Interview with Matthew Shipp: Jazz basically still deals with the idea of jazz in the 70s … Video

Jazz interview with jazz pianist Matthew Shipp. Тhis is the second time аn interview by email in writing. First interview please see here.

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

JBN.S: – What do you love most about your new album 2018: Matthew Shipp Quartet – Sonic Fiction, how it was formed and what you are working on today.

Matthew Shipp: – Sonic fiction is a product of the fact that I have worked for years with michael bisio and whit dickey — and working with a younger musician whose voice I like – like Mat Walerian is a different thing for me – I have been working for years with a specific group of mostly new york based musicians but Walerian is a younger polish musician who has a developing exciting voice — ive done stuff with him with his own music but on this cd ive brought him into my world — he is a little different then what I usually work with and that is what gives this cd its juice. what am I working on now — well mainly solo piano — solo and my trio is the main thing-other then that I seem to do duos with sax players mainly Ivo Perelman — and Evan Parker

JBN.S: – Which are the best jazz albums for you of 2017 year?

MSH: – Best jazz albums of 2017-I would not know — I am not in a period of listening to  music — I am not keeping up with what people are doing – I am in my own world and rather stay there — I am in the main period of my creative life and am not involved with other peoples head spaces at this time in my life-all of that is to say I did not pay attention to what others where doing thou there are a lot of  musicians I enjoy on the scene-and some who get attention who I don’t think deserve it — but anyway.

JBN.S: – What’s the balance in music between intellect and soul?

MSH: – The balance between intellect and soul   or intuition is something that cannot be explained in words — it is a feeling — soul is of the spirit- it can not be broken down into discursive language — intellect is in some ways acquired – soul or spirit is your original being-or pure being so its passive not active — you do not acquire it-you can not study your way into it.

JBN.S: – Please any memories from gigs, jams, open acts and studio sessions which you’d like to share with us?

MSH: – There have been so many great and or weird things at different gigs that it is hard to pick out any specific one – on the way to a gig once in italy someone jumped in  front of a train and killed themselves and we just sat in the train for hours – the conductors just ran out of the train because they did not want to talk to the police — so we sat there for a couple hours then someone screamed to switch to another train and everyone got up and ran into the other train — anyway very weird experience — we where late for the gig.

JBN.S: – Which collaboration have been the most important experiences for you?

MSH: – I am not about collaborations these days –I am about my own vision which includes solo piano-my trio – duos with sax players and once in a while a quartet — like ‘’sonic fiction’ — I spent 16 years as a sideman with david s ware — now I really just want to do my own music.

JBN.S: – If you could change one thing in the musical world and it would become a reality, what would that be?

MSH: – If I could change something in the jazz world what would I change — think I would make it a rule that relics of the 1970s like Jarrett – Corea and Hancock could never be on the cover of a jazz magazine unless they died and it was a commenortive issue — the jazz industry needs to get out of the 1970s rut and promoting these guys does not help — you don’t see rolling stone magazine putting elton john on the cover these days or  the eagles — they deal with whats happening now — jazz basically still deals with the idea of jazz in the 70s — of course there was a jazz industry then — but those 70s jazz guys guys are not doing anything musically that warrants them being on covers of magazines.

JBN.S: – Let’s take a trip with a time machine, so where and why would you really wanna go?

MSH: – If I could get in a time machine I would go  to palestine in around the year 30 — just really curious if there is a real historical jesus- and I don’t mean that in a religious way — just curious if the guy really existed and if so what /who was he really.

JBN.S: – I have been asking you so far, now may I have a question from yourself…

MSH: – My question is who am i — each improvisation yields a different person.

JBN.S: – Thanks so much for answers …

Interview by Simon Sargsyan

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ox3IlEIwJKM