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.
Last Chance
Natalia Zukerman Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
And wait for somebody's opinion
To tell you what you should think
To tell you what you should feel
You were never easily persuadable
And now things are different
You say I'm tired of fighting
But why would you do that?
Someone might believe you
And become as easily mistreatable
So I won't let you stop
You may be the last chance we've got
And I was never the kind to be patient
And wait for afternoon dismissal to say
Meet me by the reservoir
I will take you away from here
And show you all my secrets
And now I'm scared of everything
And I ever go anywhere
Except for everywhere I'm excepted
And I know why I do that
I do it cuz I have to
But I'll tell you another secret
That I don't want to stop
Let's pretend we've all that we've got
Yeah
And I hope you know it's true that
Just cuz you want me too
I won't give up on you
Yeah
Cuz I know things are different
We're tired of fighting
We wanna be quiet and do as we are told
But we cannot do that
Someone might believe us
I know things are different
We're tired of fighting
We wanna be quiet and do as we are told
But we cannot do that
Someone might believe us
And become so easily mistreatable
So I won't let you stop
If you don't let me stop
Yeah I won't let you stop
Please don't let me stop
This may be the last chance we've got
The song "Last Chance" by Natalia Zukerman is about feeling trapped and wanting to break free from the constraints that society has put on us. The first verse talks about how the listener was never one to be easily influenced by others and their opinions but now they've become complacent and are doing as they are told. The singer encourages the listener not to stop fighting and conforming to societal expectations because by doing so they risk becoming mistreatable. It seems as though the singer is afraid of what could happen if they don't continue to question and resist the status quo.
In the second verse, the singer talks about their own fear and how it has affected them. They are scared of everything and only go to places where they will be accepted. Despite their fear, they refuse to stop fighting and conforming because they feel like they have to. They also reveal that they have secrets that they want to share with someone they trust, maybe someone who will understand them.
The chorus repeats the message that it's important to keep fighting and not stop. If the singer and listener don't give up, it may be their last chance to make a difference and create change.
Overall, the song is about the struggle to find your place in society and the fear that comes with trying to break free from expectations. It's a call to action, urging listeners to not give up and to keep pushing back against societal norms.
Line by Line Meaning
You were never the kind to be silent
You always spoke up for yourself and didn't wait for others' opinions to form your own thoughts and feelings.
And wait for somebody's opinion
You were independent and didn't rely on others to make decisions for you.
To tell you what you should think
You were strong-willed and didn't let anyone else tell you what to think or believe.
To tell you what you should feel
You were in tune with your emotions and didn't let anyone else dictate how you should feel about something.
You were never easily persuadable
You couldn't be easily influenced or convinced to change your mind about something.
And now things are different
Things have changed from how they used to be.
You say I'm tired of fighting
You're exhausted from constantly battling against something.
You say I'm quiet and I do as I'm told
You've become submissive and obedient, but this isn't a desirable or sustainable way to live.
But why would you do that?
Submitting to others' authority can lead to being taken advantage of or mistreated.
Someone might believe you
If you continue to follow others blindly, others may do the same, leading to a cycle of mistreatment and manipulation.
And become as easily mistreatable
By allowing others to control you, you can become vulnerable to abuse or mistreatment.
So I won't let you stop
Stopping the fight against oppression and conformity is not an option.
You may be the last chance we've got
There may not be another opportunity to resist and fight for freedom and individuality.
And I was never the kind to be patient
You were always eager to take action and didn't wait around for things to happen.
And wait for afternoon dismissal to say
You didn't wait until the end of the day or for permission to speak out about what you believed in.
Meet me by the reservoir
You had a secret meeting spot where you could escape from the pressures of conformity and societal expectations.
I will take you away from here
You offer an escape from the confines of society and the expectations that come with it.
And show you all my secrets
You have things to offer and share with others that you have kept hidden from the rest of the world.
And now I'm scared of everything
You have become afraid of the world and its expectations as a result of constantly resisting.
And I ever go anywhere
You avoid going places because of the fear and pressure that comes with it.
Except for everywhere I'm excepted
The only places you feel comfortable are where you are accepted and free to be yourself.
And I know why I do that
You understand why you're behaving this way.
I do it cuz I have to
You do what you need to in order to stay true to yourself and resist societal pressure.
But I'll tell you another secret
There is more to your story than what you are currently able to show to the world.
That I don't want to stop
You won't give up even though it's difficult and scary.
Let's pretend we've all that we've got
We should act as though this is our last chance to break free from societal norms and expectations.
And I hope you know it's true that
You want the other person to understand and believe what you are saying.
Just cuz you want me too
You won't let someone else control you or influence your behavior, just because they want you to.
I won't give up on you
You will still be there for the other person, even if they don't want to resist societal pressure.
We wanna be quiet and do as we are told
We are tired of fighting against conformity and feel like giving up.
But we cannot do that
Giving up now means submitting to societal pressures and expectations, which is something we cannot do.
Someone might believe us
If we give up and conform, others may do the same, leading to a cycle of mistreatment and manipulation.
And become so easily mistreatable
By submitting to societal pressure, we make ourselves vulnerable to abuse or mistreatment.
If you don't let me stop
You need the other person to keep fighting with you.
Please don't let me stop
You are afraid that you will give up and conform if the other person does not keep fighting with you.
This may be the last chance we've got
There may not be another opportunity to fight for freedom and individuality.
Contributed by Isabelle J. Suggest a correction in the comments below.