Jill Fiore, hanging out in the hood.
LES musician Jill Fiore on playing
on her fi re escape during COVID
BY BOB KRASNER
There are people who live in their
neighborhood and there are
people who make their neighborhood
what it is. Musician Jill Fiore falls
squarely into the latter category.
Saturday night, June 12, she will be
rocking out on her fi re escape, performing
the third in a series of free concerts
that she has been giving for neighbors
and friends, hoping to give something to
the community that they can use in a time
of closed clubs and canceled concerts.
It all started in 8th grade, when she
sang a solo at the school graduation and
continued through to college, where she
went from waitress to performer, singing
in cover bands and discovering along the
way that she loved performing.
“I loved the crowds, the way the mic
felt in my hand, the way that the music
brought the room together,” Fiore muses.
“In my mid-20’s I wanted to form a band.”
Despite the guy that informed her,
“you don’t have what it takes,” or possibly
because of him, Fiore resolved to go full
speed ahead.
Partnering with Holly Grosse resulted
in ‘Ready Jane’, a three-woman / twoman
collective that played original tunes
at fondly remembered (and sadly defunct)
places like CBGB’s, the Continental,
Don Hill’s and Brownies. They managed
to record some demos and open for the
Lunachicks and then break up after two
years.
Defying conventional logic Fiore
moved into the city from her native
New Jersey shortly after 9/11 and joined
the ‘Damned Dirty Apes ‘, playing one
night to an audience that includes Gene
Simmons.
“Me and 4 dudes! ” Fiore laughs. “It
was more screaming than singing.”
Eventually, Fiore bought her fi rst guitar
– a Fender Strat – from a friend, learned
a few chords and had the revelation that
she had everything she needed to write
songs. While working a series of jobs –
she’s been a bartender, personal assistant,
website manager for Clear Channel, DJ
and graphic designer – she continued to
hone her craft in a series of bands.
Two-piece combos like ‘Miss Jilly and
Cici’, three-piece outfi ts such as the allgirl
‘The Lovely’, as well as solo stints,
gave her the confi dence to continue,
PHOTOS BY BOB KRASNER
Jill Fiore waiting for coffee at
Cremé, a neighborhood favorite.
especially when she was alone onstage.
“I got a solo gig at a Roller Derby party
in Las Vegas,” she says. “I was nervous,
but I realized that it makes you a badass
just getting up on a stage and playing your
own music.”
Back in NYC, bandmate Russell Zambito
got her a gig doing graphic design for
Sesame Street, despite the fact that her
only experience was designing fl iers for
her gigs. Despite her inexperience, Fiore
walked away from that job with an Emmy
for her work.
“I’ve reinvented myself multiple times
in NYC,” she admits.
Around 2019 the guitarist got more
serious about her playing, put together a
new backup band and headed into 2020
with a feeling of purpose – and then got
COVID.
“Everything changed,” she recalls.
“One day when I was still sick, but strong
enough to crawl through the window, I
went out on my fi re escape and decided
that I wanted to do a show out there.
There was life outside – there was a connection
to people.”
The nightlife that we took for granted
– music in clubs and theaters – was nonexistent
when Fiore put together the fi rst
show in October of 2020 dubbed the
‘Fiore Escape’.
“It was a simple production,” she
recalls, ” but it was so well received and
joyful.”
“The fi rst show was about bolstering
our spirits,” she states. “The next one was
to champion resilience and the means to
rebuild our community while being aware
of the struggle of our clubs to survive.”
The response to the shows was tremendous,
bringing her television exposure on
Entertainment Tonight, ABC News and
NY1.
The upcoming – and possibly last – fi re
escape show is, according to Fiore, about
“life and love. It’s a celebration of pride
and a recognition of what we’ve lost. ”
One of the people lost this year was
Fiore’s beloved dad ( although not to
COVID).
“It was a challenge after my dad died,”
Fiore confesses. “I was ready to throw
in the towel, but my mom told me how
proud he was to see me on TV. I’m doing
this show for everyone, but especially for
my mom and dad. June 12th is their wedding
anniversary.”
Fiore is celebrating the release of two
new songs on Saturday as well, produced
by East Village rocker Jesse Malin. With
the blessing of the neighboring businesses,
Fiore plans to give it her all on
the second fl oor of 29 Essex St. at 8.30
p.m. with Jason Taylor (bass), Derek Cruz
(guitar) and Dave Spinley (saxophone).
And, she wants you to know, ” it’s
not just live music, it’s a very New York
Experience.”
You can keep tabs on Jill Fiore through
her Instagram @soundandfi ore and her
website,jillfi oremusic.com.
40 June 10, 2021 Schneps Media
/oremusic.com
