite like ice cream, as far as I can tell," immediately establish a tone of nostalgia and longing, as if the singer is reminiscing about a time when things were simpler and more innocent. This is a common sentiment many people share about the sweet, creamy treat.
However, as the song progresses, it becomes clear that the true subject matter of "Ice Cream" is much more bittersweet. The second verse, for example, introduces the theme of loss and vulnerability, with lines like "And there's nothing quite like moving, to bring you to your knees/ You'll get knocked down over and over, by the slightest gentle push of a summer breeze/ It'll make you see." The imagery of being knocked down by a gentle breeze is a powerful metaphor for the ways in which life's small, unexpected moments can catch us off guard and make us feel lost and uncertain.
The final verse of the song is perhaps the most poignant and emotional, with the singer reminiscing about a past relationship and the way it changed their perspective on life. The image of the clock radio and blanket, for example, is a symbol of comfort and stability, something that the singer seeks when feeling lost and alone. Meanwhile, the dream sequence about rising water and swimming to safety may be seen as a metaphor for the fear and uncertainty that often accompany the end of a relationship. Ultimately, the song resolves in a feeling of resignation and acceptance, with the singer acknowledging that sometimes, even the sweetest things in life (like love, or ice cream) must come to an end.
Line by Line Meaning
Well there's nothing quite like ice cream
Ice cream is a unique treat that can't be replicated
As far as I can tell
From what I've experienced
When milk, ice and sugar get together
The combination of these ingredients leads to something amazing
They whisper secrets you should never tell
It's a special experience that you want to keep to yourself
But if you keep it to yourself
If you hold back from sharing what you love, you'll feel unwell
You won't feel so well
You'll feel unfulfilled and unhappy
And there's nothing quite like moving
Travelling and experiencing new things is special
To bring you to your knees
It can be overwhelming
You'll get knocked down over and over
It's a challenging experience
By the slightest gentle push of summer breeze
Even something small like a breeze can affect you when travelling
It'll make you see
It allows for new perspectives and realisations
I'm unpacking that blanket that we kept at the foot of the bed
Reflecting on past memories and experiences
And when that old clock radio would scream
Remembering a specific moment with clarity
We would lift it up over our heads
Reacting with each other in a playful way
And then we'd stay right here
Choosing to stay in the moment
Oh stay here
Repeatedly affirming the desire to remain in the moment
Instead
Rather than moving on or engaging with other experiences
And I still have that dream sometimes
Reflecting on the past and wishing for certain things to return
The on with you in it
Specifically focused on memories with a loved one
Where there's water everywhere
A vivid dream-like scene
And it is rising so fast
A sense of danger and tension is present
We're not sure if we should swim in it but we try
Even when unsure of how to proceed, we try to navigate challenges
But we try
Continuing to strive forward
Can we make it to the other side?
Wondering if we'll be able to overcome challenges and reach success
Well I never did like ice cream much
The singer initially did not have a positive experience with ice cream
Until I met you
Until the singer was introduced to a positive experience, in this case a person
And then I got used to sweetness and sugar
The singer became accustomed to positive experiences and emotions
Fed to me on a silver spoon
In a luxurious and indulgent way
But when it's gone
When the good experiences are over
It's gone
They are truly over and can't be replicated
I don't feel so well
The singer experiences sadness and disappointment when positive experiences end
Contributed by Ian N. Suggest a correction in the comments below.