Over the generations, a term has evolved for blues guitarists: Bluesmen.
With some notable exceptions–Bonnie Raitt and Susan Tedeschi come to mind–they have been men.
Ana Popović, who will perform at Saturday’s Morristown Jazz & Blues Festival, is doing her best to put blueswoman into the lexicon.
“Nowadays there are more women taking guitar and leading the band, and being businesswomen,” said Popović, 41, a six-time nominee for the Blues Music Award.
Yet at first, she concedes, “it wasn’t easy to get your male colleagues to follow you.”
The native of Serbia was the only female guitarist on the Experience Hendrix Tour. She got her first taste of Jimi Hendrix from her father, a graphic designer who loved to jam with friends in their Belgrade home.
Video: Ana Popović covers Jimi Hendrix’ ‘Can You See Me’
Popović’s dad was especially fond of the blues–Elmore James, Buddy Guy, Robert Johnson.
Father and daughter watched concert videotapes together, analyzing techniques, from B.B. King’s signature trills to the deft volume-pot adjustments of her favorite, Stevie Ray Vaughan.
“It felt really good to a 5-year-old girl. It was a sound that I enjoyed. Later when I started playing guitar…I did have a feeling that if I would get a chance, I would bring something new to the table, something new to the blues, because I’m European, and I don’t want to copy any of the old guys,” said Popović, whose name is pronounced Ahn-a Popa-vich.
Inspired by the raw energy of Hendrix onstage and the glossy recordings of Vaughan, Popović likes to experiment. She describes her work as “sometimes jazzy and sometimes poppy.”
Finding the right chemistry with bandmates and producers, crucial for any artist, is especially challenging for her, she said, because she insists on exploring new styles with every project. And she won’t be pushed around.
“With me, there are not many compromises. It’s what I do–or we can’t work together,” said Popović, who studied jazz and world music at the Amsterdam Conservatory of Music, just as Serbia was splintering from Yugoslavia during the war-torn ’90s.
She dedicated her 2007 album Still Making History to students who opposed the regime of Slobodan Milošević.
In 2015, she revisited her favorite childhood songs in Blue Room, recorded with her father, Milton, as an homage to their living room jam sessions.
Her latest album, Trilogy, ranges from blues/rock to funk, soul, R&B and jazz.
KUDOS AND HIGH HEELS
Popović is “one helluva guitar-player,” according to Bruce Springsteen.
“She is awesome,” said Robert Randolph, star of last year’s Morristown festival, who appears on Popović’s new Trilogy CD.
“We’ve tried to get her to Morristown in the past but she is a very popular headliner on the summer circuit, so it has not been possible until this year,” said festival Co-Producer Linda Kiger Smith, who has been tracking Popović’s career for awhile.
“She is wonderful to work with and a great champion for women blues artists. Her music offers the perfect transition between the afternoon jazz and the evening blues and people will love her,” Smith said.
Popović and her band take the stage on the historic Morristown Green at 6 pm on Aug. 19, 2017.
Admission is free; bring a lawn chair or beach blanket. The music starts at noon with Vince Giordano and the Nighthawks. Jazz guitar legend Bucky Pizzarelli plays at 2 pm. At 4 pm, it’s Louis Prima Jr. and his big band. Walter Trout and special guest Mark Rivera headline at 8 pm.
Although Popović insists there are no musical markers that differentiate female- and male blues guitar playing, a couple of things do set her apart from her male counterparts.
She looks much better in slinky dresses; her videos throb with sex appeal not often associated with the blues.
“This is my perfect moment to put on a wonderful dress and some high heel shoes, and I just think the blues doesn’t necessarily have to be all cowboy hats and cowboy boots,” Popović said.
“And I worked 10 years on breaking that rule, that was always there because there simply was not enough women out there…We like to dress up and we like to look nice, and that’s a wonderful thing and blues shouldn’t be excused from that.”
Video: Ana Popović, ‘Object of Obsession’
She’s also a soccer mom. Her tours are short, for the sake of her daughter and son, ages 5 and 9.
Many blues people “had too many long tours, they couldn’t keep a family together, they couldn’t be there for their children.
“And I wanted to prove…you can have your tours, and have your name and work on your career, and just lead a regular life,” said Popović, who moved from Memphis to Los Angeles last year with her manager-husband and the kids.
“That’s where my energy comes from, from just leading an everyday, normal life. Go to the grocery store, take care of the children, go to their schools and be a mom back home.”
The children are looking forward to a visit from Popović’s parents. Don’t be surprised if more careers get launched, in the grand family tradition.
“They love jamming with Grandpa,” Popović said. “He brings it.”
MORE ABOUT THE 2017 MORRISTOWN JAZZ & BLUES FESTIVAL
