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When singer-songwriter Vanessa Carlton plays at Greene Street Club tomorrow, don't expect to see the same pop princess behind the piano anthem "A Thousand Miles."Though she can still tickle the ivories as skillfully as ever, Carlton's sound has evolved since she burst onto the music scene in 2002 and turned into a relaxed, jazzy pop-rock performer with an original blend of instruments and sounds."My second record was a real transitional record for me," Carlton said.After earning three Grammy Award nominations for her first album, "Be Not Nobody," Carlton decided she wanted to take some time to find out what her sound really was. She said she is thankful for being able to experiment with her sound on "Harmonium," released in 2004, because it led her to the point of "Heroes and Thieves," her most recent record.While Carlton describes herself as very earthy and said she isn't afraid to show imperfections in her songs, the producers behind her first album at A&M Records were more perfectionists. She switched to The Inc. and Universal Motown Records for "Heroes and Thieves," which she said is some of her best music and will lead to one of her best tours."There's something that's very kinetic about live music that's very hard to capture in any other medium," Carlton said.Carlton's favorite part of touring is being onstage, where she said the exchange between the performer and the audience is very powerful.Carlton first fell in love with music when she started playing the piano at age 3. Her mother is a pianist and music teacher and helped Carlton become classically trained."It was never a question of whether music was going to be a part of my life," Carlton said. "It was just a matter of how big."Later in her childhood Carlton became interested in ballet and attended the School of American Ballet in New York City. By graduation she realized that music was what she really wanted to pursue, so she quit ballet in favor of studying at Columbia University and performing in clubs and bars throughout Manhattan.Once she was signed to A&M Records and released the hit single "A Thousand Miles," Carlton describes the experience as surreal. She said that when she heard her song on the radio or saw her music video, it felt like she was listening to another person.Further adding to the surreal experience was meeting and instantly connecting with rock legend Stevie Nicks, who eventually became Carlton's friend and mentor."I couldn't believe when she walked through the door," Carlton said. "I feel like I've known her in some past life."Carlton and Nicks shared many mutual acquaintances, including A&M producer Jimmy Iovine, who worked on Nicks' solo record, and Fleetwood Mac guitarist Lindsey Buckingham, who played guitar on "Harmonium." Carlton toured with Nicks in 2005, 2006 and 2007, and they have a duet on "Heroes and Thieves."Carlton said she has learned a great deal from her time working in the music industry, both in terms of the technical efforts in producing a record and in terms of songwriting. She said she is inspired by everything and hopes to reflect her inner world and the world around her in her songs."Write to please yourself first and foremost," Carlton said. "Don't try to fit some mold. Keeping your mind fresh and alert and not falling into some sort of pattern is important."After her summer tour wraps in August, Carlton plans to take some time off and travel to Costa Rica. She will also go on a 10-day boat trip in the Arctic and observe the melting ice caps with Cape Farewell, an organization whose goal is to engage artists, scientists and communicators in the response to climate change.
