Meet Erica von Kleist | Musician & Educator

We had the good fortune of connecting with Erica von Kleist and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Erica, do you have some perspective or insight you can share with us on the question of when someone should give up versus when they should keep going?
This question often goes in cycles for me. I have moments where I seriously consider giving up as a working musician trying to self-promote, self-book, self-do everything. I often feel like an Island, surrounded by thoughts of having made bad decisions in my career. To boot, there are often moments of comparing myself to others and thinking that I haven’t worked hard enough, or that I’m lazy. In these moments I think about what it would be like to abandon my path and go the “safe” route by finding a steady job, knowing that I at least tried. But then I realize how unhappy I would be if I gave up, especially years down the road. Would 80-year-old me be proud of me? Would she have regrets? Would she wish I had just pushed a little harder, explored a little deeper, believed in myself a little more? Success is really right around the corner, and I’d hate to quit right before turning that corner. So I keep going. The regret in old age would be too much of a burden to bear.

Can you open up a bit about your work and career? We’re big fans and we’d love for our community to learn more about your work.
I started out as a full-time jazz musician, touring and performing with all the luminaries, all over the world. I even had a Broadway show at one point. When I burnt out so bad in my late 20s I abandoned my life in NYC and moved to Montana, where I lived for ten years. There I spent a lot of time healing myself, looking inward and outward, and began challenging myself in new directions. In 2013 I started two companies: a music booking agency for private events, and a music nonprofit that provided live shows for nursing homes. Through these two endeavors I learned a ton about the “other side” of the music industry, the nuts and bolts. But creatively I was not fulfilled. In 2018 during the #metoo movement I reminisced about all of the times being the lone woman on jazz stages and in bands, and realized how much of my career had been marginalized and sidelined because of my gender, which very much contributed to my burnout in the first place. Instead of getting angry and launching a rant on Facebook about it, I decided to write some music. With words this time. This is when I found my funny bone. The songs poured out of me. From mansplaining to menstruation I began ripping the bandaid off of the conversation about women. This snowballed into a one-woman musical comedy show that I’m now promoting and booking. Last year I moved back to NYC, and coming full circle, I have a renewed outlook on my career, and a bat sh*t crazy jazz comedy show to boot. This year I’ll be releasing several singles from a live show, and continuing to see where this journey takes me.

Let’s say your best friend was visiting the area and you wanted to show them the best time ever. Where would you take them? Give us a little itinerary – say it was a week long trip, where would you eat, drink, visit, hang out, etc.
I’m a foodie, so this would revolve around the best food and drink in NYC. First off, for breakfast we would go to the Hungarian Pastry Shop at 110th and Amsterdam. Their coffee is terrible but the hot croissants more than make up for it. Then we’d walk through central park and take in the sights. For lunch we’d grab the train down to Chinatown and go to Pho Bang, the BEST Vietnamese food in the city. We’d both order the Pho and split an order of crispy spring rolls. After walking around chinatown for awhile and maybe buying some cute Hello Kitty merch, we’d end of at Oniel’s bar for a class of $10 Rose (because no one has money in 2024). To close off the night we’d end up at either Mona’s or Room 623 for some live jazz and another cocktail. And if it’s a nice night we’ll walk around the Upper West Side and oogle at people’s gorgeous brownstone apartments that we can’t afford.

The Shoutout series is all about recognizing that our success and where we are in life is at least somewhat thanks to the efforts, support, mentorship, love and encouragement of others. So is there someone that you want to dedicate your shoutout to?
Shoutout to my good friends, particularly Nadje Noordhuis and Jennifer Wharton, two immensely talented brass players here in NYC with whom I’ve shared the stage for many many years. We pump each other up, catch each other when we are down, and most importantly, make each other laugh about the absurdities of being in the music industry.

Website: https://www.ericavonkleist.com/

Image Credits
Vicky Good Photography Mandy Mohler Photography