by SCOTT C

Philly-based spoken-word artist Ursula Rucker has the voice of an angel and firm roots in jazz, hip hop and soul. Her soothing tones and moving words bite, lick and smooth the soul, taking audiences and listeners deep into her mind’s eye. Like her debut LP Supa-Sista implies, she has the power to do it all, and she will when she takes the stage at la Sala Rossa this week. The Mirror spoke to her over the phone from Philly.

Mirror: I find myself thinking about a lot of things these days, just watching events unfold throughout the world. Is that affecting your voice and the way you express yourself these days?

Ursula Rucker: I haven’t actually written any new work that pertains to that directly, but of course it kind of fuels the feeling, the emotion and the passion behind some of the other things that I have in the regular set that I do. It affects me as a person and as an artist. Like you said, there are so many things to think about, and even more thoughts, feelings and ideas that go into what I do.

M: So perhaps some of your previous material has a stronger resonance in light of international events?

UR: Exactly. Every show is different, and I’ve been doing shows with the guitarist that I work with regularly, and even though it’s just the two of us, depending on where we are - what the vibe is like, what the audience is like, what’s going on in the world and how we feel - the show is always different. I might do a piece that is particularly relevant that evening. It’s constantly changing. Everybody’s talking about what’s going on now. In the supermarket, on the bus, everywhere. Some days I stay away from the news. I mean, I know I really should know what’s going on, but at the same time it has the greatest potential to get me down. I had a cursory knowledge of what Colin Powell was presenting last week, but I heard some things I didn’t like and I switched the channel (laughs). But certainly, I know so many people who are thinking, feeling artists around me who are always sending me informative e-mails and petitions to attach my name to.

M: I‘ve always wondered about the relevance of e-mail petitions. I mean, it doesn’t exactly make sense.

UR: What do you mean?

M: Isn’t the legal strength of a petition based on handwritten signatures? It just seems like anyone could fabricate a list of phony names in an e-mail, no?

UR: That’s a shame. I’m kind of naïve about stuff like that. I’m trying to be a wishful thinker, but I’m usually the pessimist. Usually I don’t expect much out of any given situation, because if I do and it doesn’t happen, I’ll be crushed. If I kind of aim low, I’ll be alright (laughs). My guitarist Tim is usually quite positive, but he’s become pretty grim lately. I tell him that’s the reason we do what we do. If it didn’t mean something and make a difference in our lives as well as possibly connecting with someone else and impacting them, then we wouldn’t be here. Whether the economy is good or bad, whether there’s a war or not, we’ll still be doing this. :

With Butta Babees and Black Pearl at la Sala Rossa on Friday, Feb. 21, 9pm, $15

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