All Of It with Alison Stewart

Episode Date: November 19, 2025
Guests: Rachel Price (Lake Street Dive), Vilray
Topic: The making and influences behind Rachel and Vilray's new album West of Broadway—a blend of retro jazz and Broadway stylings, with live performances and insights into their creative process.

Episode Overview

This episode delves into the creative partnership between Rachel Price and Vilray, focusing on their latest album, West of Broadway. Blending the stylings of classic Broadway with "West Coast cool" jazz, the duo discuss their artistic influences, share stories of their musical reunion, and perform songs live in the studio—including their collaboration with Stephen Colbert. The conversation illuminates both the craft and camaraderie behind their music, showcasing the richness and playfulness of their approach.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Live Performance: "Love Comes Around"

• The episode opens with an intimate, stripped-back performance of "Love Comes Around" ([01:22]).
• The lyrics underline themes of rediscovered love and emotional vulnerability.

2. Rachel Price on Learning to Scat ([04:14–05:17])

• Rachel shares her journey to learning scat singing, starting with memorizing Ella Fitzgerald solos and later developing improvisational skills at the New England Conservatory:
  • “I started learning how to scat from Ella Fitzgerald... But I do think that memorizing solos can be the first step to learning how to scat, because you’re getting a feel for the vocabulary of certain changes…” – Rachel Price ([04:22])
• She describes the act of scatting as emotionally immersive:
  • “I kind of think of myself as, like, expounding upon the lyric in my mind. So it's like a weird meditation when I'm doing it.” – Rachel Price ([06:09])

3. The Duo Dynamic: Writing and Arrangement ([05:17–06:24])

• Vilray explains how the spontaneity in duo performances leads to creative choices—sometimes opting for a scat solo, sometimes a guitar or even whistle solo.

4. Musical Influences: Broadway and West Coast Cool Jazz ([06:24–08:27])

• Vilray describes his simultaneous love for Broadway (especially Sondheim) and West Coast “cool” jazz, highlighting the oddity and innovation in both realms.
  • “Broadway music is just music. So it can be rock and roll, or it can be, you know, jazz inflected or even opera inflected... As far as the west coast cool jazz goes, it's very specific... If you listen to the Birth of the Cool, that's the gold standard.” – Vilray ([06:40])
• He references his deep dive into Sondheim's A Little Night Music, My Fair Lady, and Gypsy, noting their sophisticated lyricism and melodicism ([08:30–09:45]).

5. Character-Driven Songs ([09:45–11:04])

• Rachel discusses approaching each song as a “character study,” inventing personas to suit the quirky and sometimes surreal narratives Vilray writes:
  • “There's a song from the perspective of somebody who thinks that the tortoise that they woke up next to... must be her lover who has now disappeared... So it’s like you really gotta get into that… And obviously, there’s no musical actually behind these songs. So I’ve had to sort of invent who they are.” – Rachel Price ([10:36])

6. Arranging the Album: Homage to Jazz Icons ([11:04–11:44])

• They shout out arranger Jacob Zimmerman for capturing the album’s 1950s jazz vibe, inspired by “Birth of the Cool” and jazz singers like Sarah Vaughan.

Memorable Moments & Quotes

On the Role of Vibraphone and Xylophone in "The Stuff" ([11:49–12:43])

• Vilray explains that the playful xylophone was inspired by Blossom Dearie, giving the music a “cartoony” feel.
  • “Brings a cartoony element to things.” – Vilray ([11:56])
• Rachel quips:
  • “It highlights that. It’s a very silly song.” – Rachel Price ([12:38])

Live Performance: "The Stuff" ([12:45–15:37])

• A witty, playful song performed live, encapsulating the humor and nostalgia of the duo’s sound.

The Story of Their Partnership ([15:37–18:08])

• Rachel and Vilray recount how their initial attempt to collaborate didn’t work out due to Vilray’s musical rustiness, but years later a revived performance convinced Rachel they had something special.
  • “We had one sort of embarrassing afternoon in which, you know, she brought over some charts, and I tried to read them and didn’t really succeed.” – Vilray ([16:49])
  • Rachel describes Vilray’s dedication, busking in New York subways to regain his musical chops:
    • “He was just Busking, which is actually a great way to just make practice tunes, playing them over and over and over again.” – Rachel Price ([17:26])
• The bond of support and encouragement is evident; Rachel trusted in Vilray’s artistry and felt moved by the unfamiliar yet emotionally potent songs he performed.

On Jazz & Genre Choices ([19:43–20:42])

• Vilray notes his other songwriting interests (such as country) but affirms the value of focusing on jazz for both creative satisfaction and professional clarity:
  • “I think in some ways it’s very…good for business, I think, to be a little bit pigeonholed and to say, well, you know, this sounds like something that you’re familiar with…” – Vilray ([20:19])

The Stephen Colbert Collaboration ([20:42–22:29])

• Vilray describes how an impromptu request at Colbert’s birthday party led to the comedian’s guest spot on “Off Broadway”:
  • “We put it in his ear that we were making a record and would he ever consider maybe guesting, you know, in a skit or in a song or what have you?... the last song I wrote, I was like, well, I have to have a song that we could pitch to him...” – Vilray ([20:49])

Live Performance: "Off Broadway" Feat. Stephen Colbert ([22:34–25:54])

• The trio perform a tongue-in-cheek ode to the quirks and pitfalls of Broadway, with Colbert gamely adopting the role of a Broadway cynic.
  • “Broadway is the dream of a lifetime for kids of every age... Broadway is also a street and streets have a gutter and gutters trip feet…” – Stephen Colbert ([22:44])
  • “Get off of Broadway… cause the rats on Broadway in broad daylight will pick your pocket clean...” – Stephen Colbert ([23:37])

Timestamps for Major Segments

• 01:22–04:14: Live: "Love Comes Around"
• 04:14–06:24: Scat Singing & Duo Process
• 06:24–09:45: Musical Influences: Broadway & Jazz
• 09:45–11:44: Character Studies, Vocal Influence, and Arrangements
• 11:49–12:43: On Vibraphone/Xylophone
• 12:45–15:37: Live: "The Stuff"
• 15:37–18:08: Duo’s Early History & Reunion
• 18:11–19:43: Why Rachel Believed in Vilray
• 19:47–20:42: Genre Discussion
• 20:42–22:29: Stephen Colbert Collaboration Origin
• 22:34–25:54: Live: "Off Broadway" with Stephen Colbert

Notable Quotes

• "Every time I’m like, wow, I can’t believe I’m doing this [scatting]. It’s ridiculous." – Rachel Price ([04:22])
• "Broadway music is just music. It can be rock and roll, jazz inflected, or even opera inflected." – Vilray ([06:40])
• "You really have to embody the person who’s singing them…It’s like a weird meditation." – Rachel Price ([09:54])
• "Brings a cartoony element to things." – Vilray on using the xylophone ([11:56])
• "We had one sort of embarrassing afternoon... she brought over some charts, and I tried to read them and didn’t really succeed." – Vilray ([16:49])
• "He was just busking… just making practice tunes, playing them over and over… Eventually, you were making enough in the subway to leave your job." – Rachel Price ([17:26])
• "The harmonies and the melodies from this time are… just extremely efficient for your emotions. They hit you really, really hard." – Rachel Price ([18:11])
• "We put it in his ear... would he ever consider maybe guesting? ...He was very generous to say yes..." – Vilray on Stephen Colbert ([20:49])

Summary

Rachel Price and Vilray’s episode on All Of It invites listeners into the nostalgic yet innovative world of West of Broadway. The duo’s conversation and live performances highlight the playful, character-driven approach and deep musical influences behind their work. Whether reimagining jazz scatting, tapping into Broadway’s lyrical genius, or collaborating with Stephen Colbert, Rachel and Vilray demonstrate both reverence for tradition and a whimsical spirit of reinvention—anchored by their enduring artistic friendship.