Small is Tremendous

Without compromising, Zoe Lewis breaks out with new album.
By Sasha Hnatkovich

“This day in age, you have to put yourself in a box,” says Zoe Lewis, “But I’m not keen on boxes, so I make my own.” Calling her idiosyncratic style of folk music “world beat-vaudeville,” the English-born musician has traveled the world looking for fun grooves, strange instruments, and interesting stories.

With her quirky sense of humor and eclectic mix of danceable tunes, Lewis has captivated audiences from Worcester, MA, to Worcester, England, performing solo and with her band, the Rubber Band. Described as a “band in a body,” the multi-instrumentalist is an energetic performer. “I would love to be in the circus,” she admits.

The long-time Provincetown resident is a classically trained pianist, but has been attracted since childhood to music that she describes as spicy. “I was always trying to break away from classical,” she says. “It was in my gut even when I was young.”
Lewis’s love of songs that swing and groove began when she discovered jazz at age twelve. And since she was eighteen, she has made a living off playing jazz standards in pubs, restaurants, and now on Olivia Cruises. However, more recently she has begun to concentrate on songwriting, releasing a new album, playing the festival circuits, and winning a number of competitions.

Last month, Judy Collins’s Wildflower Records released Small is Tremendous, Lewis’s fifth full-length album, internationally. The record is a schizophrenic mix of zydeco, calypso, bossa nova, folk, and a number of other styles ~ with my favorite moments being the mariachi flair on “Gringo!” and the stand-up-perfect comedy of “Snow White.” Like all of her music, the album reflects Lewis’s personality. “The thread is me,” she says. “I’m all over the place, that’s me. It took a while to find, but it’s nice that people appreciate it.”

Lewis often travels, finding inspiration for her music as she does. She loves to visit Third-World countries. Recently returning from Tahiti, she hopes to visit India soon; Brazil and Cuba are also on her ever-growing list.

During her travels, Lewis seeks new instruments, new sounds, and new ways of making music. “You can do music in different ways,” she says. “You have to have fun and break the rules. There is such a need for music; you can make it out of anything. I go around the world and see people utilizing everything.”

Uncompromising, Lewis is always herself, and encourages others to be themselves. She says that her act and her songs aren’t political…depending on where she plays. Although she likes to play to the GLBT community and in Provincetown, she’d rather play to “mixed company.” “I like to play where people ask, ‘who is that strange woman,’ and try to win them over,” she says, laughing.

Lewis loves to play colleges, and remembers fondly playing twice at WPI. “College gigs are hilarious,” she says. “I started playing [at WPI] and they all pulled out board games!” She was surprised how attentive the audience while they ‘multi-tasked.’

Keep an eye out ~ Lewis plans to play the Worcester area (where she maintains an enthusiastic fan base) in the near future. She is planning a tour with the Rubber Band, featuring Roxanne Layton, Kate Wolf, and Sylvie Richard, and she is also working on a sixth album, “Cure for the Hiccups,” with plans to record in the UK with the Ukes of Hazard.

For more information and to purchase Zoe Lewis’ records, check out www.zoelewis.com.