Interview - Myshkin's Ruby Warblers

When Myshkin and her all-star Ruby Warblers hit the studio, they don’t just record an album—they conjure a world. Hot Night in Paris, is a nine-song journey through decades of audience favorites, swinging from smoky jazz streets to tango-tinged corners, all held together by Myshkin’s cinematic lyrics and expressive alto. In this interview, she talks about the songs that refused to be rushed, the musicians who bring them to life, and how her transatlantic adventures—from New Orleans to Joshua Tree to Scotland—continue to shape her daring, genre-bending sound.

Welcome to MeloDrift. Can you tell us a little bit about your musical background?  

I’ve been lucky enough to be playing my songs for folks for 3 decades. I formed the  experimental torch-punk-folk-jazz band Myshkin’s Ruby Warblers in New Orleans in 2001  and have collaborated with many amazing players, all over the world. Hot Night in Paris is my 12th record.  

If your life had a theme song, what would it be?  

Actually I named the band after my own theme song, Ruby Warbler.

Who or what have been the most impactful influences on your musical style and  sound?  

An obsession with narrative/political folk as I was just starting to write music definitely  informed my lyric writing, then I fell in love with singers: Bessie, Billie, Nina, Aretha, Rickie  Lee, then later, Edith Piaf, Rokia Traore, Oumou Sangare. I love the usual heady pop/ rock…Tom Waits, Radiohead etc. A decade of living and playing in New Orleans  continues to impact me.  

How do your life experiences shape your songwriting, and what emotions or ideas do  you hope listeners connect with in your music?  

Like many writers, I often write to try to figure something out for myself, whether it be a  personal story or a more abstract idea. I guess I hope that my particular curiosities chime  with those of listeners, and spark some kind of recognition, understanding, insight, ease. I  named myself for a Dostoyevsky character, the writer who said “Beauty will save the  world” I have my doubts, but it feels like my lane, anyway.  

Each phase of music-making—writing, recording, rehearsing, and performing—has its  own unique rewards. Could you share a memorable moment from each stage?  

Writing—I very rarely write with anyone else but the title song on Hot Night in Paris was  born on a hot desert day on the front porch of the inimitable Victoria Williams. We had  gotten together to jam, I told her my conception story, we wrote the first few lines  together. The song ended up being mostly a piece for my mother.  

Recording—My first band (Myshkin Impossible!) had recording time booked the day after  a giant New Orleans rain storm flooded the drummer’s car, and pissed him off so much he quit the band. We recorded a few songs acoustic, moved the second tracking day up a  week, and invited the neighbours over to learn a few songs. They became the new rhythm section, and we played together for some years.  

Rehearsing—The Ruby Warblers first toured Scotland on the invite of some wonderful  folks, engineer Nick Turner and musician and presenter Mary Ann Kennedy. I had moved to Portland, Oregon and had a new bassist, but my long time drummer Scott MaGee still lived in New Orleans. The band met on the plane, and we all rehearsed together for the first time at the studios of BBC Scotland, during a live radio performance on Mary Ann’s show.  

Performing—Warning Signs is a multimedia piece I created after Trump/s 2016 election  win. I chose songs to illustrate points on a list of warning signs of fascism, and made a  short film for each song. The film runs through the whole performance, the imagery is  very specific to the lyrics, and It is a challenge to play the songs live at the perfect tempo  and hit all the right cues to match the film, but it is really fun. It was presented by the Uni  in Prague and we got perform it in a raw new venue there, an ex secret police building, chillingly apt.  

Is there a song of yours that holds particular personal significance? We’d love to know more about the story or the inspiration behind it.  

There are two songs on Hot Night in Paris written about my family. The title songs for my mum, and Cut Set Polished for my dad, who died when I was quite young. It’s an immigrants story, and his particular story, the closest I’ve come to sketching him in lyric,  though I think a lot of immigrants might see a bit of themselves there.  

If you could swap lives with any musician for a day, who would it be and what would you do?  

Oh. Wow, well I guess I would love to have a virtuosic facility on some gorgeous instrument, the improvisational skill of a jazz master, and spend the day jamming with a bunch of class players, so I don’t know, Miles Davis for a day, that would be pretty amazing.  

What’s a guilty pleasure song you secretly love but might surprise your fans?

Mr Blue Sky.

Looking ahead, what are some goals or dreams you have for your music and career?  

Next up is for Jenny and I to record the new songs we’ve been working on. I’d like to get touring more again, and would love to get back to the continent. Spain! 

Finally, is there anything else you'd like to share with our readers before we close?  

You can follow our exploits at rubywarblers.com, there’s a lot of music and film to explore there. And tour dates.