Meet Marji Zintz
Guitarist and vocalist Marji Zintz plays everything from The American Songbook genre to blues, pop, folk and rock. She has written some of her own originals, and is sure to throw them in among fan favorites at her shows.
She may not look it, but Marji has been playing music professionally for 45 years. Like most musicians, she’s also worked other jobs in between her music gigs, particularly teaching and coaching… although she’s grateful that for the most part she has been able to play music almost exclusively.
Influences and early experiences
Marji has been influenced by artists such as Joni Mitchell, James Taylor, Tom Waits and Billy Holiday.
Her first experience with music was listening to her father sing, and singing together with him and her sister as a young child. Later, she “adopted” an unused guitar her brother had been handed down. She discovered a Peter, Paul and Mary songbook lying around the house and was surprised how easy it was to follow along with the chord diagrams. Then, she learned to play by ear. She got her first gig at a local bar when she was 18, and never stopped to look back.
That’s not to say Marji never had a day job. At some points she worked six days a week and performed six nights a week. However, she never let anything push music down as a priority.
“The most important thing to me was that my day job would not interfere with my ability to perform.”
A turning point
One day, about fifteen years ago, Marji decided she would quit music altogether. Things had just gotten too difficult and it wasn’t fun anymore. Fortunately, the feeling didn’t last long. The experience, however, had taught her something important…. When she picked her guitar back up again, she only booked shows she loved, and she taught herself to enjoy every aspect of the experience: from booking, to moving equipment, to breaking the set down at the end of the night.
“There had to be a way where I wouldn’t feel that resistance to [playing], because I think that interferes with happiness, and I didn’t want to not feel happy playing,” Marji said. “I implemented some systems and when I came back to it, it was a much more pleasurable experience.”
She believes that the idea that money and happiness can’t coexist is a limiting belief. She admires Alberta Hunter, an American jazz and blues singer/songwriter who raised her family and had a successful career as a nurse before starting her 25 year long music career at the age of 65.
Connecting with the audience
Her favorite part of playing live shows is the connection she gets to share with her audience. Small venues in particular, provide that opportunity to get to know the audience members and talk to them after the show. In Marji’s opinion, it’s this connection that turns the act of playing music into a true art form.
“It’s that really beautiful connection where people really get [the music] and are really touched and moved. It gives me energy and it changes everything,” Marji said.
Having the opportunity to speak with audience members is part of this experience. Her favorite venues are house concerts, as she really appreciates getting to connect with her audience in a more intimate way. In fact, Marji’s audience often provides her with fodder for new music.
Becoming Human
In addition to her solo work, Marji belongs to the band Becoming Human. They play original songs of observation, realization and transformation in the genres of world music, jazz and folk… but with an element of improvisation. Guitarist, Jim Kunkel and bassist, Mickey Kopchak, do most of the composing, but what Marji finds most unique about the trio is that each member has a beautiful and unique voice. There is no lead vocalist, she said, but instead they all back each other.
“The material is so unique and so personal… Jim Kunkel, he writes this from a very spiritual perspective,” Marji said.
She mentioned one of their songs entitled, “The deeper meaning of ‘I am’,” and how it delves into personal spirituality, forging more of an experience than the creation of music alone.
Marji will be playing solo at Market this week. Feel free to introduce yourself and say hi, and keep an ear out for an original tune or two, as well!
Visit Marji’s website to learn more about her music and how to find her or hire her for your next party or event at www.marjizintz.us
