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Dorantes&Moisés P. Sánchez Entrevista – Piano Day – Summum Concert Series

Dorantes&Moisés P. Sánchez Entrevista – Piano Day – Summum Concert Series

DORANTES Y MOISÉS P. SÁNCHEZ 

Entrevista

Piano Day – Summum Concert Series

 

11

Marzo, 2025

By: José Cabello

Fotos: Alba Mediavilla

Escucha el Podcast!!!

En el marco del prestigioso ciclo Summum Concert Series, nos encontramos con un acontecimiento excepcional, un bombazo: la primera colaboración pública entre David P. Dorantes y Moisés P. Sánchez. Estos dos referentes y titantes de la música en España y más allá de sus fronteras nunca habían trabajado juntos hasta ahora. Sin embargo, Summum ha propiciado este encuentro, dando lugar a un proyecto inédito en el que la creatividad y el talento han confluido de manera magistral.

El resultado podrá disfrutarse el próximo sábado 29 de marzo, dentro de la programación de Piano Day, donde, además, se presentarán otros dos espectáculos con pianistas de primer nivel. En esta ocasión, Dorantes y Moisés han dado forma a un proyecto único que ha dado a luz a cuatro composiciones originales de una belleza extraordinaria, reflejo de la visión artística que ambos comparten.

Hemos tenido el privilegio de conversar con ellos en el auditorio de la UAX, donde nos han hablado sobre su amistad, su concepción de la música, el proceso creativo detrás de sus composiciones y, sobre todo, su manera de entender la profundidad del arte que representan. ¡Esperamos que vosotros también podáis disfrutarlo!

 

In&OutJazz:  ¡Pues ya estamos!

Dorantes: ¡Ya estamos por aquí, al lío!

Moisés: ¡Estamos!

Con el café, con los bollitos ya uno por la mañana se siente mejor, ¿verdad?

D: Hombre, un poquito de azúcar, pero bueno, sin pasarse, sin pasarse.

M: Sí, sí, que ya hemos entrado en época de análisis de sangre y esas cosas.

D: Sí, sí.

Bueno un placer poder robaros un ratito en medio de un día seguramente intenso porque ya habéis empezado a tope. Nos acompaña Alba Mediavilla a la fotografía y pronto estará con nosotros también Begoña Villalobos directora y presidenta de la revista In&OutJazz.  Somos varios colaboradores que nos gusta apoyar la música fresca e innovadora en nuestro tiempo y la verdad que vuestros nombres hablan por sí solos. Es raro que haya gente que no os conozca igualmente pondremos vuestros perfiles y vuestras redes para que la gente que no os conozca lo pueda hacer. En cualquier caso estamos contentísimos de haberos pillado prácticamente infraganti en lo que creo que es el primer ensayo de este proyecto, ¿puede ser? ¿Os habéis visto en otra ocasión?

D: En condiciones como esta, sí.

M: Así en público puede ser, sí. Aunque nosotros ya nos hemos juntado de manera privada.

¿Cómo nace el proyecto? ¿Quién llama a quién? ¿Hay alguien externo que os llama a los dos? ¿Cómo funciona?

D: No, es un encargo del mismo festival.

¿Directamente os llaman ellos? ¡Qué interesante, qué bueno!

M: Bueno nos llaman de manera individual al principio y no sé por qué a Carlos López le sale la cosa de decirte oye, porque te lo dice a ti primero yo creo…

D: Sí, me lo dice a mí y sí. Es así. Incluso me preguntó quién podía ser y yo dije Moisés. Y aparte además a ti te preguntaría también en privado, yo creo que puede ser algo de eso.

Ha habido un poco trabajo de Celestina por su parte, ¿puede ser, un poquito?

D: Puede ser. Exactamente, exactamente no se puede saber, pero sí que es verdad que al final lo que estamos haciendo lo hemos querido.

M: Claro, porque por mucho que te quieran juntar, si no hay un interés por parte de los músicos, ahí no…

D: Claro, pero le agradecemos la idea que tuvo, por supuesto.

Claro que sí ¿qué es del otro lo que más admiráis y que más ganas tenéis de experimentar?

D: Yo, de Moisés, el cromatismo que tiene como músico. Como el gran cromatismo que tiene en general y el talentazo que tiene, absoluto. Y la libertad y la amplitud que tiene tanto en la música, que la lleva a un límite bastante alto.

M: Bueno yo conozco a David desde hace muchísimo y siempre la valentía que ha tenido como para empujar un género sobre todo que es a ti donde más se te puede englobar que es en el flamenco, puede ser, ¿no?

D: Sí, en el flamenco.

M: Y es una persona que siempre ha estado buscando los puntos que unen más que los que separan. Y yo me siento muy, muy afín a eso. Porque yo, yo desde mi sitio con el jazz, el clásico y el rock, me siento un poco igual. Se trata del dónde confluyen más que lo que separan claro.

Tendéis puentes entre las barreras y etiquetas que otros colocan, ¿no?

M: Bueno, es que en un mundo tan interconectado como en el que estamos hoy en día yo creo que el ser parcelario es una opción vital, por supuesto, pero desde luego creo que no es la cuestión que nos define.

D: Justo, darle flexibilidad a todos, ¿no? Más flexibilidad, desde luego partiendo sitios respetuosos y yendo hacia sitios respetuosos. Es como echarle un agua que remueve un poco y que claro que coja más flexibilidad y que no sea nada tan rígido, pero bien pensado, que no sea así porque sí.

¿Cómo habéis planteado la composición? Porque estoy al tanto de que descartasteis rápidamente la opción de improvisar vagamente y dijisteis “esto es una oportunidad para poder escribir material”. ¿Cómo confluye esta cuestión? Porque claro, cada uno venís de un lugar pero los dos tendéis puentes entonces ¿cómo ha sido la composición? ¿Cómo la habéis repartido? ¿Quién ha sugerido qué temas?

D: Hemos empezado por comenzar dos temas cada uno y trabajarlos a la vez, ¿no? Cada uno ha compuesto dos temas y los hemos trabajado juntos. Y resulta muy interesante porque hay un lenguaje de Moisés que yo tengo que trabajar y tengo que hacerme a él. Y ese trabajo me interesa muchísimo y creo que enriquece, tanto en el diálogo como a nivel individual. Entonces lo estamos haciendo desde esa forma. Se trata de poner sobre la mesa, en este banquete, poner cada uno su tapita de música o su plato de música y luego compartirlo, ¿no?

M: Sí porque normalmente los dúos de piano no son proyectos fáciles, digamos. Ni de escribir ni de sacar adelante. Y a mí me…, o sea, evidentemente uno de los puntos que yo creo que ambos vimos como vehículo transmisor para que funcionara la cuestión era que ambos somos compositores y tenemos un sello personal muy definido por el que se nos conoce a cada uno en nuestro ámbito y nos apasiona la composición, la instrumentación la orquestación, los lenguajes contemporáneos, etcétera, ¿no? Entonces, ese era…, si nos juntábamos está claro que tenían que ir por ahí los tiros. Teníamos claro no íbamos a reciclar o sea, a lo mejor en el concierto completo a lo mejor podemos tocar un tema de otra persona, o sea un tema antiguo. Pero no va a ser el caso en este en concreto, creo, a no ser que hagamos un bis como quinto tema… Porque como este concierto está englobado dentro de varios pues vamos a hacer cuatro temas directamente y tal. Pero yo creo que evidentemente la composición es el plato fuerte, uno de los puntos de unión claro, totalmente sí, sí,

¿Cómo entra en diálogo con la improvisación si es que la hay? ¿Hay algo de improvisación?

M: Sí, sí, claro que la hay.

D: Sí, sí hay espacios.

Nosotros os hemos cazado, hemos entrado y algo se estaba escuchando…

M: Hay espacios…, los provocamos y buscamos claro. David tiene su lenguaje, yo tengo mi lenguaje…

D: Claro yo un lenguaje más flamenco…

M: Claro y yo pues estoy en el jazz, o sea yo vivo de improvisar también.

D: Pero eso es bonito ¿no? Hablar y cada uno con su tono.

M: Sí, pero hay…, tiene que haber porque es una cuestión que nos define.

Son pilares fundamentales de vuestra de vuestra personalidad como músicos.

M: Totalmente, totalmente. O sea que los buscamos y yo en la composición los provoco, como como es normal claro.

¿Cuál ha sido el mayor reto en este proyecto a nivel compositivo? Antes hablabas de la dificultad de escribir para para dos pianos, para cuatro manos ¿no?

D: Bueno, en mi caso yo he buscado lenguajes diferentes. Me he montado mi película que no sea lo típico de siempre. Lo he hecho a través de mis…, no sé…, como patrones, he inventado unas escalas, he inventado algo… O sea se trata de ser creativo ¿no? Entonces el reto es intentar no sonar como podría ser lo normal, que suene también un poco diferente y se note el lenguaje diferente. Y por supuesto que estén bien encajados los dos instrumentos que también es muy complejo ¿no?

Totalmente.

D: Es muy complejo.

M: Sí, yo creo que cuando…, yo creo que es un proceso en movimiento porque compones, tú tienes una idea y te puedes hacer una idea de cómo va a funcionar eso en la cabeza, en las manos y en el alma de la otra persona pero luego la práctica es otra muy distinta ¿no? Luego tú pones el tema y dices “bueno, ¿qué funciona y qué no?”, nos estamos olfateando digamos porque estamos buscando, dónde es…

La totalidad y la unión entre los dos. ¡Qué interesante!

M: Como cuando los círculos se juntan y convergen y el punto el área común que tienen esos círculos, que tiene un nombre…, pero vaya, que estamos buscando ese punto. Pero también sin olvidar que el círculo es un círculo y también te puedes ir al otro lado y aparte también hay un punto bonito en picar al otro, ¿no? También decir “no, te voy a picar y te voy a sacar de donde tú estás”.

¿Os dejáis? ¿Lo gozáis? ¿Es una cosa placentera cuando el otro pica?

M: A mí sí.

D: Sí, por supuesto, eso es así.

M: Sí, es cierto y está muy bien que lo indiques porque hay músicos que no lo llevan bien, que necesitan tocar mucho donde ellos se sienten…

D: En su sitio de confort.

Sí, o que no se lo imaginan y no están predispuestos y cuando el otro les saca hay violencia.

M: Sí, está bien que lo indiques porque hay músicos de todo tipo de perfil y también pasa en el jazz, por supuesto, en el flamenco supongo que también pasará, que si no es lo que tú tienes en la cabeza, si no se ajusta con lo que tienes en la cabeza, colapsas. Y creo que aquí no ocurre ese caso porque somos dos personas de mente muy abierta y aventureros.

Totalmente. Oye, ¿qué mensaje hay detrás de todo este proyecto, si es que lo hay? ¿Qué idea? ¿Qué búsqueda? Evidentemente el juntaros, el estar juntos, el generar, el crear…etc. Pero, ¿hay alguna idea, hilo conductor, algo que queráis o que os gustaría expresar a la audiencia o a vosotros mismos? ¿Alguna búsqueda detrás?

D: El propio nombre lo dice, Babel. O sea que ahí está toda la clave.

M: Una confluencia.

D: Sí, una confluencia y entenderse.

M: Es buscar las cosas que nos unen, no que nos separan. Y que todo tiene…, en un mismo edificio todo puede convivir, sin violencia, sin tensión.

D: Eso es, totalmente de acuerdo.

No, no…, y diálogo…

D: Que hace falta, ¿no?

En todos los ámbitos de la sociedad y del mundo, pero qué mensaje más bonito. Yo creo que es una de las cosas que los músicos más agradecemos y que la audiencia más admira. Que es que desde la música se pueda proponer una unidad, que es lo que todos deseamos para con los demás.

D: Sí, la música es útil para muchas cosas.

M: Hombre, claro. Es que se trata de hacer… O sea, al final, las cosas cobran sentido cuando intentas hacer mejor la vida de los demás, realmente. Y si mandas un mensaje bonito, pues a lo mejor no cala en todo el mundo, pero realmente es mucho más provechoso que buscar las cosas que nos separan, como hablábamos antes, ¿no? Porque si él se pone muy flamenco y yo me pongo muy jazzero, y  “no, porque la seguiriya blablablá…”, pues ya está, y el otro allí, y bueno, pues hasta luego, y ya está, ¿no?

D: Y nos saludamos desde lejos y poco más.

Hay que ceder y abrazar. Esto es interesante para cuidar la unidad con una cosa, con una persona, con un ente, claro, es menester conocer al otro, estar abierto a conocer lo otro.

D: Y ser flexible también.

M: Transigir.

¿Qué cosas han ayudado para que vuestra predisposición antes de juntaros para este proyecto fuera esa, que fuera “vamos a ayudarnos”? ¿Conocernos, conocer la discografía del otro, tener alguna influencia en común?

D: De mi punto de vista es la pura admiración hacia Moisés y conocerlo a él y saber qué es lo que es él y su música, escucharlo mucho. Yo lo he escuchado muchísimo. Y ese es el punto de partida mejor que pueda haber. O sea, bueno, desde mi punto de vista, conocerlo y tener ganas de hacer algo con él. Y ahí está todo.

M: Bueno, yo siempre cuento la anécdota esta de cuando te llamé hace 25 años, que yo no era nadie y escuché sobre todo tu segundo disco, Sur, con las voces búlgaras y demás. Yo venía también, claro, de una educación muy enlazada con las voces búlgaras, con los países del este y demás y me fascinó desde el primer momento. Aún así, yo creo, está bien…, me gusta la pregunta, porque creo que aunque haya admiración el uno por el otro y demás, creo que lo que viene llamándose el currículum oculto, el invisible, es el que hace de una manera intangible que esto funcione. Y me explico, me explico.

D: Sé lo que dices, te explicas.

M: Yo me he criado con el concepto de música es música. No me he criado en casa con una barrera que estableciera que Coltrane no se puede mezclar con Björk. Para mí, yo he recibido un mensaje de que ahí hay 12 notas y es increíble la música que se puede hacer con 12 notas en el sistema temperado, ¿no? Y las puedes usar de millones y millones de formas, pero ninguna es excluyente, ninguna es excluyente. Entonces, si tú tienes siempre el afán de aprender de los demás para enriquecerte…

Esta es la clave.

M: Esa es la clave.

D: Esa es la clave, sí.

M: Esa es la clave. No renegar porque… “no, David no toca bebop, yo ya no quiero tocar con él porque no toca bebop”. Yo me estoy perdiendo todo el universo de David porque no toca bebop, por ejemplo. “No, es que este no toca la seguiriya, no le huele a minas, pues ya no toco con Moisés porque no suena…” A mí me parece, a día de hoy, una cuestión muy limitante y yo no quiero ser una persona limitada en mi vida. Yo no me quiero morir así.

Claro, está clarísimo.

D: Y eso lo lleva al mundo de la sociedad, a las calles y lo mismo, ¿no?

Esto es súper interesante porque, quiero decir, está clarísimo, pero en la práctica no lo vemos tanto. Por tanto, creo que vuestro proyecto puede suscitar este hambre de unidad, este hambre de abrazo.

M: Claro, es que solo una reflexión y termino. Es que esto no proviene de la musical, proviene de las cualidades que hayas cultivado como persona.

Eso es.

M: Es que no se enseña en una escuela. No se…, o sea, es que…, la música sale de otro sitio. Es decir, una escuela no te garantiza ese pensamiento, sino el entorno del que te rodeas.

Claro.

M: Entonces, eso es a lo que me refiero, de que es muy interesante eso, pero que si hay gente que no se topa con ese mensaje en el camino, a lo mejor pasa toda su vida como artista sin entender ese mensaje. O sea, y lo digo con conocimiento de causa.

D: Sí, sí, sí…, te entiendo.

Totalmente. Va a ser un gozo poder escucharos el 29 de marzo, ¿verdad?

M: Bueno eso espero.

D: Sí, esperemos, esperemos.

No, lo digo por las cosas que estáis contando. Espero que la gente pueda escuchar estas palabras que nos estáis donando, porque así uno va a escucharos con más ganas, os lo aseguro.

M: Sí, sí, te entiendo, claro, claro.

Última pregunta. ¿Hay momentos divertidos mientras tocáis? ¿Hay momentos cómicos? ¿Momentos en los que uno ría por dentro o por fuera escuchando al otro? ¿O se generan más ámbitos serios, más ámbitos nostálgicos, más ámbitos de profundidad? No sé si se entiende la pregunta. O sea, ¿cómo…?

M: Yo creo que hay algo para todo.

D: Sí, yo creo que hay algo para todo. No creo que predomine nada, ¿no? Yo creo que va a haber un poco de todo.

M: Hay concentración porque hay notas, hay notas.

D: Y responsabilidad.

¿Hay mucha composición?

M: Hay mucha composición, sí, sí, claro. Entonces, hay notas…, y jodidas.

D: Jodidas, jodidas.

M: Pero luego…, hay momentos para… Yo creo que al final, un concierto al final es un poco también como la vida, ¿no? Hay momentos que te tienes que poner de una manera y hay momentos que puedes estar de otra, ¿no?

D: Sí, tampoco se sabe exacto, no se sabe. Hay que vivir también. Es algo que ves y vas viviendo también, ¿no?

M: Tú te levantas en el día y no sabes si hoy vas a estar… vas a tener que poner firme a este, o va a ser un día risueño, ¿no?

D: Claro, eso no se sabe.

M: Incluso un tema que un día salió serio, al día siguiente nos estamos riendo, ¿no?

D: Claro. Y la improvisación igual, tú no sabes por dónde va a ser, es muy difícil.

¡Qué interesante!

D: Pero sí, desde luego que partimos desde una base de escritura y de seriedad, que hay que estar finos, pero aparecen un montón de cosas.

Claro, lo descubriremos.

D: Hay que pasárselo, bueno, tenemos que pasárnoslo bien. Es que si no… También tenemos que disfrutar.

Desde el patio de butacas lo podremos descubrir los que estemos ahí apoyando en primera fila. Descubriremos cuando salta qué emoción, cuando salta qué expresión entre vosotros. Que evidentemente es un trabajo, desde luego, admirable todo lo que estáis haciendo y eso ya nos lo vamos a llevar seguro. Pero, yo creo que todos tenemos ganas de veros disfrutar. Yo creo que es una de las cosas que la audiencia siempre aprende. Y eso uno no puede ir con una idea preconcebida de lo que es disfrutar.

M: Bueno, eso que dices está muy bien porque… Mira, yo me acuerdo, y ya para terminar pongo una anécdota, yo del primer concierto que vi, o sea, uno de mis pianistas favoritos, como no puede ser de otra manera, es Brad Mehldau, que ha empujado los límites de la música también, y nos lo ha puesto muy fácil a todos los demás porque él ha abierto, él y mucha otra gente… Pero a lo que voy es que yo me acuerdo de ver un concierto de Mehldau con el Fernando Fernández Gómez, con Jorge Rossi, cuando estaba Rossi todavía, y me salí.

¡Toma ya!

M: Y me salí. Yo tenía 21 años y me salí por mi soberbia. Porque no dejé que el concierto fuera lo que estaba siendo, sino que como no confluía con lo que yo creía que tenía que ser, me fui enfadado. Y yo me veo a mí mismo 25 años después, ese gesto que cometí, y digo “qué poco sabio fui ahí”. Porque no entendía que el debe no estaba ahí, sino estaba en mí.

D: Efectivamente, que estaba en ti.

M: No entendí que no estaba dejando que fuera lo que es, y disfrutar desde ahí.

D: No abriste la puerta, la tenías cerrada.

M: Y eso le pasa al público muchas veces, que muchas veces el público sufre, porque no deja ser lo que es, sino que se pone tenso, porque no es lo que ellos creen que debe ser. Y esto, hay una frase de Oscar Wilde muy bonita, cuando le preguntan por el estreno, no me acuerdo si es La importancia de llamarse Ernesto o algo así, y le preguntan “¿qué tal la obra y tal?” Y él dijo, “hoy el público estuvo estupendo”.

D: Jajajajaja.

M: Y hablaba, y se refería a eso. Claro, se refería a “hoy han dejado que la obra sea la que es”.

Qué importante, qué lección para la vida entera esto que decís. Estar abierto a que la realidad sea la que es y no nuestra proyección en la cabeza.

M: Perdona, es que estaba yo pensando…

D: No, no, pero está muy bien, está muy bien, está tremendo.

Begoña Villalobos: Hola, muy buenas.

M: Aquí estamos, terminando la entrevista

B: ¿Pero están grabando?

M: No te preocupes.

¿Qué tal, Begoña?

B: Buenas, hola, José. Un placer Dorantes, soy Begoña, muy bien, genial, genial.

Yo creo que, con esto, vamos, os dejamos ahora tocar un ratito, o lo que tengáis. Es un placer este rato con vosotros, yo creo que la gente va a gozar el próximo 29 de marzo, escuchándoos, en el proyecto Babel, os damos las gracias, Dorantes, Moisés. Que vaya genial, estaremos ahí apoyando.

M: Perfecto, José, muchas gracias.

A vosotros.

Marzo 11, 2025

Natalia Kordiak – A Journey Through Music, Improvisation, and Education

Natalia Kordiak – A Journey Through Music, Improvisation, and Education

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NATALIA KORDIAK

A Journey Through Music, Improvisation, and Education

08

March, 2025

Text: Krzysztof Komorek

Photos: Artist’s concession

I’ve always loved to sing. Wherever I went, I’d hum or sing something” recalls Natalia Kordiak about her first encounters with music. Natalia is a vocalist, improviser, educator, and event organiser. Her extensive portfolio is impressive for someone whose career has not yet spanned many years. Curiosity about the world has always been a defining trait for Natalia. Combining her musical interests with sports training, she began her music school education not with singing but with the saxophone. She even explored opera singing for a time.

As a teenager, Natalia attended the Voicingers Festival – an event that combines showcases, competitions, and workshops for vocalists. Voicingers serves as a platform for exchanging ideas, musical inspirations, meeting artists, and establishing long-term relationships. For Natalia Kordiak, it also became the beginning of numerous ventures. She started with workshops and, in 2018, won the Grand Prix at the International Competition for Singing Musicians, which allowed her to record her debut album. «Bajka»Fairy Tale«), released by the Slovak label Hevhetia, and received a nomination for Poland’s prestigious music industry award, the Fryderyk. Over time, Natalia began collaborating with Voicingers as a co-organiser, coordinator, and producer of subsequent editions of the event.

Voicingers is also a space for exchanging artistic experiences, exploring teaching methods, and engaging with intriguing creators from around the world. Natalia had the opportunity to work with artists such as Sofia Ribeiro, Andreas Schaerer, Michael Schieffel, Leïla Martial, Grzegorz Karnas (the founder and director of Voicingers), and Anna Gadt (who later became her lecturer at the Academy of Music and now collaborates with Natalia on a musical project). “Their perceptions of music and the world gave me immense inspiration for my creativity, composing original works, and daily vocal practice. It also eventually led me to teaching,” says Natalia.

In 2017, in collaboration with the National Philharmonic in Warsaw, Natalia initiated a series of jazz educational concerts. She organised recurring workshops, taught lessons, and worked with vocalists during festivals, such as Voicingers and the Wesoła Jazz Festival. In recent years, Natalia has spent significant time outside Poland. The Swarnabhoomi Academy of Music in Chennai, India, offered her an artistic residency. During her seven months there, she created an original vocal class and travelled across India conducting workshops for children and youth. After her residency in India, Natalia began working in China and Vietnam, conducting workshops for jazz vocalists. These sessions focused on improvisation, fostering creativity, spontaneous authenticity, and building artistic autonomy. “Teaching also means caring for one’s own development,” she notes, explaining her decision to pursue doctoral studies at the Academy of Music in Łódź. “Teaching singing, music, and improvisation is highly complex. A teacher engages with a sensitive medium influenced not only by skill but also, perhaps primarily, by the emotional sensitivity of the individual. It’s a tremendous responsibility to avoid stifling their autonomy, to ensure that advice doesn’t lead to copying others or what is already known, liked, or easy. Teaching should guide individuals to discover their truth.” She continues: “The voice is an instrument connected to our bodies. It works symbiotically with us, which is why understanding and safety are crucial for freedom of expression. Of course, this all sounds nice in theory. In practice, it’s much harder and requires patience. I’ve met many people who helped me (though some did not). Meaningful encounters always changed me, developed me, and made me reflect, sometimes even questioning my perspective on certain aspects of life.”

The most important ensemble Natalia works with is her quintet, with which she has recorded two albums. The most recent, titled «Ytinamuh» (read it backwards as well), was recorded during Natalia’s diploma concert at the Karol Szymanowski Academy of Music in Katowice. In this paratheatrical performance, music intertwined with meaningful words. Alongside Natalia’s original lyrics, the performance included excerpts from works by notable authors such as Ayn Rand, Olga Tokarczuk, Jolanta Brach-Czaina, and Sylvia Plath. The concert also featured vocal improvisations, enriched with electronic effects. She was joined on stage by Przemysław Chmiel (tenor and soprano saxophone), Mateusz Kołakowski (piano), Alan Wykpisz (double bass, bass guitar), and Grzegorz Pałka (drums). Her attention to words is also evident in another project, TANOK, a duo formed with Ukrainian pianist Kateryna Ziabliuk. Together, they perform a programme featuring the suite «Pieśń Lasu» («Song of the Forest»), based on the works of Ukrainian poet, writer, translator, and literary critic Lesya Ukrainka. One of Natalia’s latest artistic ventures is the quartet Voice Act. Founded by Anna Gadt, the vocal ensemble includes Marta Grzywacz and Gosia Zagajewska alongside Natalia. The quartet creates vocal narratives rooted in the diverse temperaments, histories, experiences, and styles of its members: folk, classical, jazz, contemporary, and free music. Voice Act has already released an album featuring avant-garde vocal music layered with references and inspirations that accompanied the vocalists during the recording process. The quartet’s performances are a spectacle about the Voice itself, not just with the Voice in the lead role. They perform both purely vocal concerts and collaborations with guest artists. One such collaboration was with renowned drummer Jim Black during the first edition of the Kxntrst Music Festival.

 

Anna Gadt: “I have known Natalia Kordiak for many years, which allows me to observe her journey from a temporal perspective. Initially captivated by mainstream jazz, she was later drawn to open forms, improvisation, and electronics. Her two original albums provide an intriguing starting point for further exploration of her unique performance language. I believe she is growing increasingly confident on stage as both a leader and a creator of her own artistic vision. We first met during the Voicingers workshops. Natalia stood out with her distinctive personality and genuine, vibrant interest in music. Later, she was my student for several years at the Jazz Department in Katowice. She is highly ambitious and determined. In her artistic pursuits, she appears to focus on combining sincerity, intuition, and awareness, and her drive for growth and her interest in sound exploration are truly impressive.

For these reasons, I invited Natalia to collaborate in Voice Act, a project featuring four vocalists/improvisers without the support of instrumentalists or electronics. Voice Act focuses on the agency of the voice, individual stories, diverse perspectives and roots, as well as the need for human connection, curiosity about others, and the equality of listening and being heard. Beyond her technical abilities and a voice with a beautiful tone and wide range, Natalia brought to Voice Act her creativity, unique sensitivity, and openness to others. Her imagination participates freely in the dialogue between voices, adding an essential and inspiring element. I believe that her greatest discoveries are still ahead of her, and I wholeheartedly wish her the very best in achieving them.”

 

Mentioned earlier Kxntrst Music Festival leads to another of Natalia Kordiak’s roles – as an organiser of artistic events. She co-creates the Kxntrst Music Festival with two other prominent figures of the younger generation in Polish music: Kuba Więcek and Piotr “Pianohooligan” Orzechowski. The festival’s programme includes concerts, workshops, and panel discussions. “As active and thoughtful people and artists, we should not only focus on our creative work but also on changing the way the music market in Poland is perceived. We need to emphasise authenticity rather than conforming to industry norms and standards,” says Natalia.

 

What does the future hold for Natalia Kordiak? “I don’t know yet. I don’t like putting pressure on myself,” she admits. Her solo project is developing – for a year now, she has been performing solo concerts, incorporating guitar effects and analogue synthesisers into her creations. In her quintet, she has performed several times with trumpeter Tomasz Dąbrowski (the trumpet replaced saxophones in the ensemble), offering a new perspective on the already polished material. She plans to continue collaborating with other musicians in unique, often one-off improvised performances that bring her immense joy. She also intends to perform as a member of several ensembles. Finally, Natalia will focus on her doctoral studies, exploring the interplay of vocal artistic expression in compositional and improvisational processes.

 

Travelling will undoubtedly remain a significant part of her plans. “The most beautiful aspect of travelling is observing people – their traditions, lifestyles, perceptions of music, religion, habits, and experiences of art. Exploring the world as broadly as possible, including typical tourism, is a passion of mine. My friends always laugh at how well-prepared I am when it comes to knowing local attractions, history, and cuisine,” she says with a smile.

Este artículo se publica simultáneamente en las siguientes revistas europeas, en el marco de «Groovin’ High», una operación para destacar a las jóvenes músicas de jazz y blues : Citizen Jazz (Fr), JazzMania (Be), Jazz’halo (Be), Salt Peanuts (DK/SE/NO), Jazz-Fun (DE), In&Out Jazz (ES) y Donos Kulturalny (PL).

This article is co-published simultaneously in the following European magazines, as part of « Groovin’ High » an operation to highlight young jazz and blues female musicians : Citizen Jazz (Fr), JazzMania (Be), Jazz’halo (Be), Salt Peanuts (DK/SE/NO), Jazz-Fun (DE), In&Out Jazz (ES) and Donos Kulturalny (PL).

#Womentothefore #IWD2025

March 08, 2025

Heidi Kvelvane – Travelling Saxophones

Heidi Kvelvane – Travelling Saxophones

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HEIDI KVELVANE

Travelling Saxophones

07

March, 2025

The first time I heard the young saxophonist Heidi Kvelvane was at the improv festival Tedans (Tea Dance) in Bergen, a couple of years ago. It was saxophonist Frode Gjerstad who told me to listen to her. When she stood on stage with bassist Ola Høyer and drummer Øyvind Hegg-Lunde, in a free and loose set, I was convinced. What a young musician! Her tone on the alto saxophone was powerful, energetic and tough, and in the improvisations, she sounded considerably more mature than her 23 years, as she was at that time.

I wrote the following in Salt Peanuts about her act afterwards: “I predict a great future for her within improvised music in Norway. (…) This was a freely improvised set, where we particularly noticed Kvelvane’s fine alto saxophone tone, which was a bit like hearing Frode Gjerstad some years ago. Sharp on the edge, and with a lovely phrasing and ability to tell good stories, both in ensemble improvisations and in solos. (…) The big positive surprise of the evening, and maybe of the festival! »

After the concert, she told me that she was planning to move to Voss – a couple of hours’ drive eastwards into the mountains and valleys beyond Bergen, and the place where I had chosen to settle down after living seven years in Copenhagen. With that, we also had the opportunity to meet more often, after all, there aren’t too many jazz enthusiasts living in this village, even though they have their own jazz festival, Vossa Jazz, a festival that has existed for more than 50 years.

Background
Heidi Kvelvane is now 25 years old and was born and raised in Sandnes – southeast of Stavanger. She has a saxophone education from the jazz department at the Grieg Academy in Bergen, where she graduated in the spring of 2023. She is now based in Voss, where she makes a living by touring, playing her saxophones, while also playing folk music on the accordion.

In 2022/23, she also played in around 80 performances of the musical Lazarus with music by David Bowie at Den Nasjonale Scene (The National Scene) in Bergen. She has played several church concerts with organists and has played both concerts and dance music as a folk musician. However, it is as a free jazz musician that she has distinguished herself on the Norwegian jazz and improv scene in recent years. This has led to several international concerts and tours, where she has collaborated with musicians such as Barry Guy, Terrie Ex, Han Bennink, Paal Nilssen-Love and Bugge Wesseltoft. She is also known from the Vestnorsk Jazz Ensemble, Paal Nilssen-Love Large Unit, Bergen Big Band, Kitchen Orchestra, as well as her folk music duo project Bankvelv, her own quartet and even two trios in her own name.

From school band to ?
At Voss she lives in a caravan, mostly because she does not want to own too much, but also because she travels a lot, and does not need or want too many «worldly goods», as she describes  it, nor a large space. At Voss, the local jazz club has brought her into their board, and the club has also engaged her in projects with one of her trios and a workshop project with students at the village’s secondary school.

We meet her at a café in Voss one morning, when she’s at home for a short while, between gigs in Belgium and concerts with the Bergen Big Band. She says that, like most other Norwegian jazz musicians, she started in a school band, in her case with a clarinet. After a couple of years, the band needed a saxophonist, and she seized the opportunity and became the band’s only saxophonist. In secondary school, she had saxophonist Tor Ytredal as her music teacher. She says that without him, she probably never would have become a jazz musician. She then studied at the Grieg Academy in Bergen for four years, but much of that time was during the corona pandemic, which she believes was good for her in many ways. She had a lot of time to practice, and it opened up a number of playing assignments as a substitute, since musicians could not be hired from the outside.

In her second year at the Academy, Paal Nilssen-Love had a project there. After they met there, he asked if she wanted to come to Stavanger to take part in something called Jazzkappleiken. Here she played with, among others, saxophonist Kristoffer Alberts, and later with fiddle- and violin player Nils Økland and organist Nils Henrik Asheim. With that she was ‘lost’ she says and taken by the free improvisation and free jazz.

Why Voss?
During the corona period, she heard accordionist Nils Asgeir Lie from Voss, giving a concert at the Grieg Academy, which inspired her greatly. She immediately wanted to learn to play the accordion, and she moved to Voss. She tells me that she had no previous relationship with the instrument, other than that it was an instrument she thought was only used to play «gammeldans” (old folk dances). But then she discovered that a modern accordion had much greater possibilities than the regular accordions used in these contexts. You can play more intricate melody lines, with greater intensity and variation. The concert with Nils Asgeir Lie really opened up her interest in the accordion. She went ahead, buying an accordion and learning the art of playing it.

Accordion and free jazz?
– I think the reason I like both playing free jazz on the saxophone and folk music on the accordion, is because I’m a bit restless and unsettled – I need both, she says – I enjoy the togetherness and community that arises when you improvise freely on the stage. But when I have been doing a lot of free improvisation, I very often long for something else, something more classically structured. So, I need both, really.

We’re talking for a long time about her unsettledness. Playing folk music on the accordion, free improv on the saxophone, relatively straight music in a big band, and her love for (the freedom in) free jazz. And in addition, she often plays in the orchestra at the theater Den Nasjonale Scene in Bergen. She tells me that she wants to try out several genres before she decides which musical path she wants to take. She agrees that she moves freely between many genres. But nevertheless, she feels that she belongs most in improvisational music and jazz. Even though the reason why she ended up there was really a coincidence. – I never thought I would be good at exactly this or that, … it just happened that way, she says.

Inspirations
She says that she has been inspired by many jazz musicians. Lately she has been listening a lot to the German saxophonist Daniel Erdmann, and she has been listening a lot to a record with the Polish saxophonist Angelica Niescier,  The Norwegian drummer Paal Nilssen-Love and the bass player Ingebrigt Håker Flaten have obviously featured prominently in here listening habits. But there are no single records that have become regular, that she listens to a lot. I prefer to hear the music live, she says. But the record Soapsuds, Soapsuds with the Ornette Coleman and Charlie Haden duo from 1977, is, nevertheless, an exception.

She says that she personally likes the duo and trio formats best. In many ways she feels that she knows the clarinet the best, but she works hard with both the alto and tenor saxophone. But the sound of the clarinet is too «flat», according to her. For a long period, when she was becoming more interested in the alto saxophone, many alto saxophonists she listened to didn’t sound good, she told me.

– Then I worked a lot on getting a “fatter” sound in the horn, by experimenting with mouthpieces and reeds, and I even used tenor reeds on the alto, to achieve a sound I liked better.

As for her tenor saxophone playing, for a long period she almost didn’t dare to play the tenor saxophone, because there were so many incredibly talented tenor saxophonists. It’s only in the last year that she has started to focus seriously on the tenor.

Before she have to run to catch the train to Bergen for a gig(?), we talk a little about why there are so many talented Danish female alto saxophonists, but almost none from Norway. But then we agree that this is completely okay: Most of the Danish alto players have moved to Norway anyway. Personally, I think there is and should be room for both Mette Rasmussen, Signe Emmeluth, Amalie Dahl and Heidi Kvelvane in the rich flora of incredibly exciting, improvised saxophone music from the many young, female saxophonists living in Norway.

Este artículo se publica simultáneamente en las siguientes revistas europeas, en el marco de «Groovin’ High», una operación para destacar a las jóvenes músicas de jazz y blues : Citizen Jazz (Fr), JazzMania (Be), Jazz’halo (Be), Salt Peanuts (DK/SE/NO), Jazz-Fun (DE), In&Out Jazz (ES) y Donos Kulturalny (PL).

This article is co-published simultaneously in the following European magazines, as part of « Groovin’ High » an operation to highlight young jazz and blues female musicians : Citizen Jazz (Fr), JazzMania (Be), Jazz’halo (Be), Salt Peanuts (DK/SE/NO), Jazz-Fun (DE), In&Out Jazz (ES) and Donos Kulturalny (PL).

#Womentothefore #IWD2025

March 07, 2025

Adèles Viret’s Opinion

Adèles Viret’s Opinion

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ADÈLES VIRET’S OPINION

06

March, 2025

Text: Yves Tassin / Jazzmania

Photos: Julia Gat & Robert Hanssene

Adèle Viret has recently been interviewed for the release of her debut album Close to the Water. The Franco-Brussels cellist reveals a little more of herself in this IWD (International Women’s Day) meeting.

Jazzmania: We already spoke about the album Close to the Water in an interview published in October. We’re now going to take a closer look at your personality. But first of all, how is your first album doing?

Adèle Viret: Well, the feedback from the press has been very positive and the public seem to like it too… So, I’m very happy about that.

I enjoyed attending the concert you gave in Liège with your quartet. It sounded like a real group effect. It was not necessarily Adèle and her quartet, with each musician in his or her own performance space… Was this a deliberate choice, or does it come naturally to you?

I think it’s quite natural, at least with this quartet. We had worked together and I wanted everyone to have the right to decide, especially during concerts. The other projects in which I am involved, whether Mosaïc or Medinea, are collective projects. We make progress by exchanging ideas, with everyone making suggestions. Well I guess I feel most comfortable in this system.

Now let’s talk about you in more detail… What are your earliest musical memories?

It’s no easy question. Perhaps this memory is blurred / distorted due to the fact that the video was shot when I was four years old. On this recording, my father offers me a cello. And that’s the reason why I went on to play this instrument. In fact, my father (Jean-Philippe Viret – Editor’s note) was playing with five other double bass players in a group for which he had written a song for me, because I had trouble falling asleep. The track was a minor hit, and a video was shot. But I don’t particularly remember the filming. I only found out later…

Your dad is a professional musician. Could you plan a career outside music? Did your father ever encourage you to follow this path?

Yes, and he has always made it possible. I’ve never felt like I was forced to make music, there was no pressure. He ìs opened doors for me, with the idea that it would be possible if I felt like it. So, the influence arose naturally. I have played the cello from the age of eight or nine and I was then convinced that I would make a career out of it.

Even though it’s a relatively unstable profession, and you can go through hard times?

There was, of course, a period of reflections in adolescence. I wondered whether I should invest myself completely or if I really felt like going on.

Your dad plays the double bass while you play the cello. Is it a way of gently  standing out?

When I started playing the cello, I couldn’t tell the difference between the two instruments. Then, the cello became an obvious choice for me. As far (back) as I can remember, this instrument has always been part of my life. (…)

Your quartet includes your younger brother Oscar, who plays the trumpet and sings beautifully. Was it an obvious choice for you, to the point of composing music and having his participation in the project in mind?

Not at all. In fact, I composed the repertoire for the record before I knew which musicians I was going to work with. These songs CAME NATURALLY. In fact, we started out as a trio. I first proposed the songs to Wajdi Riahi and Pierre Hurty, but I quickly realised that something was missing and that we needed to go to four musicians. And that’s when my brother’s presence became so obvious.

You’re only twenty-five years old, yet your music is already very mature.

When the quartet was born, just after the pandemic, we spent a lot of time searching. We rehearsed over two years before giving our first concert.This was my requirement, while the other members of the quartet were impatient to take the next step. But I knew where the bar was that I had set for this repertoire.There was no question of me going any further until we had reached that goal. I was a bit stressed but I held OUT. And we were ready the first time we performed in front of an audience. Since then, we’ve been improving, gig by gig.

You have been willing to make sacrifices to progress in music, including moving to Brussels to continue your studies at the Conservatoire. Would you advise young musicians to embark on this adventure?

I don’t know… Probably not. Let’s stop saying: «This is the right method, this is the way to go». The method I chose was perhaps the best suited to what I wanted to achieve and become. Above all, I know that each musician has to listen to himself and follow his own path. Well, personally, I didn’t go to the Conservatoire for jazz. I had learnt a lot from my father and from the musicians with whom I share projects.

As well as the musicians in your family, there must have been other important meetings, Fabrizio Cassol or Magic Malik, for example.

Yes, certainly. These two people have been very important to me, especially in terms of the confidence they gave me. I met Magic Malik at a master class in Montreuil. He then invited me to join him on stage for a project he was putting together with bassist Hilaire Penda. As for Fabrizio, he got me involved in the Medinea project (an album has just been published by Fuga Libera – see our article on Chronique Jazzmania). We met again when I arrived in Brussels. He asked me to join him in one of his projects for the Klara Festival. I’ll be there as an assistant artistic director, so to speak (a concert to be held in Brussels on 22 March). Fabrizio gives me the opportunity to do things I wouldn’t have imagined. It helps me move forward and gives me confidence.

When you’re on your own, what kind of music do you like to listen to?

[laughs] Unfortunately, I don’t have much time to listen to music at the moment. Things are going so fast ! I miss it. I’d like to take the time to discover new things. When you come out of a day that’s already been entirely devoted to music, you want to do something else.

What kind of music could you listen to? Rap, for example, like a lot of young people your age?

No, rap’s not really my thing… Actually, I generally listen to the other projects put together by the musicians I work with. Mostly jazz. Well, I mainly discover things by going to concerts.

Like the sounds of London’s New Jazz, for example?

No, not really, I stick to the scenes around me, in France, in Belgium, or in Portugal, where I am regularly invited by musicians from the Lisbon scene for concerts and projects, and the Netherlands as well. But I also like some Brazilian music, which is completely different, just for the sheer pleasure of listening.

Now, let’s move on to the section devoted to the International Women’s Day. You ìre a young musician working in jazz, which is a very male-dominated field. How do you feel about that?

As far as I’m concerned, it’s a bit ambiguous. When I was younger, I felt rejected for a long time. I didn’t feel I fitted in. I wondered if it wasn’t because of the instrument I was playing. The cello is a special instrument, not very common in jazz, even if things are changing a little bit…So much so that I can’t say whether I felt excluded because I’m a woman or because of the cello… Things are very different for a double bass or drums, which are virtually indispensable jazz instruments. That’s the reason why I set up this quartet, to compose my own repertoire for the cello. It might encourage leaders to include me in their groups.

Indeed, we’ve seen cellos in some very fine projects, such as Le Cri du Caire and Naïssam Jalal’s performances …

Indeed, it’s more common. When I was younger, I didn’t get into the jam circuit either, because the instrument didn’t lend itself to it. And I’m not particularly interested in playing standards with a cello. To put it in a nutshelI, I didn’t fit into the traditional boxes. But, generally speaking, it’s fair to say that there are more and more women in the jazz world.

A French musician and Ondes Martenot player, Christine Ott, once told me that she felt distrust. She said that when it came to composing, she had to «prove herself» more than a man. What do you think about that?

Well, I think she’s right. But I also believe that this is the case for many other professions. It’s not just music…

Este artículo se publica simultáneamente en las siguientes revistas europeas, en el marco de «Groovin’ High», una operación para destacar a las jóvenes músicas de jazz y blues : Citizen Jazz (Fr), JazzMania (Be), Jazz’halo (Be), Salt Peanuts (DK/SE/NO), Jazz-Fun (DE), In&Out Jazz (ES) y Donos Kulturalny (PL).

This article is co-published simultaneously in the following European magazines, as part of « Groovin’ High » an operation to highlight young jazz and blues female musicians : Citizen Jazz (Fr), JazzMania (Be), Jazz’halo (Be), Salt Peanuts (DK/SE/NO), Jazz-Fun (DE), In&Out Jazz (ES) and Donos Kulturalny (PL).

#Womentothefore #IWD2025

March 06, 2025

Adia Vanheerentals – Hyperfocus On Sound Defines The Trio Bodem

Adia Vanheerentals – Hyperfocus On Sound Defines The Trio Bodem

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ADIA VANHEERENTALS

Hyperfocus On Sound Defines The Trio Bodem

05

March, 2025

Text & Photos: Jazz’Halo

After Adia Vanheerentals (26) graduated on soprano and tenor saxophone from the jazz department of the Antwerp Conservatory, she was selected by Klara Radio as a promising musician for the fourth edition of the radio programme ‘De Twintigers’ in early 2024. In the process, she received air-play and visibility via VRT Max. With her own band Bodem (with Anke Verslype and Willem Malfliet), she released the debut album ‘Kleine Mars’ on Nicolas Rombouts’ new label Mokuhi Sonorities in 2023. This was followed by performances across the country last year, including at Jazz in’t Park and the European Jazz Conference in Ghent and the Jazz Middelheim launch event in Antwerp.

Adia Vanheerentals has been playing sax since she was 9 years old and discovered jazz through her aunt Véronique who runs the bistro ‘Take Five Minutes in Paris’ in Antwerp. The first jazz record she remembers was ‘Women In Jazz’ featuring Nina Simone and Ella Fitzgerald, among others. In art college, she took lessons from Tom Van Dyck and as a result started listening to jazz more consciously: Branford Marsalis, Michael Brecker, Dave Liebman, but Steve Lacy is still and by far the one her heart goes out to.

At the conservatory, she took lessons with Kurt Van Herck and Ben Sluijs, among others, in a final period alternating with Frederik Leroux. That was a different approach to music in general which she tackled after a temporary break from the conservatoire.

Jazz’Halo: What made you decide to temporarily quit your studies?

I didn’t feel so resilient then. I swallowed the criticism, but continued to struggle with it. As a result, I decided to temporarily leave my sax aside for a while. I then started composing to figure out for myself what kind of music I wanted to make myself. I have little feeling with traditional jazz. For me, that is something from America and from a distant past. I don’t really know how to deal with that. I really needed to follow my own path, to express myself in my music. It feels so much easier to make my own music than to reach for music from a hundred years ago.

How would you describe your music? 

I think my music definitely has a lot to do with jazz, because it always involves improvisation, but within a clear framework. That framework consists of personal ideas that I start to work with on the piano, sing to it, intuitively find a melody over a harmony, until something beautiful emerges. I keep improvising until it all adds up, until it sounds circular. I’m not a fan of complicated time signatures or difficult intervals. It has to be off the cuff, then it’s perfect. What the exact sources of inspiration are is hard to determine, because I listen to so many kinds of music. That comes together when I sit at the piano. I write as I empathise with music, I want to create personal music from within myself. What I write may not always fit what is understood by jazz, but how to describe it however, I wouldn’t know.

Who do you see as influences or role models?

Very early on Steve Lacy. I prefer playing soprano saxophone myself and with Lacy a whole world opened up to me, from traditional jazz, classical to free, especially Monk and modern jazz. I find German-born but New York-based Ingrid Laubrock impressive on both soprano and tenor saxophone. She gave a master class at the conservatory and writes original compositions where she tries to approach standard jazz in a different way. Who I also admire is Icelandic saxophonist Óskar Guðjónsson, which is mellow folk-like jazz. In the contemporary scene, British saxophonist Shabaka Hutchings stands out, who temporarily quit Sons of Kemet and playing saxophone, who also influenced me.

How did you form your own trio Bodem?

In my 2019 sabbatical year, I made a list of musicians my music would sound best with. That included guitarist Willem Malfiet and drummer Anke Verslype. What appeals to me is that they are both concerned with sound rather than virtuosity. That hyperfocus on sound is what I find strong and what defines my trio Bodem. I didn’t know Anke personally at first, who was busy with her project Aki. She was open to new projects, though. Willem I know through mutual friends. The first Summer after covid broke out, he had received a budget to make an album with musicians in Volta, a music centre in Molenbeek. In doing so, he invited me. Unlike the first album ‘Little Mars’, for the latest Bottom album ‘Lush and Alive’ we took more time in the studio and worked with overdubs to make the trio sound even grander.

You give your compositions special titles: ‘Bosaardig’, ‘Fluiting’ ‘Tranende Meneren’…

For the new album ‘Lush and Alive’, I waited a long time before making the titles. I first wanted English titles, but I thought less in that language, so I chose half of them in Dutch. I often think in associations, I listen and imagine things. There is always the composition first and only then the title. With ‘Bosaardig’ (forest friendly), for instance, I had to think of nature. I thought that was a funny word, as I came up with ‘Parkelen’ in a previous album, a bit Nature Point-like. With ‘Tranende Meneren (Gentlemen in Tears)’, it’s about a mourning song. I didn’t want to make that too explicit about it. I prefer to leave it to the listeners to imagine something for themselves.

How do you approach it live?

At the Singel Antwerp, we will go into residency on March 22 to try out a few things live. As ‘Lush And Alive’ was recorded with overdubs, it will be a matter of finding out how we convey that live. In any case, we won’t be playing with effects. We want to keep it as open as possible. I do want to keep the jazz feeling, letting it happen in the moment. I decide the setlist but apart from that we aim for musical freedom. We do invite visual artist Joris Perdieus to the residency. While making music, he provides projections on ourselves, which we take with us into the JazzLab tour.

In addition to Bodem, you will be active with other projects…

Solo, I released a single LP with Ultra Eczema , ‘Here Are 5 Reasons To Meditate’, free improv. For the New York based label, Relative Pitch Records , I am writing for a solo saxophone album. Last year I had a residency with Waarlijk at Rataplan Antwerp and that will get a follow-up at Schouwburg De Kern in Wilrijk on 27 April. On that Sunday afternoon, I will perform several acts. With Waarlijk I introduces a new quintet together with Hanne De Backer on saxophone, Gregory Van Seghbroeck on sousaphone, João Lobo on drums and Fien Desmet on vocals. As in Rataplan, I want to encourage the audience to experience the music with dance and interaction. I have also invited classical pianist Maya Dhondt for a solo performance. And Frederik Leroux and Ruben Machtelinckx will present ‘Poor Isa’. A fourth act is still a surprise at the moment…. These are projects that start from within myself. I still play together in a trio with violinist Elizabeth Klinck and pianist Maya Dhondt , classically trained musicians. That’s chamber music in which I improvise on sax. And completely rooted in jazz, I accompany jazz singer Anaïs Vijgen , swinging in quintet. 

Do you have any particular dreams?

I hope to be able to play across the language border with Bodem, which is still not to be taken for granted. And if we break through in the Benelux first, then further conquer Europe. With Waarlijk, I will continue as a band and want to play out the dynamic Brass Band effect more in interaction with the audience. Jazz concerts tend to be rather static, the stage on the one hand, the audience on the other. I want to break that. By the way, I’m not very good at big dreams. Sometimes people come my way, like Fire! Orchestra , Mats Gustafsson ‘s orchestra with Johan Berthling and Andreas Werlin . These are musicians in my line of thinking that I really dream of playing with. Another one I look up to is Ambrose Akinmusire. Another special experience was playing at the Brand! Jazz Festival (Mechelen) in November 2024. Because Cel Overberghe was unable to come, I spontaneously formed a trio with Hanne De Backer and Ornella Noulet , which was 40 minutes of pure improvisation, super cool!

Do you want to pursue a particular vision?

There is a tendency to transform your identity into music, that you create from a certain origin. I find the activist nature interesting, which is how Isaiah Collier appeals to me. Also what Max Roach and Abbey Lincoln pursued. That really does belong in jazz, but that’s not my reality. I have African roots, of course, but I was born and raised in the heart of Antwerp. And yes, I am a woman. But that doesn’t determine how I think musically. Although a feminist statement sneaks in at times. I seek my own vision in my living world here and now as a free improvising musician. I think my music is quite accessible. And with my trio Bodem, I am also being programmed outside the jazz world, then hopefully I appeal to another even wider interested audience.

Este artículo se publica simultáneamente en las siguientes revistas europeas, en el marco de «Groovin’ High», una operación para destacar a las jóvenes músicas de jazz y blues : Citizen Jazz (Fr), JazzMania (Be), Jazz’halo (Be), Salt Peanuts (DK/SE/NO), Jazz-Fun (DE), In&Out Jazz (ES) y Donos Kulturalny (PL).

This article is co-published simultaneously in the following European magazines, as part of « Groovin’ High » an operation to highlight young jazz and blues female musicians : Citizen Jazz (Fr), JazzMania (Be), Jazz’halo (Be), Salt Peanuts (DK/SE/NO), Jazz-Fun (DE), In&Out Jazz (ES) and Donos Kulturalny (PL).

#Womentothefore #IWD2025

By Bernard Lefèvre for  Jazz’halo

March 05, 2025

Monika Roscher

Monika Roscher

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MONIKA ROSCHER

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March, 2025

Text: Jazz-Fun.de

Photos: Jacek Brun

jazz-fun.de: Monica. It’s great to see you. Great to have you here in the Hanover Cultural Center and Pavilion. How do you feel?

Monika Roscher: I just feel amazed. I’m really looking forward to the concert tonight, and it’s been a year since we were here, so I’m really excited to come back.

You have already been here once or has it been several times?

One time. And it was great because it was our first time in Hanover. And so, um, yeah, it’s exciting because we are from Nuremburg and Munich, so they’re quite far away.

I see, you had a pretty long drive.

Yes. Six hours.

So tell me something about yourself. Where do you come from?

I’m from Nuremburg, but I went for music studies, guitar, to Munich, and we formed the big band in Munich. Most band members are still in Munich, but some are also in Berlin as well as Leipzig and Karlsruhe. In other words, all over Germany.

I see; so you are more or less connected with everyone around Germany. But what also interests me is what was your first contact with music? What do you remember? What was your first contact to music? Making music?

I would say probably my parents. We had a piano at home, a double bass and guitar. My dad bought all the instruments, and my brother played the double bass and my mom guitar. And so I also wanted to play. And after a while, I started making up stuff. And then, yeah, I really liked the instrument.

So you started by playing around and not methodically, but you learned to play the instrument.

And my mom taught me the stuff she knew, but mostly it was all about fun making music, because every time I heard music my heart was like, oh, it’s so great, let’s sing, let’s do something wild.

Cool. Do you remember what shaped your sensitivity for music in the past? Maybe a specific band or a specific instrument?

I think I went to a youth club or something like that. I’m from a small town near Nuremberg, where there were a lot of hip hop bands and metal bands, and all the metal bands had great guitar players. I was really fascinated by them, so I decided that I needed to learn guitar. It’s amazing. They can play so fast. I really liked the music and I liked the approach of the singers, but I also listened to jazz, and I asked myself, “what are they doing?” I don’t understand what the thing is. How can they communicate? Yeah. And I like all these mixtures in music.

You definitely have to have had some role models over the years who played guitar, some people who influenced your guitar playing. And you already told me that you listened to metal music a little bit because you were fascinated by the playing. Have you any specific guitarists you like?

Yes. I went to a Mars Volta concert and I liked how Rodriguez-Lopez played because it’s a very unique way of playing. So I really liked that. And yeah, but there are tons of guitar players such as all the jazz guitar players, because I went to study jazz, so I listened to all of them such as Wes Montgomery and all the old classics. So yeah, I’m fascinated by that as well.

The next question I want to ask is a little bit outdated, but it’s definitely something we find interesting. Are there any female guitarists you look up to?

Of course I know Jennifer Batten from Michael Jackson’s band. Yeah. And there is St. Vincent. She’s amazing. And let me think. Hmm. You know, the thing is that I’m actually not really interested in the people that much, because I simply like a piece of music at times. I like the idea of music. So I’m not just interested in which musicians I find fascinating, but rather which ones impress me. Wow. How fast they can play or something like that. But it’s the music that touches me, the something inside of it.

And I think many people look at this differently and in another way. They like the person who is making the music. But for me, there are artists that make stuff that I like and stuff that I don’t like that much. And that’s okay.

Yes. And you can even take it bit further and say what kind of person is that? Yeah, actually, I’m not really interested in the person behind the music, because I don’t know if I would like the person or not. So yeah, I really like music, so I don’t want to know too much.

Kind of differentiating between music and the personality. Exactly. Yes. I think that’s a very healthy attitude.

I do too. And after a while you think, oh, I don’t want to hear about the person.

Your music and your orchestra have some notable influences. How many of those influences maybe came from Frank Zappa?

Actually, I’m not quite sure how conscious this has been, because I didn’t listen to Frank Zappa in the beginning. I just started listening to him when people came after our concert and said you have to check out this and that from Frank Zappa. And I thought, okay. yeah, of course I know the name. And I know his big hits. But I hadn’t heard that song. And then I started getting deeper into his music, and then I felt like there might be a connection because he thought of a guitar as a guitar player and a composer, and that’s what I am. So this might be a connection where we think in the same way.

Like on the same wavelength in terms of personality?

Maybe. Yeah, I don’t know. But I don’t know him too well, just bits from interviews and the like. He was very political. So maybe.

It’s like the music is more important than Frank Zappa.

That’s what I think.

That what we said. Yeah. So let’s talk about the time when social media was evolving with respect to your creativity in music; how did the effect of social media influence you or how did it impact your creativity in music?

Well, at first–I must confess–I didn’t like it, didn’t want to be a part of it. I thought that I want to just make my music and then perform concerts. And after a while, you notice that people need to find you somehow. So you have to be on social media. Yeah. So okay, so I started posting on them and then I thought, oh, how amazing. I can connect to people in different countries, for example. Yeah. So that that’s amazing for me. I didn’t realize that before because you are in your own little world, you’re functioning in it, you’re playing and you’re having fun. Right now I think, okay, yes, we’re involved in it. That’s cool. But the most fun is, of course, the music.

So of course. Yeah. So the social media type of thing is like another world. But it’s starting to affect creativity. Do you think that you have to change part of your creativity because of the pressure that social media puts on musicians?

Yeah, but I’m not gonna give into that because I have music that is 12 minutes long, nine minutes long. If I play the Spotify game, for example, I’m gonna play it. So I have also split up my pieces into smaller bits. But when I’m playing live, I play the song and it takes 12 minutes. I’m not going to change my way of composing music just to have the chorus in the first 30 seconds or something like that. Exactly. That’s not what I want to do.

I understand that.

I might do it sometimes if I want to do it. But right now I’m not into something like that.

I see that’s not your main mission right now. And that’s very, very cool. I’m very cool with that. I know a band which has a Spotify song that lasts an hour and oh, wow! And I also think that when I want to listen to it, I listen to it, and I listen to it 15 times. So where’s the problem exactly?

Yeah, yeah.

Yeah. But not only the songs are big in the sense of long, but your band is also very big. Yeah. And you are a leader of a big band and also an electric guitarist in the band. And I think you’re the only guitarist in such a big band I know who is active today. I don’t know if it’s true, but what do you think about that? How does it feel to be a guitarist leader of a big band?

Well, normal. Nothing more.

Normal. Okay.

Because that’s what I started to do. In the beginning, I thought that I was going to form a guitar trio, and then we composed for a big band in school, and I thought, wow, I want to do that because now I have a much bigger playground to mess with. So I thought, okay, let’s try it. And after I graduated from the university, I called the other musicians and said let’s try this, try different stuff. And now we are all friends, and we know each other very well. I know all the musicians. I know their strong points and what their best moments are. So I can really compose for them. So that’s the best thing for me.

So it wasn’t planned, but it just started, right?

Oh, yeah. It was not planned. There was never a plan. Actually, I was not a big band fan at all.

Yeah, but it just depends on what you think a big band is. And you can make a big band in whatever way you want to.

Exactly.That’s true. Yeah. And then you start listening to big bands and then you think, okay, you can play it like this, or you can do totally differently. And I decided that I was gonna try something different, which is a lot of fun.

It’s very cool. I like that a lot. But there’s also very much commitment, time and work with so many people. How many people are there in your band exactly.

We are 18 on stage, and we have our mixer with us and band organizer who helps us, for example, arranging for coffee or other things.

And it’s gotta be a lot of work to organize that, isn’t it?

Yes. Yeah, terrible.

It’s terrible. And speaking of that, you have to have some someone who is taking care of bookings, planning and logistics. Are you doing that or is someone else doing it?

Yeah, I do it because I tried to contract someone a couple of times, but usually I got the feedback that the band is too big to take on the road. And I didn’t want to change it, because that’s what we want to do. So I just keep on doing this myself, and I really like it. We might not have the biggest tour, but that’s okay. Our tours are really big enough. So I do it.

It can be small but impactful. You know what I mean?

And it’s real. We are all friends. I don’t want to say we want to get rid of four people. No, everyone’s part of the band. And we play as this band.

That’s very cool. Going back to the orchestra and to the size of your orchestra and all the people playing in it. There are a lot of instrumentalists, a lot of capable instrumentalists who maybe are capable of having their own projects or something else. How do you work with them and which roles do those instrumentalists have in your band?

In the beginning, we all basically come from jazz. So it’s normal for us to have different projects. Everybody in the band has his or her own band where they play. And my project is also a band where we play, so it’s not as if we depend on the band. We do it all parallel. And I know each of my musicians, their strengths. I can hear the sound for this song and know this is a flute solo. So I know who I can ask to play this solo. And I also want the audience at a concert to experience all the musicians, all the colors. It’s not just solo guitar all the time, because I would want to hear all voices of the band if I go to a concert. So I want to hear all personalities, and I want to show that it’s beautiful.

Yeah, that’s very beautiful. And speaking of the solos, you have some soloists, I guess not every member of your band is a soloist.

Yeah, but actually they all are.

Oh, really? And do they have a determined time when they can play solos, because we are speaking of a lot of people and we want to make it fair. Is there any communication about that.

Yes. And we even change sometimes in the beginning because I’m always playing different setlists, of course. We have a lot of fun with that, I can say I’m taking your solo tonight, okay? And you’re taking hers or she’s taking yours. You know, we mix it up a bit. Yeah. We have some that are fixed, but we mess around with all of them a bit.

That’s very cool. Good to hear that you interact so much.

Yeah, I think it’s important so that everybody is part of it.

It might be time-consuming with 18 people and more, but it’s extremely important to express the essence, isn’t it?

Yes, I think so. And the thing is also that these musicians are not machines. They are humans. And I really want to have a good time with them. We want to be able to have good talks backstage and say what did you like today or what do you want to try? It’s important that everybody’s also involved.

Very cool. We have been speaking about every one of your members. But let’s get back to you. And what I really like about your performance is your own characterization on the stage. And where do you get the ideas from? From where do your inspiration to have these nice outfits?

Yeah, it’s all a bit out there, you know, it’s just like with the music. By composing it, you also think, oh, this could be like a song about what? What is moving you. And then when I find it, I think, okay, this might look like this, for example for The Witch’s Song, I look for a witchy outfit. I need a crown of woods. Or I need big sticks or something. I don’t know, I play around with these ideas, and I’m never finished because I’m still adding stuff to it, and I’m still searching for something. And then when I see something, I think, okay, I’m gonna wear that to be more a part of this song.

Very cool. And for all the individualists out there, maybe the main question, do you make your costumes yourself or do you have someone helping you with that?

I just go on the internet and check out where I can find stuff. Yeah, it would be amazing if somebody would make them for me, but…

But that’s even cooler. Like, you make your own outfits. It’s exactly what you want.

Yeah, but I don’t make them. I just buy them.

Okay, okay. I didn’t want to say too much. Of course, I didn’t want to say something to make you uncomfortable. Very cool. Do you have any favorite outfit?

Well, I still wear a witchy crown that I like. And, um, right now I still wear a mask that is like a, hmm, how do you say it? I’m guessing, I’m searching for the word: vampires, okay. And it depicts a rather strange person, and I think it’s fascinating.

I think I see what you mean. Vampires are depicted in many ways in different cultures, but I really understand that. I guess they have a charismatic dominance, also visually.

And it there’s some connection to nature, but maybe it’s also power from nature.

I think I understand what you mean.

Yeah. I’m just messing around with that stuff or with witches, with everything. That’s all stuff which inspires me. Very much. So I’m reading books about it.

I can understand that well. So we get to the more personal questions right here, because there’s some things that I wanted to ask. But don’t worry, they’re not too specific because I just want to know, what ambitions do you have in addition to music? Um.

Oh, ambitions? Besides music?

I don’t know, maybe outfits?

Uh, yeah. okay. I made a little label for my band, so that’s what I’m doing. And it’s always been about music, actually. But, you know, I like playing some sports and exercising. Yeah, but actually not with a lot of ambition. So I’m just doing those things for fun.

So no plans, no baking.

Not so much. No. Oh, okay. So I’m just doing a lot of stuff, you know, but it’s not like I’m ambitious doing them. I need to try other things out.

So you’re putting all your energy into the music. Yes. And it pays off.

I don’t know, I would say, but it’s fun. I mean, you know, that’s the thing. I wake up in the morning and I start doing something that has to do with music. Yeah. And even if it doesn’t have anything to do with it, I’m still thinking about music.

Very cool. So I have only two questions left and they are not specific either. The first one is what is your favorite place to enjoy looking at your surroundings, for example at a mountain or somewhere else. Do you have something like that?

Um. So um, mountains are amazing. Of course. Do you mean a specific place to go to.

A specific place with personal space where you go.

Since I live in Munich, there’s a river called Isar. And you can take long walks along it and or go by bike. And at some point you can see the Alps, but you have to go quite far, for example approximately two hours by bike. And there are moments when you go around the corner and then–if it’s a nice day–you see and the river and the Alps in the background. It’s really beautiful. Yeah, I like that.

And do you have a specific drink that you would take on the ride there? Your favorite drink?

Probably coffee.

I see. Yeah I’m also completely sold on that. Very cool. Monica, it was a pleasure talking to you.

Yes. And thank you.

I would have continued for longer, but we have no more time. And you also have to get to the soundcheck because you’re playing in two hours. I wish you very, very much luck. And I’m really looking forward to seeing you up there on the stage.

Cool. Thanks. I’m also looking forward to it.

Bye.

Bye.

Este artículo se publica simultáneamente en las siguientes revistas europeas, en el marco de «Groovin’ High», una operación para destacar a las jóvenes músicas de jazz y blues : Citizen Jazz (Fr), JazzMania (Be), Jazz’halo (Be), Salt Peanuts (DK/SE/NO), Jazz-Fun (DE), In&Out Jazz (ES) y Donos Kulturalny (PL).

This article is co-published simultaneously in the following European magazines, as part of « Groovin’ High » an operation to highlight young jazz and blues female musicians : Citizen Jazz (Fr), JazzMania (Be), Jazz’halo (Be), Salt Peanuts (DK/SE/NO), Jazz-Fun (DE), In&Out Jazz (ES) and Donos Kulturalny (PL).

#Womentothefore #IWD2025

March 04, 2025

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