Interviews with the members of Equal
Interest
Frank Tafuri,
founder of OmniTone, posed this series of questions
to all three members of Equal Interest individually;
following are the responses of each member of the
collective.
- How did Equal Interest come about?
- How was the name of the group
arrived at?
- How do you see your role in the
group (in other words, what do YOU contribute to
the "collective")?
- Every member of the group has
done a variety of "creative musics." Why
(and what) do you think Equal Interest has to offer
in the wide-ranging creative music world?
- How does Equal Interest fit in
with your other ensembles?
- How did you come to your instruments
and what do you think they add to your repertoire
- Tell us a little about each of
your tunes on the album.
Read responses by:
Joseph Jarman · Leroy
Jenkins · Myra
Melford
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Interview
with Myra Melford
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- I had been invited as a guest
improviser for an AACM concert featuring the music
of Joseph and Leroy--each were having pieces played
by the SEM ensemble. The first half of the
program featured a quintet of Joseph, Leroy, myself
and the other 2 guests: Jeffrey Schanzer and Lindsey
Horner. Based on the success of this
quintet performance which was entirely improvised,
Joseph and Leroy were asked to make a recording
for Ocean Records of this ensemble. While we were
in the studio I had the idea that it would be fun
to play in a trio with Joseph and Leroy. I
don't recall whether we actually spoke about this
or not, but shortly after that I got a call from
the Knitting Factory about the Jazz Festival, and
I suggested this trio; Leroy got a call about a
gig in Boston for the next Fall and he suggested
this trio, though I don't think we'd actually talked
about pursuing gigs until these two came our way.
Then a few others around the country and in Europe
came up all within about 4-5 months of each other,
and we were a group.
- At one of the SEM rehearsals for
the original concert, Muhal asked Leroy what the
name of the first piece of the concert would be
-- i.e., the quintet music. Since we were
going to improvise (though we did have a road map,
so to speak), Leroy said something about each person
having an equal interest in creating the piece--so
Muhal interjected, "how about calling it Equal
Interest?" and they did. When the trio
came together, it seemed to make sense to go on
using that title.
- In an unspoken kind of way, I
see myself representing the next generation of
creative musicians. The AACM philosophy and
music was so central to my formation and development
as a pianist and composer that I identify with
those musicians even though I was never a real
member of the organization -- I've certainly been
very influenced and inspired by them. I also see
myself representing the younger generation of improvising
musicians and composers at large in New York --
a sort of extended "downtown scene". I'm
also the member of the group that wants everything
to be super well reheased and together -- sometimes
to a fault -- and I've learned a lot from both
Joseph and Leroy about the importance of the feeling
and intention of the music first and foremost,
with "perfection" either taking a back
seat or requiring a new definition.
- There's something very unique
about the music we play as a trio -- I also think
each of our musics is unique -- that though we
may have similar influences and so on, none of
our original music sounds quite like anyone else's,
and then the combination of our musical personalities
seems to have a magic spark -- a certain charm
that goes beyond verbalization. But I think it
has to do with three playful spirits who have found
a common internal space where this music can live
and develop.
- It's a nice complement to the
groups I lead -- I like being able to share the
responsibilities that go with having a band, from
writing the music to arranging the gigs, etc.. Also,
the music that we play is very different from my
own bands and from the way my own bands play my
music. Joseph and Leroy bring a whole other
perspective that comes from years of musical and
life experiences. I'm always inspired by
their playing and example both in rehearsal and
on stage.
- I feel like the harmonium, a small
hand-pump organ with its bellows and reeds, is
a nice complement to the more percussive qualities
of the piano -- it can sing and sustain a line
more like the human voice. It also
suggests organ music, the blues, and various Indian/Pakistani
devotional musics, which have all influenced my
playing on the piano as well as my writing. I
began playing about 2 years ago, originally to
accompany chants at my yoga center -- but I realized
very quickly that this would be a great second
keyboard for me and would be a good voice for my
compositions as well.
- "Over This/Living Music" was
written for Joseph and Leroy after we'd been playing
together for almost 2 years. I knew what
kinds of backgrounds or situations I wanted each
of them to improvise in and how I wanted to capture
the spirit of the ensemble, which straddles the
line of chamber music and jazz. "The Beauty
We Love" is a short meditation on the nature
of beauty. And "Everything Today" is
a kind of sped up, contemporary, "rhythm changes," inspired
by both Ornette Coleman and the Tarif de Haidouks.
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Interview with
Joseph Jarman
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- Equal Interest came about at a
recording session that Leroy and I were doing,
and Myra was playing the piano for us on that session. We
did one tune that used piano, violin, and me --
I can't remember what I played! After that
event we started talking, actually just joking: "It
sure would be nice if we played more together." Somehow
the word just got out that a new trio had been
formed between us, so we thought about it and agreed
to go ahead with the idea!
- We came on the name after talking
about what we wanted to do, as a team; Equal Interest
is what we all had, so that became the name. Many
people, however separate us by name.
- I contribute my feeling about
the music and the Dharma as well as compositions. I
also think because of my work at the dojo, I give
us all a feeling of sureness, just as they give
to me.
- I think we have a wonderful difference
to offer to the music world, because we all have
really beautiful and unique approaches to the music. Our
interest in other forms is very unique -- for example,
I am very interested in Buddhist music and forms,
as well as Eastern forms. This, and all the
groups that I work with now, allow me to share
the teachings of the Buddha through contemporary
music.
- Equal Interest is the vital, open,
group that I work with. All the other groups that
I work with are just "sometimes." EI
is the only group that I, for example, have time
to tour with because of my work at the dojo.
- I have many, many East Asian,
African and other areas where I study music from,
and I therefore have interest from the cultures
not only to have but to better understand the cultures
that the music I study and listen to come from.
- "Poem Song" is an excerpt
from a suite that I have written about the gentle
nature of Buddhism and the uniqueness of meditation. "Rondo
for Jenny" is actually based on musical ideas
from South Indian nomadic musical forms that I
love. The oboe is there as a voice in the center
of the vibration of the nomads.
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Interview
with Leroy Jenkins
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- In 1997, Joseph and I were featured
composers/performers at an AACM concert. We
both agreed to engage Myra as a featured soloist. It
went so well that we decided to form a trio.
- I said to Muhal, in front of Myra: "we're
going to form a trio on an equal basis." Muhal
said "maybe you should name it Equal Interest."
- My role in the group is to inspire
my colleagues, so that they can inspire me, so
that we may inspire the audience.
- Equal Interest offers a strong
group of players that complement each other with
sensitivity and verve.
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- "In the Moment": The
best way to capture moments is to pay attention. Wherever
you go, there you are. "B'Pale
Night" is a blues, but not a blues form.
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