SIMPLY IN THEIR WORDS (Installment Tres)
Interview conducted by Tom Sękowski
This is the third of a regular series of "simply in their words" series interviews with some of the musicians from the improvised, jazz and new music genres that are making a real mark on the landscape. I don't want to add Any additional text to these musicians' responses, as my words would only clutter what it is they're trying to convey to the readers.
I remember the effect that hearing David S. Ware's Great Bliss, Vol. 1 (Silkheart) had on me. I kept asking myself, who in the world is that pianist? As it turns out, the mystery was quickly solved. The man taking full charge of the piano was none other than Matthew Shipp. Though his beginnings can be traced back to David S. Ware's infamous quartet, his first work was heard in small groupings with people such as Rob Brown, William Parker and Whit Dickey. For the last few years, he has taken the role of the artistic curator of the Blue Series at Thirsty Ear, not only releasing his own material, but also putting out records by people as varied as DJ Spooky, Craig Taborn and William Parker. What follows is an e-mail interview I had conducted with Matthew Shipp in April of 2003.
Tom Sękowski: I'd read somewhere that at a young age you were listening to Earth, Wind & Fire. I'm a huge fan of Earth, Wind & Fire (the whole disco era, classic soul, etc.), and I've always looked at your music as something that was strongly filled with pop sensibility. Can you expand on how Earth, Wind & Fire fits into the music that you're playing in 2003.
Matthew Shipp: I always approach all genres of music as equal. Genre has no value to me. I always try to melt rhythm melody and harmony down in my mind and use whatever I learn to try to construct my own music, my own idiom. So it does not matter if the source material is an Earth, Wind and Fire song or a Stevie Wonder song or a Monk song.
TS: Tell me a little bit more about David S. Ware and your long-standing association with him? What did you learn through this working relationship?
MS: David S. Ware and I have a natural musical relationship. Our vocabularies naturally work together - sort of like Coltrane and McCoy Tyner. Even thought David and I play in the same idiom, he has a slightly different way of approaching musical problems. So, I have learned a lot, seeing a different methodology than the one I usually use.
TS: On David S. Ware's "Great Bliss, Vol. 1"..."Bliss Theme" sounds to me like it could've been a hard-hitting rock song, where you're very much the leading man. Can you expand on how your pop/rock/blues sensibilities have taken a forefront in your music.
MS: To me free jazz means being able to interact with any rhythm and any type of sonic environment. Funk and fusion rhythms are something I grew up listening to and I internalized them at an early age, so the challenge now is to bring my free jazz sensibilities to it and to try to create a new idiom.
TS: Because of all the cross-pollination that you've been doing lately with music, do your "early" fans see you as a traitor to the "purity" of jazz?
MS: A lot of my fans have been very cool and given me the freedom to go wherever I want to with the music.
TS: What drawbacks/benefits are there to being an artistic director for the Blue Series at Thirsty Ear?
MS: Being artistic director of the Blue Series has been all-good. It has engendered a different perception of me since I produce other CDs.
TS: What's the main difference of making a recording for Thirsty Ear and one you would do for HatHut?
MS: The HatHut CDs form a music that is my concept of a jazz chamber music. The Blue Series CDs form a suite of music that is my own distinct distillation of American music - straight ahead-ambient-beats, all melted down, to try to find the common denominator, to try to find out why music works.
TS: What is your biggest challenge in getting the music heard to your prospective audience? Do you have much support from radio in North America, Europe, elsewhere?
MS: Getting the music heard is a big challenge because jazz is not really a part of society, so the challenge is to try to find a way to make the whole vibe around the music fun and inviting so people don't feel intimidated.
TS: You've released a good number of duo recordings. What is the main reason for playing in such a small grouping? What have you learnt from these experiences?
MS: I did a lot of duos at one time in my career because it is direct, naked conversation and a very raw and honest way of making music.
TS: Is there any one particular musician/artist that you haven't yet collaborated with, but you're dying for a chance to do so?
MS: I'd like to collaborate with Kool Keith
TS: Antipop Consortium - can you tell me about the hip-hop in your life and how it has shaped the direction your music is taking.
MS: Hip-hop is the new jazz. It's a language system here to stay. It's too powerful to ignore.
TS: Is there another major shift in your musical landscape coming soon?
MS: I do not feel there are any more major shifts coming.
TS: Where do you get your daily musical inspiration?
MS: Inspiration comes from everything. It comes a lot from mysticism and meditation.
TS: To someone who has never heard your music, is there any one particular record that you would pin-point as a good introduction, and why?
MS: My favorite CD of mine is "Equilibrium" (Thirsty Ear).
TS: What is in the immediate plans as far as recordings and tours are concerned?
MS: Plans are to tour the world playing my music.
For more detailed info on Matthew Shipp, go to: Matthew Shipp
For news of releases on Matthew Shipp's Blue Series
(run through Thirsty Ear), go to: Thirsty Ear
Recommended Matthew Shipp's recordings:
Matthew Shipp Trio Circular Temple (Infinite Zero, 1992)
Matthew Shipp Duo with William Parker Zo (Rise/Thirsty Ear 1993)
Matthew Shipp Quartet Critical Mass (2.13.61/Thirsty Ear 1995)
Matthew Shipp Symbol Systems (No More Records 1995)
Matthew Shipp Duo with Roscoe Mitchell 2-Z (2.13.61/Thirsty Ear 1996)
Matthew Shipp Before The World (FMP 1997)
Matthew Shipp's New Orbit (Thirsty Ear 2001)
Matthew Shipp String Trio Expansion, Power, Release (HatHut 2001)
Matthew Shipp Equilibrium (Thirsty Ear 2003)
Antipop vs. Matthew Shipp Antipop Consortium (Thirsty Ear 2003)
That's the trouble with e-mail interviews. Matt loves to talk, but clearly hates to type. And even though he was probably citing Equilibrium because it was the most recent release at the time of the interview, it is a great disc.
Posted by: pdf at December 30, 2005 2:20 PMHaving met Matt a number of times, he always seemed a man of a few words. Who knows, maybe that's a good thing? On the other hand, perhaps he just didn't want to expand on the points at hand? Who knows.
Posted by: Tom Sekowski at January 1, 2006 6:25 PM.................................................. © 2003 - 2006 bagatellen ..................................................