A rebellious yet charming insouciance like that made famous by film titan Louise Brooks. In today's musical terms, it’s the gutsy aspect of Bonnie Raitt, the artfulness of Kate Bush crossed with the swagger of Leon Russel. It’s the uncompromising honesty of Alanis Morrisette arranged by the suave hand of George Gershwin. It’s got soulful warmth and cool precision. But in the end, it’s all, inimitably, Wynne Alexander.

“I exist in myself”, she agrees, “I’m more unfettered than most, yet I have to live with everyone’s opinions. I’ve heard people say I write male. I’ve heard people say I play like a black man. And that’s an enormous compliment, but what I think they’re talking about is strength. You don’t have to be male to be strong...I know how intrigued men and women are when they watch me play. When I’m up at the piano- 'attack, attack, attack'-I give the lie to the myth that female players aren't compellingly strong.”

Wynne’s new CD presents a powerful argument against any kind of arbitrary stereotype. Produced, arranged and almost completely performed by Alexander, the disc tackles the full range of human emotion. From the power pop rage of “Liars” to the tender grace of “Love You Lullabye”, from the knowing ironic groove of “Controlez-Vous” to the indignant slink of “What Am I to Say”, this album gleefully refuses to be categorized.

“That’s all part of the greater scam”, she says of the music industry’s current infatuation with rigid formats. “The majority-which does not understand you, are afraid because you’re different. They don’t like their own fear and have to fix it-so they fix you. They assign you a role with their lack of knowledge in full force. And often you might be fixed out of existence and never heard of again. Then they get to say, ‘well it’s a funny thing, you know there never were any great American female composers...’ "So where was the impetus?.. When women were fighting just to take advanced math classes in the 50’s, when women were fighting to be lawyers and doctors not too long ago, I guess there weren’t too many left over fighting to be composers. By the way, fighting's no pleasure."

Wynne shakes her head and continues, “We could be talking about Black Folks in America, Armenians in Turkey,Turks in Germany, Muslims in Sri Lanka, Jews in Europe, or Gays anywhere. We have numerous examples throughout the history of mankind where a majority imposes its opinion and will on a 'smaller' community. The majority sets the agenda, then labels and hails the heroes. And so today someone says 'she's so good, she plays like a man'-and tomorrow they'll just say-'she's so good.'

Given Wynne’s unique musical background, that’s almost to be expected. Her earliest influences were classical; operas like The Marriage of Figaro, Madame Butterfly, the voice of Bidu Sayao, then the piano prowess of Hazel Scott were favorites when she was just beginning to walk. But there was also the seminal R&B -- Rhythm and Blues. Her father was the founding general manager of the radio station WDAS, a Philadelphia [Pennsylvania] institution that attained national prominence both musically and socio-politically. It not only broke now legendary acts from Sam Cooke, the Beatles, Jackson 5, Marvin Gaye, Buddy Holly to the Fugees- but also played a key role in the struggle for civil rights, embracing both Dr. Martin Luther King and Malcolm X, during their lifetimes. Along with the great classical composers, Wynne’s head was now filled with the high power and amazing rhythms of Aretha Franklin, Sly Stone, B.B. King, Graham Central Station and Parliament-Funkadelic. And today, her songs display both the symphonic scope and raw immediacy of the music that initially inspired her.

“I’ve been writing music since I was eight”, she says. “It was just something I started to do. Things come in and you get the message early on: ‘Go do this’.”

Wynne’s subsequent experiences only fed this fire. As she grew, she became more involved at WDAS, eventually going on the air as a broadcast journalist where she interviewed such renowned figures as Muhammed Ali and Coretta Scott King. Their righteous perspectives helped shape her lyrical stance and in songs like the scathingly funny “What Am I to Say?” one can hear their concerns of justice and equality brought down to a more personal level. It’s an almost crusading sensibility and it’s certainly one of Wynne’s most arresting qualities.

“You can call it ‘crusading’ but I don’t think it’s that at all,” she says. “It’s more like shock and dismay-‘Oh you mean this is still happening? They didn’t fix this yet? Why hasn't this been fixed?'”

For Wynne that attitude particularly applies to the current state of music and the way it’s marketed. Having spent her formative years at one of the industry’s main pressure points on the East Coast, she finds the present emphasis on glitzy, disposable performers particularly troubling.

“My father used to talk about Rome before it fell and the addle-pated, syphilitic generals who oversaw the demise,” she laughs. “At WDAS I learned about the reality of how good music gets on the air, which doesn’t exist anymore. I worked at a very special place. There were actually talented people who cared about what they played. And in their way they were nurturing. A lot of acts- hundreds and hundreds over the years- came through that radio station getting the breaks they needed. So I saw what it’s supposed to look like, when you really have big talent. Doors are supposed to crack open for you. That big undeniable talent used to mean something. And unfortunately, I understand that’s just about dead almost everywhere."

Be that as it may, Wynne Alexander will still be standing even if the current system fails completely. She’s intrepid—it’s in her music and now that spirited resilience is on the Internet. With her CD and this web site, she’s taken control of her career in a way that would have been unthinkable five years ago. She may actually be helping to blaze a new trail in the classic tradition of WDAS, but for now, she’s striking a much needed blow for artistic freedom and quality.

Ultimately a move like this benefits everyone with a set of ears and a sense of adventure. So sample these songs. Come back regularly to read Wynne's commentaries of acuity, wit and unpredictable observations. Experience a point of view that both stands apart and yet, strives for greater unity. It’s all here, but as Wynne says, “You’ve got to find out for yourself !” – Ramsay Pennypacker MUSIC CRITIC Here's More About WDAS Civil Rights History

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