Somebody Cool.
Cindy K
Political Buccaneer. Fashion Engineer. Adversity Mountaineer. Musical
Funkateer.
What’s sweet and funky, raucous and sinuous, fiery and cool as ice? Cindy K’s voice, that’s what. I first met Cindy K at a rehearsal for a 10-piece show band that was doing funk, R & B, soul, and more funk. And CK was all that. That project morphed into another project, Sex Machine, and CK was all that, too. And then at one point, we were trading tapes of material back and forth, and there just happened to be a session of her and a vocal coach on the other side... And I realized that this woman can not only rock a stage, but she’s got perfect pitch, and faultless control. Simply amazing. And, she is one of the most upbeat, positive people you could ever hope to meet. In addition to material recently released in France, Cindy K has a CD available in the U.S.
Twenty Questions: CINDY K
1. What do you like most about what you do?
I guess it must be the freedom. I only do what
I want so it’s guilt free. I follow my interests and passions and
hopefully can make a little money along the way doing the things I love.
2. What do you wish you could change about yourself?
That’s easy, patience. Time is so precious that I sometimes get really impatient with jerky people, especially obnoxious drivers on their cell phones. I think I internalize it too much because I’m such an idealist that I want to see a world of simplicity and kindness and I see people easily being rude and it makes me sad.
3. Do you think others perceive you the way you perceive yourself?
Sometimes yes, sometimes no. People that really get the time to know me,
understand the real me. My perception of myself is that I’m a deeper
and more diverse person than most people speculate when they first meet
me.
4. If you could only have access to a total of 5 works of art, whether they be books, albums, movies, sculptures or paintings-- which 5 would you choose, and why?
Book - “The Agony and the Ecstasy: A Biographical Novel of Michelangelo”.
Album - Frankie Beverly and Maze, “Inspiration”.
“Party Parker”, a paper mache sculpture
by an unknown artist, my good luck charm.
Rudy Garza’s pixilated painting of a butterfly.
A gothic cathedral in Loredo Spain.
5. What, as opposed to who, has influenced you most?
A comet. I was seven and I remember my parents waking me and my sisters early in the morning to watch it rise above Mt. Rainier. It was visible for four days in a row and I even left teeth marks on the windowsill of my bedroom as I rested my head in awe. It’s the most wonderful thing that I’ve ever seen in my life and has greatly influenced my art.
6. Do you do your best work when you’re happy or not so happy? In other words, do you think there’s any validity to the old saw about an artist having to suffer in order to successfully create?
At one time I remember thinking that I couldn’t
ever really siiing unless I’d had the blues. Then my life brought
me many set backs and at times I felt like I was grasping at strings and
held on to art and music to bring me up. I think those songs are good
but so are the ones that came out of pure happiness. I guess I would say
that happy or not so happy both inspires.
7. When you are not working, what do you do for fun?
Traveling, go out to see live music, art seeking, gardening, silversmithing, hiking, antiquing.
8. When you are working, describe a typical work day (or night)?
Never a typical day week or month but most often is an estate sale or charity auction. For an estate sale, it usually takes about two weeks to sort through all the contents of a house, organizing everything, setting it all up so it looks like a retail store and conducting the sale. It’s very long hours and lots of work but also very rewarding. For a charity auction, I dress up, drive to a really cool place, spot for the auctioneer of the evening with all the positive energy I can muster and help raise money for the cause of the night. It’s always an adventure and has given me the opportunity to converse with people in many different circles.
9. If you weren’t a singer and businesswoman, what would you most certainly NOT have become?
As a pragmatist, I certainly wouldn’t want to be a defeatist. Job-wise, I would never be a debt collector. I just couldn’t be someone who kicks someone when they’re down.
10. Where do you see yourself two years from now?
Continuing on with a successful business and maybe selling a few songs to the greats. Hopefully I will be a little bit wiser.
11. If you were cloned, what would you want to write on the blank slate of your new self? Or put another way, if you had been your own parent, what would you have taught or exposed yourself to during the course of your upbringing that you were not?
That’s a hard one because I feel that I have remarkable parents. I guess I would say that I would have changed the eating habits. Drink out of glass, no high corn fructose, no canola oil and absolutely no McDonalds, OK, maybe occasionally.
12. If you had the power to put together the greatest band of all time, who would the members of that band be?
Key’s: Bernie Worrell or Mark Cardinas
Bass: Bootsie Collins, Gerald Turner or Mark Manley
Guitar: Stevie Ray Vaughn, Al Rowe or Max Leonidas
Co-Vocals: Frankie Beverly or Joe McKinstry
Drums: Frank Cash Waddy, Lindsay Davis or Sheila E.
Horns: Maceo Parker and Winton Marsalias
Congas: Phillip or Tiger
Record mixer – DJ. Rizz
Harmonica: Stevie Wonder
13. Limited to these two choices, would you rather be the fastest runner in the world, or be able to run the longest distance?
Longest Distance
14. What’s the best song you’ve heard so far, and why?
“Timin’” by Frankie Beverly. This song is simple and breaks it down to what life is and isn’t. I’d rather listen to this than read the bible.
15. What’s the worst pain in the world?
Mistreatment of children.
16. What’s the best smell in the world?
My great grandma Jesse’s pansies.
17. What’s the saddest song of all time?
“In the Rain” by the Dramatics.
18. What’s the greatest thing that ever happened to you?
Wow, this is the most difficult question of the
lot, much to ponder. Personally, it’s being asked to be the Godmother
of my niece Allysa. Musically is meeting my idol Bootsy Collins.
19. What’s your LEAST favorite swear word?
Cunt
20. What should I have asked you?
What would be your best advice that you could give the rest of the world?
