An interview with Silje Nergaard: Life is expressed through music … Video

Jazz interview with jazz singer Silje Nergaard. An interview by email in writing.

JazzBluesNews.Space: – First let’s start with where you grew up, and what got you interested in music?

Silje Nergaard: – My parent played vinyl ,jazz and pop and all kinds of music, and my father played the guitar and sang a lot of songs.so me and my sister were singing together with him. The house was filled with music.

JBN.S: – What got you interested in picking up the jazz vocal?

SN: – I grew up listening to ella, sarah waughan,al jarreau etc, and I loved singers that were singing freely, with no limits, playing with their voices.

JBN.S: – What teacher or teachers helped you progress to the level of playing you have today? What made you choose the jazz vocal?

SN: – I have never learned anything about jazz vocal other than listening to great singers, but my best teachers have been my ,musicians, I always picked musicians on a very high level and they always taught me the importan stuff about about music.

JBN.S: – How did your sound evolve over time? What did you do to find and develop your sound?

SN: – I keep developing my sound, and <I am getting a bit deeper over the years, not sounding so girlie as before. I try to dig deeper and deeper into my sound and world of music,

JBN.S: – What practice routine or exercise have you developed to maintain and improve your current musical ability especially pertaining to rhythm?

SN: – I dont have a practice routine other than singing to myself, (though lately I have seen a great vocal coach and she is opening new doors), but I pay attention to the  rhythm and drums, and try to make my phrases fit in and swing,I dont think I am the master of this, but probably I play more attention to expressing whats on my mind and float away on

JBN.S: – Which harmonies and harmonic patterns do you prefer now?

SN: – I love playing with harmonies and voicings, but I am in a period of my life where <I have also been composing on very simple ostinatos trying to make something interesting out of it, composing a unique melody. Simple can be so hard.

JBN.S: – Many aspiring musicians are always looking for advice when navigating thru the music business. Is there any piece of advice you can offer to aspiring students or even your peers that you believe will help them succeed and stay positive in this business?

SN: – Be very patient and stubborn. Keep the centre in your self and protect it. And look for yout ownsound, always. Be different.

Also if you have a job alternative in your head, it is not the right thing for you, You need to be determined, and think that music is your only alternative.

JBN.S: – Аnd furthermore, can jazz be a business today or someday?

SN: – Business? For a few people it might be good business, for most it is not about getting rich but doing what you love..another way of being rich,

JBN.S: – How can we get young people interested in jazz when most of the standard tunes are half a century old?

SN: –The songs are classic and great compositions. They have survived this long and will survive because they are great. They can be sung in so many different ways. They are simply fantastic songs.

JBN.S: – John Coltrane said that music was his spirit. How do you understand the spirit and the meaning of life?

SN: – Life is expressed through music, it’s a wonderful way to express lwhats on your mind … emotions … chaos … joy … sorrow … So music and life melts into eachother and become one.

JBN.S: – What are your expectations of the future? What brings you fear or anxiety?

SN: – I hope people keep coming to live concerts, to listen to music for real, not only on you tube and tv.

JBN.S: – What’s the next musical frontier for you?

SN: – I will do an album with the great piano player Espen Berg.

JBN.S: – Who do you find yourself listening to these days?

SN: – These days I listen to brad meldhau vol 2, and the last album of Buge Wessseltoft, I put it  on in the morning when I wake up and it is dark outside, I lighten the candles and let the music bring me into the day,

JBN.S: – What’s your current setup?

SN: – Keyborads, drums, bass electric setup, fantasisc band, Audun erlien bass, Wetle Holte drums and andreas ulvo keyboards.