Frankie Rayder

[helligirl]

Perfect Harmony | The L.A. Ladies’ Choir



You may already be familiar with the resurgence of Los Angeles’s Canyon Rock, but you may not have heard of the L.A. Ladies’ Choir, a disarmingly beautiful group of women who sing covers of old folk songs with a sound akin to a group hug.
The choir is made up of 30 women who boast careers in music, fashion, art, literature and theater. Though they won’t admit that they are a part of a scene, many of the members are in other bands that fall right into the center of the genre. The founders, Becky Stark (Lavender Diamond) and Aska Matsumiya (Moonrats, AsDSSka, the Sads), are joined by a circle of creative types including musicians Ana Oxygen, Diva Dompe of Blackblack and Pocahaunted, Kitty Jensen of Parenthetical Girls, and the supermodel Frankie Rayder, whose husband, Flea (Red Hot Chili Peppers), has played bass on a few of their songs.

Draped in vintage Laura Ashley and Gunne Sax dresses, pastel chiffons and polyester lace, the ladies are an enchanted, melodious collective. The Moment caught up with four members at Rayder’s home, where the artist and producer Aaron Rose was shooting a piece about the choir for WKE, the Portland, Ore.-based ad firm Wieden & Kennedy’s new entertainment production channel.
How did the L.A. Ladies’ Choir come together?
Becky Stark In 2005 I organized a group of women to sing a song by Yoko Ono called “Sister O Sisters,” which is a great song that Ron [Rege Jr., from Lavender Diamond] played for me. He suggested I get a group of women together to sing that song at Arthur Fest, which is based here in Los Angeles. It really stirred this appetite for singing with a group of women because there are so many incredible singers and songwriters here. Then last year I wrote songs for a movie called “The City of Ember” for this choir that exists in an underground city. I recorded choral music for the film, and that was when the idea of forming a real choir started. I met Aska briefly at the screening, and in January we began the choir.
How does singing with a large group of women serve you?
Aska Matsumiya: I feel like if I can make peace with this many females, I will never have any problems in my life I can’t deal with because at times it’s such a challenge. It’s like creating your own village with 30 other women. You have to have structure and start a new form of community that works for us. It’s very human.
Frankie Rayder: For me it’s been nice to share the experience with my daughter. A lot of our rehearsals are at my house, and she’s really into the ladies, the songs and the dresses. She sings, too. She’s not even 4 and knows the words to most of the songs.
Speaking of the dresses, they seem to be a big part of your presentation. How did your collective style emerge?
Stark: I have been collecting vintage dresses for years and have had a fantasy of a choir of women all dressed up singing in beautiful harmonies and how fun and uplifting that would be. I share them with the ladies, and it’s part of the way we express ourselves.
Ariana Delawari: It’s like playing dress-up, and we love wearing them. We are something natural, classic and elegant and formal, yet there is a freedom to it all. I’m particularly sensitive to the notion of women coming together because of my culture. I’m from Afghanistan, where women don’t have a voice at all. I don’t take that for granted.
I keep hearing about how your rehearsals are very food-centric.
Rayder: There are a lot of good cooks in the group, so we always have a nice spread.
I also hear someone always tears up at your shows. What are your big hits?
Stark: The kids are totally rocking out to “Oh My Beautiful World” and “There Are Many of Us.”
Rayder: We do a cover of Leonard Cohen’s “Hallelujah” that’s really popular. I’d really like to sing the Talking Heads song “Heaven” next.
What is your vision for the choir?
Stark: We definitely want to do charities and perform more. There is something amazing about the choir. There’s no catch; it’s just that we want to bring more joy and love to people when we sing.
Matsumiya: I don’t think it’s possible to have a singular vision for so many women. There’s just been this crazy momentum that we’re all going with. It is like being under a spell. We’ll have to see where it takes us.

themoment.blogs.nytimes.com/2009/09/30/perfect-harmony-the-la-ladies-choir/

[helligirl]

Malibu - September 5, 2009


tlfan.to via RoseMary

[LetThemEatCake]

Hangin' with Alicia Silverstone-loves it!

[Anann73]

Hi all. I just scored some pics of Frankie I'd never seen before on Ebay. They're from a Mademoiselle '92, scanned by me, and here they are.

[radolgc]

wow, what an amazing find) you are so lucky to have those!

[Anann73]

Originally Posted by radolgc

wow, what an amazing find) you are so lucky to have those!

I saw them on Ebay and the person had a Buy It Now, and even though I already have most of the pictures I bought them without even thinking about it. Good thing the seller has good feedback because I even forgot to check that first and I'm usually very strict about that. Here's another pic I'd never seen that came in the packet: