Toronto’s Sook-Yin Lee has long been a musician, but Jooj, her new project with Adam Litovitz, may be her first major effort since her days fronting Vancouver-based Bob’s Your Uncle two decades ago. With a new album set for release on May 26 and live shows ahead, we asked the host of CBC’s Definitely Not the Opera about Jooj and her touring plans for this summer.
What are the origins of this new band Jooj?
Adam and I have been working a lot the last several years. Specifically, this group of songs had its genesis in an art show we had called We Are Light Rays, a few years ago as part of Future Projections at TIFF. Essentially, it was a cinematic series of images that together told a story. I wanted to create a score for that experience.
And what was it that influenced that original work?
The particular work was really influenced by my experience moving back to Vancouver, when my sister was diagnosed with cancer, and really being part of her team, supporting her through that very arduous and difficult process.
You seem fearless in pursuit of your art. Where does that courage come from?
I think there is a perception of fearlessness. It’s more like self-possession. I take in the world, and I express what are my impressions, and I have to be true to those qualities and those things. I very seldom think about, “Oh jeez, is this going to be OK?…” I think it’s a guileless non-realization of how I’m coming across.
Why is it important that some art isn’t easy?
I think that’s the experience of being human. I also herald beauty, poignancy, care and work and many beautiful things. But to just represent that one side gives short shrift to the totality of the experience of these things. Life is hard.
Are there any upcoming live performances?
Yes, there are a number of shows this summer. We’ll be playing at North By Northeast and also the SummerWorks Performance Festival. And there will be a record release show at Double Double.
Tell me about the links between your CBC radio show, DNTO, and what you do outside of broadcasting.
Everything is very fluid. As you know, I work in very many media: visual art, moving art, film, video, music, dance. There is a kind of universal quality of communication and expression. Each discipline informs the other. Honing my sense of story, week to week, helps me to be able to understand what constitutes a good story.
And what’s the vibe like over at the CBC now that Ghomeshi has been out of the picture for a while?
It’s always challenging. It’s an institutional place and a corporation, and so to take these huge personal upheavals and work through them in a corporate environment is very challenging. There is no denying it. People feel it.
One of your new songs, “Crushed,” seems to reference a bike crash. What happened?
I had a smash up. I hit a frozen puddle of tofu water, a tofu puddle. I was having the best ride, so happy and free, and it was just getting to be cold, and I totally did not see tofu puddle and smashed on my face. I was immediately surrounded by four strangers all of whom were Portuguese, but all I wanted to do was go home and avoid everything.
