Ben Solomon

Ben Solomon is an incredible saxophonist who I first heard through the music of the late Wallace Roney. I was immediately struck by his sound, the energy and his love for the music. In fact, that was the only note I wrote down prior to this interview: Love. You can often tell when people are in love. You can see and feel it. With Ben I can feel that he’s in love. I had to talk to Ben about his love for the music of John Coltrane, about his process and how he was able to to gain such a deep understanding of it. We also get into many other topics like our shared love for classical composers Igor Stravinsky, Ravel and Carlos Salzedo, working with Wallace Roney and Chick Corea, composing, and much more. I’m glad that we now can all learn together from Ben! 

Ben Solomon is an incredible saxophonist who I first heard through the music of the late <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eLzBQcVthE0" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Wallace Roney</a>. I was immediately struck by his sound, the energy and his love for the music. In fact, that was the only note I wrote down prior to this interview: Love. You can often tell when people are in love. You can see and feel it. With Ben I can feel that he’s in love. I had to talk to Ben about his love for the music of John Coltrane, about his process and how he was able to to gain such a deep understanding of it. We also get into many other topics like our shared love for classical composers Igor Stravinsky, Ravel and Carlos Salzedo, working with Wallace Roney and Chick Corea, composing, and much more. I’m glad that we now can all learn together from Ben!

Melissa Aldana

I had been admiring Melissa Aldana’s playing and music for many years, when I suddenly received a message from her, saying that she really liked the podcast. I was flattered and amazed that she would reach out to me. We made plans to do an interview and here it is! We talked about learning from Melissa’s heroes Sonny Rollins, Jimmy Heath and Mark Turner and how she incorporates these influences into her world, about leading a band, practicing creativity, her latest album 12 Stars and the process behind it, self-doubt/self-acceptance and much more.After following Melissa’s musical journey from afar for a long time, it was great to now get a more personal and deeper view into her process. It felt like we were hanging out. Come and hang out with us! 

I had been admiring Melissa Aldana’s playing and music for many years, when I suddenly received a message from her, saying that she really liked the podcast. I was flattered and amazed that she would reach out to me. We made plans to do an interview and here it is! We talked about learning from Melissa’s heroes Sonny Rollins, Jimmy Heath and Mark Turner and how she incorporates these influences into her world, about leading a band, practicing creativity, her latest album 12 Stars and the process behind it, self-doubt/self-acceptance and much more.After following Melissa’s musical journey from afar for a long time, it was great to now get a more personal and deeper view into her process. It felt like we were hanging out. Come and hang out with us!

Jochen Rueckert

Master drummer Jochen Rueckert is a personal hero of mine. I’ve been checking him out since my teenage years, when I discovered Achim Kaufmann’s “Weave”,  Paul Heller’s “Kaleidoskop” &amp; Jochen’s own “Introduction”, three massively influential records for me. He is an outstanding drummer and a great guy who always speaks his mind, and this conversation is no exception. We talked about him coming up in the Cologne scene and then making his move to NY in the late 90s, winding up playing with Kurt Rosenwinkel &amp; Marc Copland, his clarity, dynamics, what he expects from bandleaders and fellow musicians, self doubt and much more.

Master drummer Jochen Rueckert is a personal hero of mine. I’ve been checking him out since my teenage years, when I discovered Achim Kaufmann’s “Weave”, Paul Heller’s “Kaleidoskop” &amp; Jochen’s own “Introduction”, three massively influential records for me. He is an outstanding drummer and a great guy who always speaks his mind, and this conversation is no exception. We talked about him coming up in the Cologne scene and then making his move to NY in the late 90s, winding up playing with Kurt Rosenwinkel &amp; Marc Copland, his clarity, dynamics, what he expects from bandleaders and fellow musicians, self doubt and much more.

I still remember when I first heard Kurt Rosenwinkel’s epic album “The Next Step”. In the early 2000s I was visiting my guitar friend Riaz Khabirpour in his apartment in Amsterdam. When he went out to practice, I stayed in his place, going through his record collection. I can still tap into the feeling I had when hearing Kurt’s intro to “Zhivago” for the first time. I was mesmerized by his otherworldly, fluid and big sound. Lines and harmonies like I hadn’t heard before quite like that. Since then, “The Next Step” remained an important album to me and made me check out as much of Kurt’s music as I could. In our talk, we get in to his relationship with Ben Street, Jeff Ballard &amp; Mark Turner, memories from his steady gig at Smalls, thinking of other instruments while playing the guitar, the development of his sound, learning other people’s music, playing Paul Motian’s EBBB… and then he went over to the piano and demonstrated the process behind his song “Cycle 5” and much more.I’m grateful to Kurt for all the inspiration and for everything he shared so candidly in our conversation. 

I still remember when I first heard Kurt Rosenwinkel’s epic album “The Next Step”. In the early 2000s I was visiting my guitar friend Riaz Khabirpour in his apartment in Amsterdam. When he went out to practice, I stayed in his place, going through his record collection. I can still tap into the feeling I had when hearing Kurt’s intro to “Zhivago” for the first time. I was mesmerized by his otherworldly, fluid and big sound. Lines and harmonies like I hadn’t heard before quite like that. Since then, “The Next Step” remained an important album to me and made me check out as much of Kurt’s music as I could. In our talk, we get in to his relationship with Ben Street, Jeff Ballard &amp; Mark Turner, memories from his steady gig at Smalls, thinking of other instruments while playing the guitar, the development of his sound, learning other people’s music, playing Paul Motian’s EBBB… and then he went over to the piano and demonstrated the process behind his song “Cycle 5” and much more.I’m grateful to Kurt for all the inspiration and for everything he shared so candidly in our conversation.

Kurt Rosenwinkel

Gil Goldstein

What a pleasure it was to talk to composer/arranger/pianist/accordionist Gil Goldstein! I’ve been in awe of his work with Michael Brecker, Milton Nascimento, Jim Hall, Wallace Roney and of course his own music (check out his album “Under Rouseau’s Moon”). Furthermore, his book “Jazz Composer’s Companion” was a great help to me, especially because of the interviews that Gil himself conducted with some of my biggest heroes – he’s basically an investigator himself  Gil and me share a deep affinity for Gil Evans, so naturally I had to ask him about the process of his late mentor. These accounts are a nice counterpart to my conversation with Maria Schneider with whom I also talked about Gil Evans’ music. Enjoy the two of us hanging/nerding out.

What a pleasure it was to talk to composer/arranger/pianist/accordionist Gil Goldstein! I’ve been in awe of his work with Michael Brecker, Milton Nascimento, Jim Hall, Wallace Roney and of course his own music (check out his album “Under Rouseau’s Moon”). Furthermore, his book “Jazz Composer’s Companion” was a great help to me, especially because of the interviews that Gil himself conducted with some of my biggest heroes – he’s basically an investigator himself Gil and me share a deep affinity for Gil Evans, so naturally I had to ask him about the process of his late mentor. These accounts are a nice counterpart to my conversation with Maria Schneider with whom I also talked about Gil Evans’ music. Enjoy the two of us hanging/nerding out.

Laura Mvula

Sometimes you can’t predict in which direction an interview will go. When I spoke with Laura Mvula we didn’t nerd out about theoretical stuff. In the beginning you can notice me wanting to go in this direction. But instead we get something much deeper and more meaningful: Laura opened up about her life as an artist, the constant challenge to stay present and to reach what she calls “the freest place”. We touch on how she deals with expectations and how that helps her to be even more honest in her work. I felt like I really got to know Laura and I’m thankful for her honesty and generosity.

Sometimes you can’t predict in which direction an interview will go. When I spoke with Laura Mvula we didn’t nerd out about theoretical stuff. In the beginning you can notice me wanting to go in this direction. But instead we get something much deeper and more meaningful: Laura opened up about her life as an artist, the constant challenge to stay present and to reach what she calls “the freest place”. We touch on how she deals with expectations and how that helps her to be even more honest in her work. I felt like I really got to know Laura and I’m thankful for her honesty and generosity.

Ralph Towner

Ralph Towner is my hero. He’s a musical pioneer, a poetic and lyrical storyteller, always searching for something new, a giant of jazz &amp; improvised music. I have childhood memories of listening to his records in my parents collection — His duo recording with Gary Peacock “Oracle” always comes to mind. So do his solo recordings, his work with Oregon, Weather Report, Azimuth and much more.After many years of loving and studying his music I got to meet him for the first time in 2017 after an incredible solo gig of his in Wuppertal. The promoter managed to sneak me into the dinner and somehow I ended up sitting next to Ralph. Naturally I asked him many questions all night! An interview, only without the camera. Later on Ralph was not only kind enough to write liner notes to a trio album of mine, he also accepted to play a couple of gigs with us in 2018. A dream come true, and an unforgettable experience. This conversation took place in late 2021, before the soundcheck for our gig at Cologne Philharmonic Hall. I’m so happy that Ralph agreed to do this with me, because I’ve been wanting to interview him properly for a long time. Ralph shows and demonstrates a lot of things on the guitar, giving us a rare insight into his process. I always dreamed to be in that seat: right next to my hero, asking him about his compositions and seeing him up close coming up with all those beautiful sounds. We also talk about Bill Evans’ influence on his music, playing with Jimmy Garrison and Elvin Jones, how his piano playing influenced his approach to the guitar and much more. Hope you enjoy this as much as I did.

Ralph Towner is my hero. He’s a musical pioneer, a poetic and lyrical storyteller, always searching for something new, a giant of jazz &amp; improvised music. I have childhood memories of listening to his records in my parents collection — <a href="https://www.discogs.com/de/release/1934885-Gary-Peacock-Ralph-Towner-Oracle" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">His duo recording with Gary Peacock “Oracle”</a> always comes to mind. So do his solo recordings, his work with Oregon, Weather Report, Azimuth and much more.After many years of loving and studying his music I got to meet him for the first time in 2017 after an incredible solo gig of his in Wuppertal. The promoter managed to sneak me into the dinner and somehow I ended up sitting next to Ralph. Naturally I asked him many questions all night! An interview, only without the camera. Later on Ralph was not only kind enough to write liner notes to <a href="https://pabloheld.bandcamp.com/album/investigations" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">a trio album of mine</a>, he also accepted to play a couple of gigs with us in 2018. A dream come true, and an unforgettable experience. This conversation took place in late 2021, before the soundcheck for <a href="https://www1.wdr.de/radio/wdr3/programm/sendungen/wdr3-konzert/konzertplayer-klassik-pablo-held-trio-100.html" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">our gig at Cologne Philharmonic Hall</a>. I’m so happy that Ralph agreed to do this with me, because I’ve been wanting to interview him properly for a long time. Ralph shows and demonstrates a lot of things on the guitar, giving us a rare insight into his process. I always dreamed to be in that seat: right next to my hero, asking him about his compositions and seeing him up close coming up with all those beautiful sounds. We also talk about Bill Evans’ influence on his music, playing with Jimmy Garrison and Elvin Jones, how his piano playing influenced his approach to the guitar and much more. Hope you enjoy this as much as I did.

Scott Colley

Scott Colley is an amazing musician. He always serves the music in a very engaging and creative way, never letting his incredible facility on the instrument getting the best of him. This is one of the many things I admire about him, so naturally I am glad I could talk to him about that.We also cover his longtime relationships with Herbie Hancock, Andrew Hill, Jim Hall and Chris Potter, as well as the special occasion when Scott subbed in the Wayne Shorter quartet. We listen to a track from “Empire” together, my favorite Scott Colley album. Scott reacts spontaneously to what we hears, which is something I always like. And he shares his memories of studying with Charlie Haden and Fred Tinsley, working with drummers Bill Stewart &amp; Brian Blade and gives great insights into his compositional process and musical mindset.I’m glad to share this with all of you now. Enjoy!If you like this series, please consider supporting me on Patreon.

Scott Colley is an amazing musician. He always serves the music in a very engaging and creative way, never letting his incredible facility on the instrument getting the best of him. This is one of the many things I admire about him, so naturally I am glad I could talk to him about that.We also cover his longtime relationships with Herbie Hancock, Andrew Hill, Jim Hall and Chris Potter, as well as the special occasion when Scott subbed in the Wayne Shorter quartet. We listen to a track from “Empire” together, my favorite Scott Colley album. Scott reacts spontaneously to what we hears, which is something I always like. And he shares his memories of studying with Charlie Haden and Fred Tinsley, working with drummers Bill Stewart &amp; Brian Blade and gives great insights into his compositional process and musical mindset.I’m glad to share this with all of you now. Enjoy!If you like this series, please consider <a href="https://www.patreon.com/pabloheld" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">supporting me on Patreon</a>.

Mike Gibbs

I heard about Mike Gibbs through my good friend Sebastian Gille, who invited Mike to arrange his music for a special project with the NDR Bigband. I was amazed by Mike’s writing right away. Everything he does sounds so rich and full yet very open at the same time. He’s a true master who has worked with so many of my personal heroes: Joni Mitchell, Jaco Pastorius, John Scofield, Kenny Wheeler, John Taylor, Bill Frisell, John McLaughlin, Steve Swallow and so many more. After a while we got in touch and we embarked on a deep exchange via email, talking a lot about our shared love of Gil Evans’ writing, sending each other music to listen to and exchanging lots of sheet music. I asked him so many questions about all of his encounters with the great masters and he always took his time to answer very thoroughly. On the other hand he seemed very interested in my trio and our way of playing together, asking for lead sheets of my tunes and commenting in depth about our newest recordings. He even turned up out of the blue on a trio gig at the Vortex in London and after that followed the trio to Almeria, Spain where we hung out for three days. It’s very inspiring to see him staying that interested in the current scene, eager on learning more and deeply immersing himself in the music all the time. I want to be like that when I’m at his age!

I heard about Mike Gibbs through my good friend <a href="https://www.sebastiangille.com/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Sebastian Gille</a>, who invited Mike to arrange his music for a special project with the NDR Bigband. I was amazed by Mike’s writing right away. Everything he does sounds so rich and full yet very open at the same time. He’s a true master who has worked with so many of my personal heroes: Joni Mitchell, Jaco Pastorius, <a href="https://pabloheldinvestigates.com/2018/07/18/pablo-held-investigates-john-scofield/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">John Scofield</a>, Kenny Wheeler, John Taylor, Bill Frisell, John McLaughlin, Steve Swallow and so many more. After a while we got in touch and we embarked on a deep exchange via email, talking a lot about our shared love of Gil Evans’ writing, sending each other music to listen to and exchanging lots of sheet music. I asked him so many questions about all of his encounters with the great masters and he always took his time to answer very thoroughly. On the other hand he seemed very interested in my <a href="https://pabloheldtrio.bandcamp.com/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">trio</a> and our way of playing together, asking for lead sheets of my tunes and commenting in depth about our newest recordings. He even turned up out of the blue on a trio gig at the Vortex in London and after that followed the trio to Almeria, Spain where we hung out for three days. It’s very inspiring to see him staying that interested in the current scene, eager on learning more and deeply immersing himself in the music all the time. I want to be like that when I’m at his age!

Larry Goldings

When Larry Goldings told me that “we should do another podcast where we talk about our classical influences”, I was beyond excited. In this 3-hour conversation about our musical upbringings and influences we also play a lot of piano for each other. As you can imagine, this is exactly what I was dreaming of all my life: talk to my heroes about their process and have them show me what they’re doing. This is why I started this podcast in the first place. Join me and Larry, talking about music, playing piano and hanging out.

When Larry Goldings told me that “we should do another podcast where we talk about our classical influences”, I was beyond excited. In this 3-hour conversation about our musical upbringings and influences we also play a lot of piano for each other. As you can imagine, this is exactly what I was dreaming of all my life: talk to my heroes about their process and have them show me what they’re doing. This is why I started this podcast in the first place. Join me and Larry, talking about music, playing piano and hanging out.

Larry Goldings… again!

Pablo does the most incredible interviews, talking to great musicians at their level, and he asks the most thoughtful questions.. These conversations are a gift to the world! Thank you Pablo :)

Amazing series, so glad it’s in podcast form now

Pablo Held Investigates

(This episode is in German. The video version features english subtitles.) Die erste Platte von Wolfgang Muthspiel die ich gehört habe war „Real Book Stories“ mit Marc Johnson &amp; Brian Blade. Das hab ich rauf und runter gehört und auch viel dazu gespielt. Besonders faszinierte mich Wolfgang’s Klarheit und seine Gabe besondere Räume für seine Bands zu schaffen . Andere wichtige Alben für mich waren „Air Love &amp; Vitamins“, „Friendly Travelers“ &amp; „Bright Side“. Ich habe seither mit großem Interesse Wolfgangs musikalischen Aktivitäten verfolgt und viel Inspiration daraus gezogen.  In unserer Unterhaltung spreche ich mich Wolfgang über die Klarheit seines Spiels, seine Gabe besondere Bands zusammenzustellen, Übemethoden, seine Zeit mit Paul Motian, Komponieren, das Trio mit Brian Blade &amp; Marc Johnson, wichtige Konzerterlebnisse, Olivier Messiaen, eine Ballade von Johannes Brahms und vieles mehr. Viel Vergnügen!

(This episode is in German. The <a href="https://pabloheldinvestigates.com/wolfgang-muthspiel/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">video version</a> features english subtitles.) Die erste Platte von <a href="https://www.wolfgangmuthspiel.com/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Wolfgang Muthspiel</a> die ich gehört habe war „<a href="https://www.discogs.com/de/Wolfgang-Muthspiel-Real-Book-Stories/release/1580906" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Real Book Stories</a>“ mit Marc Johnson &amp; Brian Blade. Das hab ich rauf und runter gehört und auch viel dazu gespielt. Besonders faszinierte mich Wolfgang’s Klarheit und seine Gabe besondere Räume für seine Bands zu schaffen . Andere wichtige Alben für mich waren „<a href="https://www.discogs.com/de/Muthspiel-Johnson-Blade-Air-Love-Vitamins/release/3781739" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Air Love &amp; Vitamins</a>“, „<a href="https://www.discogs.com/de/Wolfgang-Muthspiel-Brian-Blade-Friendly-Travelers/release/2398636" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Friendly Travelers</a>“ &amp; „<a href="https://www.discogs.com/de/Wolfgang-Muthspiel-Trio-Bright-Side/release/8363261" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Bright Side</a>“. Ich habe seither mit großem Interesse Wolfgangs musikalischen Aktivitäten verfolgt und viel Inspiration daraus gezogen.  In unserer Unterhaltung spreche ich mich Wolfgang über die Klarheit seines Spiels, seine Gabe besondere Bands zusammenzustellen, Übemethoden, <a href="https://www.discogs.com/de/Paul-Motian-And-The-Electric-Bebop-Band-Reincarnation-Of-A-Love-Bird/release/11414361" rel="noreferrer noopener nofollow" target="_blank">seine Zeit mit Paul Motian</a>, Komponieren, das Trio mit Brian Blade &amp; Marc Johnson, wichtige Konzerterlebnisse, Olivier Messiaen, eine Ballade von Johannes Brahms und vieles mehr. Viel Vergnügen!

Wolfgang Muthspiel

Drew Gress

The first time I heard Drew Gress was on Fred Hersch’s beautiful trio album “Live at the Village Vanguard”. I was immediately drawn to his big sound. but also I was in awe of how lyrical he could be in one moment and how burning and risk-taking he would be in another moment. Drew was also on a lot of other records that were very inspiring to me, for example all the other records with Fred Hersch, the Claudia Quintet albums, his own records, Ben Monder’s “Flux”, Antonio Farao’s “Thorn”, Tony Malaby’s “Adobe”, the Marc Copland albums, The Bill Carrothers albums, John Surman’s “Brewster’s Rooster”, “Within A Song” by John Abercrombie and many more… I’ve learned a lot from listening to him on these records, from seeing him live on stage and also from this amazing workshop video that I encourage everybody to check out! To me, Drew is one of the most eclectic musicians who always has something meaningful and deep to contribute to any musical situation, he’s a real hero of mine and it was a pleasure to talk to him. Hope you enjoy!

The first time I heard Drew Gress was on Fred Hersch’s beautiful trio album <a href="https://www.discogs.com/The-Fred-Hersch-Trio-Live-At-The-Village-Vanguard/release/470569" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">“Live at the Village Vanguard”</a>. I was immediately drawn to his big sound. but also I was in awe of how lyrical he could be in one moment and how burning and risk-taking he would be in another moment. Drew was also on a lot of other records that were very inspiring to me, for example all <a href="https://www.discogs.com/The-Fred-Hersch-Trio-2/release/6620486" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">the other records with Fred Hersch</a>, <a href="https://www.discogs.com/The-Claudia-Quintet-I-Claudia/release/1014111" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">the Claudia Quintet albums</a>, his own records, Ben Monder’s <a href="https://www.discogs.com/The-Ben-Monder-Trio-Flux/release/3256780" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">“Flux”</a>, <a href="https://www.discogs.com/Antonio-Fara%C3%B2-Thorn/master/1306667" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Antonio Farao’s “Thorn”</a>, Tony Malaby’s <a href="https://www.discogs.com/Tony-Malaby-Adobe/master/1634917" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">“Adobe”</a>, the <a href="https://www.discogs.com/Marc-Copland-with-Drew-Gress-Bill-Stewart-Night-Whispers-New-York-Trio-Recordings-Vol-3/release/3306252" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Marc Copland albums</a>, <a href="https://www.discogs.com/Bill-Carrothers-Joy-Spring/release/3304770" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">The Bill Carrothers albums</a>, John Surman’s <a href="https://www.discogs.com/John-Surman-Brewsters-Rooster/master/198628" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">“Brewster’s Rooster”</a>, <a href="https://www.discogs.com/John-Abercrombie-Quartet-Within-A-Song/master/1105228" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">“Within A Song”</a> by John Abercrombie and many more… I’ve learned a lot from listening to him on these records, from seeing him live on stage and also from <a href="https://mikesmasterclasses.com/course/walking-bass-and-soloing-line-construction/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">this amazing workshop video</a> that I encourage everybody to check out! To me, Drew is one of the most eclectic musicians who always has something meaningful and deep to contribute to any musical situation, he’s a real hero of mine and it was a pleasure to talk to him. Hope you enjoy!

Peter Bernstein

The first time I heard Peter Bernstein was on “The Intimacy Of The Blues”, the first Larry Goldings Trio album that my parents used to listen to and I really liked that album. When I got more into to buying my own records I bought “Heart’s Content”  – I really lived with that album for a while, listening to but often times, also playing along with it quite a lot. I became in awe of Peter’s sound and his extraordinary talent for melody.  Another important record during this time was “Sweet Sience” by the Larry Goldings Trio. Among my favorite albums of Peter are “Monk”, “Solo Guitar, Live at Smalls”, “Heart’s Content” and “Earth Tones” and of course all the other albums with the Goldings Bernstein Stewart trio. Since I started this interview series I got to talk to his Peter’s longtime musical partners Larry Goldings and Bill Stewart and I’m happy to finally include Peter himself in this series of interviews now. We talk about melodic lines, his teacher Ted Dunbar, playing with Sonny Rollins, guitar keys &amp; open strings, Monk’s music, the lesson with Keith Jarrett, the Goldings Bernstein Stewart trio and much more. Hope you enjoy!

The first time I heard <a href="http://peterbernsteinmusic.com/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Peter Bernstein</a> was on <a href="https://www.discogs.com/de/The-Larry-Goldings-Trio-Intimacy-Of-The-Blues/release/8415052" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">“The Intimacy Of The Blues”,</a> the first Larry Goldings Trio album that my parents used to listen to and I really liked that album. When I got more into to buying my own records I bought <a href="https://www.discogs.com/de/Peter-Bernstein-3-Hearts-Content/release/8008655" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">“Heart’s Content”</a>  – I really lived with that album for a while, listening to but often times, also playing along with it quite a lot. I became in awe of Peter’s sound and his extraordinary talent for melody.  Another important record during this time was <a href="https://www.discogs.com/de/Larry-Goldings-Trio-Sweet-Science/release/9297483" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">“Sweet Sience”</a> by the Larry Goldings Trio. Among my favorite albums of Peter are <a href="https://www.discogs.com/de/Peter-Bernstein-Trio-Monk/release/6248813" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">“Monk”</a>, <a href="https://www.smallslive.com/xxxx/catalogue/peter-bernstein-solo-guitar-live-at-smalls_431/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">“Solo Guitar, Live at Smalls”</a>, <a href="https://www.discogs.com/de/Peter-Bernstein-3-Hearts-Content/release/8008655" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">“Heart’s Content”</a> and <a href="https://www.discogs.com/de/Peter-Bernstein-Earth-Tones/release/5598683" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">“Earth Tones”</a> and of course all the other albums with the Goldings Bernstein Stewart trio. Since I started this interview series I got to talk to his Peter’s longtime musical partners <a href="https://pabloheldinvestigates.com/larry-goldings/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Larry Goldings</a> and <a href="https://pabloheldinvestigates.com/bill-stewart/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Bill Stewart</a> and I’m happy to finally include Peter himself in this series of interviews now. We talk about melodic lines, his teacher Ted Dunbar, playing with Sonny Rollins, guitar keys &amp; open strings, Monk’s music, the lesson with Keith Jarrett, the Goldings Bernstein Stewart trio and much more. Hope you enjoy!

Marc Johnson

Marc Johnson — one of my favorite bassists of all time. I was always drawn to his warm sound and fluid way of playing, always taking risks, always propelling the music forward. The first time I saw him live was in 2004 during a concert of the John Abercrombie Quartet at the Domicil in Dortmund — a night I’ll never forget! I often go back to my memories of this particular concert. It was a great pleasure for me to finally talk to him and I’m excited to share our conversation with you.

Marc Johnson — one of my favorite bassists of all time. I was always drawn to his warm sound and fluid way of playing, always taking risks, always propelling the music forward. The first time I saw him live was in 2004 during a concert of the John Abercrombie Quartet at the Domicil in Dortmund — a night I’ll never forget! I often go back to my memories of this particular concert. It was a great pleasure for me to finally talk to him and I’m excited to share our conversation with you.

I’m happy to present a special episode of this podcast: This is an audio commentary to my new album “Ascent” which was just released on Edition Records. I often enjoy checking out the audio commentaries that directors include in the bonus features of their movies. Listening to them talk about their methods and inspirations while you’re watching the movie has always fascinated me and I kept thinking about how great it would be to have something similar in the music field. I know a few examples of that, but I’d love to have one of those for all my favorite albums — imagine having and Audio Commentary to “Bitches Brew”, “A Love Supreme” or “Word of Mouth” … how great would that be? Anyways… here’s my attempt at that. Before I went into the studio to record this I checked out the audio commentaries to “The Machinist”and “Goodfellas” which was a nice way to prepare. I had a great time doing this and I’m already thinking about doing these for each one of my albums. Hope you enjoy this and get some useful background info on how this music came to life. Listen to the audio commentary on your favorite podcast platform, on YouTube or right here:  This episode was supported by NICA artist development, a program funded by 

I’m happy to present a special episode of this podcast: This is an audio commentary to <a href="https://orcd.co/pabloheldascent" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">my new album “Ascent” which was just released on Edition Records</a>. I often enjoy checking out the audio commentaries that directors include in the bonus features of their movies. Listening to them talk about their methods and inspirations while you’re watching the movie has always fascinated me and I kept thinking about how great it would be to have something similar in the music field. I know a few examples of that, but I’d love to have one of those for all my favorite albums — imagine having and Audio Commentary to “Bitches Brew”, “A Love Supreme” or “Word of Mouth” … how great would that be? Anyways… here’s my attempt at that. Before I went into the studio to record this I checked out the audio commentaries to <a href="https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0361862/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">“The Machinist”</a>and <a href="https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0099685/?ref_=fn_al_tt_1" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">“Goodfellas” </a>which was a nice way to prepare. I had a great time doing this and I’m already thinking about doing these for each one of my albums. Hope you enjoy this and get some useful background info on how this music came to life. Listen to the audio commentary on your favorite podcast platform, <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?list=PL8RWf89ANz5GZVbfI7su1g7oaHeLLilLI&amp;v=y-YTpIYQzWM" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">on YouTube</a> or right here: This episode was supported by NICA artist development, a program funded by

ASCENT (audio commentary)

What is left to say about the incomparable Larry Goldings that hasn’t been said yet? Frankly, after having shared a couple of these interviews + having written personal introductions to each one of these, I hope it doesn’t sound too repetitive… Why? Because all the stories of what happens when I’m inspired by someone share the same plot: I listen to someone for the first time, get inspired, I try to check out as much concerts/records/interviews/videos/etc as I can… I’ll transcribe songs, look for bootlegs, read the biography, I’ll try to check out the stuff that this person was influenced by… I’ll do everything that helps me understand this person’s process and I’ll do this with everyone that interests me. This is why all the stories may sound a bit alike. I hope that’s OK. So back to Larry. When I was a kid I was listening to Larry’s playing on John Scofield‘s masterpiece record “Hand Jive”. Later when I was getting into playing the piano myself I used to play a long with it a lot. The line up, the repertoire and the amazing playing by Larry on organ and piano just put a spell on me. While my parents became fans of Larry’s music I followed them along, listening a lot to Larry’s own “Intimacy Of the Blues”, Scofield’s “Groove Elation”, Michael Brecker’s “Time Is Of The Essence” and other records. After a while I had most of Larry’s records, either through my parents or through my own purchases. My favorite Larry Goldings Trio record was always “Sweet Sience” and though I love everything that Larry has done, I have a special soft spot for this particular record. There was a time where I would only listen to my three favorite songs from that record : “Asimov”, “This Guy’s In Love With You” and “Spring Is Here” on repeat … to this day I still go back to that record a lot and I keep noticing news things in the music – it keeps on giving! When I was 17 years old I had a lesson with great pianist and composer Florian Ross and he played me “Sticky Mack” from Larry’s piano trio record “Awareness”, a record that I didn’t know until that point. I was blown away! I’d say that “Awareness” is one of my top five favorite piano trio records of all time! I got to talk to Larry a couple of times after concerts of him that I attended and he was always very kind and generous in sharing his memories when I asked him about stuff. This is our first lengthy conversation and I enjoyed it a lot. Thanks for talking to me, Larry!

What is left to say about the incomparable <a href="http://www.larrygoldings.com/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Larry Goldings</a> that hasn’t been said yet? Frankly, after having shared a couple of these interviews + having written personal introductions to each one of these, I hope it doesn’t sound too repetitive… Why? Because all the stories of what happens when I’m inspired by someone share the same plot: I listen to someone for the first time, get inspired, I try to check out as much concerts/records/interviews/videos/etc as I can… I’ll transcribe songs, look for bootlegs, read the biography, I’ll try to check out the stuff that this person was influenced by… I’ll do everything that helps me understand this person’s process and I’ll do this with everyone that interests me. This is why all the stories may sound a bit alike. I hope that’s OK. So back to Larry. When I was a kid I was listening to Larry’s playing on <a href="https://pabloheldinvestigates.com/2018/07/18/pablo-held-investigates-john-scofield/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">John Scofield</a>‘s masterpiece record <a href="https://www.discogs.com/de/John-Scofield-Hand-Jive/release/1309399" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">“Hand Jive”</a>. Later when I was getting into playing the piano myself I used to play a long with it a lot. The line up, the repertoire and the amazing playing by Larry on organ and piano just put a spell on me. While my parents became fans of Larry’s music I followed them along, listening a lot to Larry’s own <a href="https://www.discogs.com/de/The-Larry-Goldings-Trio-Intimacy-Of-The-Blues/release/8415052" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">“Intimacy Of the Blues”</a>, Scofield’s <a href="https://www.discogs.com/de/John-Scofield-Groove-Elation/release/3667911" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">“Groove Elation”</a>, Michael Brecker’s <a href="https://www.discogs.com/de/Michael-Brecker-Time-Is-Of-The-Essence/release/1313257" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">“Time Is Of The Essence”</a> and other records. After a while I had most of Larry’s records, either through my parents or through my own purchases. My favorite Larry Goldings Trio record was always <a href="https://www.discogs.com/de/Larry-Goldings-Trio-Sweet-Science/release/9297483" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">“Sweet Sience”</a> and though I love everything that Larry has done, I have a special soft spot for this particular record. There was a time where I would only listen to my three favorite songs from that record : “Asimov”, “This Guy’s In Love With You” and “Spring Is Here” on repeat … to this day I still go back to that record a lot and I keep noticing news things in the music – it keeps on giving! When I was 17 years old I had a lesson with great pianist and composer <a href="http://www.florianross.de/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Florian Ross</a> and he played me “Sticky Mack” from Larry’s piano trio record <a href="https://www.discogs.com/de/Larry-Goldings-Awareness/release/6528344" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">“Awareness”</a>, a record that I didn’t know until that point. I was blown away! I’d say that “Awareness” is one of my top five favorite piano trio records of all time! I got to talk to Larry a couple of times after concerts of him that I attended and he was always very kind and generous in sharing his memories when I asked him about stuff. This is our first lengthy conversation and I enjoyed it a lot. Thanks for talking to me, Larry!

Pedro Martins’ album “Vox” was one of my absolute favorite releases from 2019. I listened to it countless times and I’m still mesmerized by its unique beauty, deep compositions and great playing by everyone involved. Pedro has a real gift for writing timeless melodies!! The first time I noticed him was a couple of years ago when I watched this video of him playing Milton Nascimento’s song “Travessia” which really touched me. I kept his name in mind and eagerly awaited his first release. After this conversation I was so inspired that I immediately wrote a song for him. His pure love for music is contageous. I hope you enjoy our talk as much as I did.

<a href="https://www.instagram.com/pedromartins93/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Pedro Martins’</a> album <a href="https://heartcore-records.com/product/pedro-martins-vox-cd-pre-order/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">“Vox”</a> was one of my absolute favorite releases from 2019. I listened to it countless times and I’m still mesmerized by its unique beauty, deep compositions and great playing by everyone involved. Pedro has a real gift for writing timeless melodies!! The first time I noticed him was a couple of years ago when I watched this <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Yi4cRsGL3x4" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">video of him playing Milton Nascimento’s song “Travessia”</a> which really touched me. I kept his name in mind and eagerly awaited his first release. After this conversation I was so inspired that I immediately wrote a song for him. His pure love for music is contageous. I hope you enjoy our talk as much as I did.

Pedro Martins

Norma Winstone

Norma Winstone is one of the most influential singers of our time. She certainly influenced me and my music in a big way. Her record “Somewhere Called Home” is one of my most favorite albums of all time. Furthermore Azimuth, all of her work with my late teacher John Taylor, Kenny Wheeler and so much more has been a deep source of inspiration for me throughout the years and I go back to those records regularly. Even before I started this interview series I had a strong desire to talk to her about her music. My friend Kit Downes kindly put us together and we went from there. Just days after this conversation Norma came to my trio gig at King’s Place in London and checked out our music. I was really touched by that gesture and I think it speaks volumes about what kind of person Norma is. I’m thrilled I got to talk to her. Hope you enjoy!

<a href="http://www.normawinstone.com" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Norma Winstone</a> is one of the most influential singers of our time. She certainly influenced me and my music in a big way. Her record <a href="https://www.discogs.com/de/Norma-Winstone-Somewhere-Called-Home/release/2578475" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">“Somewhere Called Home”</a> is one of my most favorite albums of all time. Furthermore <a href="https://www.discogs.com/de/John-Taylor-2-Norma-Winstone-Kenny-Wheeler-Azimuth-Azimuth/release/469847" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Azimuth</a>, all of her work with my late teacher <a href="https://www.discogs.com/de/Norma-Winstone-John-Taylor--Like-Song-Like-Weather/release/2825447" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">John Taylor</a>, <a href="https://www.discogs.com/de/Kenny-Wheeler-Music-For-Large-Small-Ensembles/master/395635" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Kenny Wheeler</a> and so much more has been a deep source of inspiration for me throughout the years and I go back to those records regularly. Even before I started this interview series I had a strong desire to talk to her about her music. My friend <a href="https://www.kitdownes.com/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Kit Downes</a> kindly put us together and we went from there. Just days after this conversation Norma came to my trio gig at King’s Place in London and checked out our music. I was really touched by that gesture and I think it speaks volumes about what kind of person Norma is. I’m thrilled I got to talk to her. Hope you enjoy!

Steve Swallow

Getting to talk to master bassist &amp; composer Steve Swallow was a big deal for me. I’m so thankful to the great Mike Gibbs for kindly putting us in touch. When Steve got back to me, he told me he had checked out some of my interviews and that he’d be happy to participate. Naturally, I got super excited, went back and listened to all my favorite recordings of him again: his own records, but also his works with John Scofield, Jimmy Guiffre, Paul Bley,  Thelonious Monk, Carla Bley, Paul Motian, Chick Corea, Pete LaRoca, Art Farmer, Stan Getz, or Joao Gilberto. I also found some amazing records along the way that I hadn’t heard before, for example this one. Also, when I told John Scofield that I would interview Steve Stallow, he told me to check out Steve’s incredible bass feature on “I want you” from Gary Burton’s “In Concert” record. Steve was really generous with his time as our conversations took more than two hours. We talked about so many things and I’m still processing the inspiration I got from our talk, but I think it struck me the most to see how much Steve is still working on improving his connection to the instrument, how willing he is to keep learning and make progress. Considering how much he has already done for this music this sets a high bar for all of us, to never become too comfortable with the status quo.

Getting to talk to master bassist &amp; composer <a href="http://www.wattxtrawatt.com/stevecell.html" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Steve Swallow</a> was a big deal for me. I’m so thankful to the great <a href="https://pabloheldinvestigates.com/mike-gibbs/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Mike Gibbs</a> for kindly putting us in touch. When Steve got back to me, he told me he had checked out some of my interviews and that he’d be happy to participate. Naturally, I got super excited, went back and listened to all my favorite recordings of him again: his own records, but also his works with John Scofield, Jimmy Guiffre, Paul Bley,  Thelonious Monk, Carla Bley, Paul Motian, Chick Corea, Pete LaRoca, Art Farmer, Stan Getz, or Joao Gilberto. I also found some amazing records along the way that I hadn’t heard before, for example <a href="https://www.discogs.com/de/Lee-Konitz-Steve-Swallow-Paul-Motian-Three-Guys/release/2434905" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">this one</a>. Also, when I told <a href="https://pabloheldinvestigates.com/john-scofield/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">John Scofield</a> that I would interview Steve Stallow, he told me to check out Steve’s <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RQQI7Ddvxiw" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">incredible bass feature on “I want you” from Gary Burton’s “In Concert” record</a>. Steve was really generous with his time as our conversations took more than two hours. We talked about so many things and I’m still processing the inspiration I got from our talk, but I think it struck me the most to see how much Steve is still working on improving his connection to the instrument, how willing he is to keep learning and make progress. Considering how much he has already done for this music this sets a high bar for all of us, to never become too comfortable with the status quo.

Dave Longstreth

When I first heard the Dirty Projectors some time in 2012 I was blown away. (I think it was either “Two Doves” from the “Bitte Orca” record or “Maybe That Was It” from “Swing Lo Magellan”… don’t remember it exactly). I fell in love with this music right away.  The creativity and the searching quality of Dave Longstreth’s songwriting and production style simply amazed me. Also the way he leads the band was a big inspiration for me. Actually, it feels strange to single out specific things that I admire about him and this music, it’s the whole package… ! I then made an effort to check out as many Dirty Projectors records (and bootlegs) as I could.  Among my favorite albums are “Mount Wittenberg Orca” “Bitte Orca” &amp; “Swing Lo Magellan”. I remember a tour through South America with my trio where I exclusively listened to Dirty Projectors (and Maria Callas singing Puccini’s “Tosca”!) for the whole tour. I love this band and I keep finding new things in those recordings all the time. My composition “Longstreth Blues” (as heard on my album “GLOW II“) is my tribute to his music. In it I tried to channel a couple of things I learned through listening to Dirty Projectors. I went to Berlin to see them live in August of 2018 and I got the opportunity to interview Dave Longstreth in the afternoon before the concert. I was super excited to talk to him and ask him a few questions. Hope you enjoy our conversation!

When I first heard the <a href="https://dirtyprojectors.net/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Dirty Projectors</a> some time in 2012 I was blown away. (I think it was either <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cGhwO8OM1MM" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">“Two Doves”</a> from the “Bitte Orca” record or <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LdlKSapfZRA" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">“Maybe That Was It”</a> from “Swing Lo Magellan”… don’t remember it exactly). I fell in love with this music right away.  The creativity and the searching quality of Dave Longstreth’s songwriting and production style simply amazed me. Also the way he leads the band was a big inspiration for me. Actually, it feels strange to single out specific things that I admire about him and this music, it’s the whole package… ! I then made an effort to check out as many Dirty Projectors records (and bootlegs) as I could.  Among my favorite albums are <a href="https://www.discogs.com/Dirty-Projectors-Bj%C3%B6rk-Mount-Wittenberg-Orca/master/257884" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">“Mount Wittenberg Orca”</a> <a href="https://www.discogs.com/de/Dirty-Projectors-Bitte-Orca/master/190511" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">“Bitte Orca”</a> &amp; <a href="https://www.discogs.com/de/Dirty-Projectors-Swing-Lo-Magellan/master/453249" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">“Swing Lo Magellan”</a>. I remember a tour through South America with my <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0q2aIkZ6yMU" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">trio</a> where I exclusively listened to Dirty Projectors (and <a href="https://www.discogs.com/de/Puccini-Maria-Callas-Orchestra-E-Coro-Del-Teatro-Alla-Scala-Di-Milano-Giuseppe-Di-Stefano-Tito-Gobbi/release/4761620" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Maria Callas singing Puccini’s “Tosca”</a>!) for the whole tour. I love this band and I keep finding new things in those recordings all the time. My composition <a href="https://open.spotify.com/track/02X7UsvDKc5oqOb7mTTXr0" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">“Longstreth Blues”</a> (as heard on my album “<a href="https://lnk.to/PabloHeld_GlowII" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">GLOW II</a>“) is my tribute to his music. In it I tried to channel a couple of things I learned through listening to Dirty Projectors. I went to Berlin to see them live in August of 2018 and I got the opportunity to interview Dave Longstreth in the afternoon before the concert. I was super excited to talk to him and ask him a few questions. Hope you enjoy our conversation!

Dave Longstreth (Dirty Projectors)

Bill Stewart

You’ll hear me geeking out here a little in my conversation with master drummer &amp; composer Bill Stewart. I’ve always loved his playing as well as his writing, so it was like a dream come true to get to ask him a few questions and talk about music with him. We cover a lot of ground here, talking about his records, composing, practicing routines,  memorable concerts, his influences and a lot more. I hope you enjoy!

You’ll hear me geeking out here a little in my conversation with master drummer &amp; composer Bill Stewart. I’ve always loved his playing as well as his writing, so it was like a dream come true to get to ask him a few questions and talk about music with him. We cover a lot of ground here, talking about his records, composing, practicing routines,  memorable concerts, his influences and a lot more. I hope you enjoy!

Caroline Shaw

When I asked my friend Percy Pursglove what he had been listening to lately, he told me about the piece “Partita for 8 voices” by Caroline Shaw. He said he had listened to the piece while driving in his car, but eventually he not only had to stop the car, but also stop the music – because he was so blown away by what he heard!! (I’m always looking for recommendations of this kind: when friends, colleagues or heroes of mine recommend something that they obsessing about) So on my way home I started listening to the piece and I was blown away as well! I couldn’t stop listening, had it running on repeat for a long time like I usually do when discovering a new piece. I immediately started checking other works by Caroline that were equally fresh and inspiring and also found lots of interviews that were really insightful. I’m so happy my friend Percy recommended listening to her work and I’m excited to share my interview with Caroline Shaw with all of you now! We talk about a lot of things, ranging from composition, inspirations, notation, working methods of the incredible vocal ensemble Roomful of Teeth and much more! Enjoy!

When I asked my friend <a href="http://www.percypursglove.com/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Percy Pursglove</a> what he had been listening to lately, he told me about the piece <a href="https://roomfulofteeth.bandcamp.com/album/partita-for-8-voices-caroline-shaw" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">“Partita for 8 voices”</a> by <a href="https://carolineshaw.com/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Caroline Shaw</a>. He said he had listened to the piece while driving in his car, but eventually he not only had to stop the car, but also stop the music – because he was so blown away by what he heard!! (I’m always looking for recommendations of this kind: when friends, colleagues or heroes of mine recommend something that they obsessing about) So on my way home I started listening to the piece and I was blown away as well! I couldn’t stop listening, had it running on repeat for a long time like I usually do when discovering a new piece. I immediately started checking other works by Caroline that were equally fresh and inspiring and also found lots of interviews that were really insightful. I’m so happy my friend Percy recommended listening to her work and I’m excited to share my interview with Caroline Shaw with all of you now! We talk about a lot of things, ranging from composition, inspirations, notation, working methods of the incredible vocal ensemble <a href="http://www.roomfulofteeth.org/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Roomful of Teeth</a> and much more! Enjoy!

Achim Kaufmann

This episode is in German. The video version has English subtitles. My story with Achim Kaufmann started when I discovered Paul Heller’s great albums “Kaleidoscope” &amp; “Little Songs” as a teenager. I listened to them a lot, and Achim played piano on both. I really liked his playing, so I started to check out his own stuff. I started with his first album “Weave” — and it changed me forever! To this day it is one of my top 5 piano trio albums and I still listen to it quite regularly. The compositions, Achim’s chemistry with bassist Ingmar Heller &amp; drummer Jochen Rückert, their playing, the sound — this record has inspired generations of musicians since it came out in 1998. To understand his journey better, I worked my way through Achim’s records in the order they were recorded. Next up were the amazing quartet records “Double Exposure” &amp; “Gueuledeloup” . I got obsessed with them and totally loved the music but had some difficulties following it. I couldn’t tell what was improvised and what was written. So I got in touch with Achim to take a lesson. I asked him lots of questions about these records and he graciously explained his process to me, showing me the leadsheets while listening to the music together. He showed me other records that I didn’t know before and we played together a little bit, me on piano and Achim on Wurlitzer. After this lesson I was full of inspiration!! In the follow-up to that we exchanged e-mails and I asked Achim how he dealt with writers-block… I still look at his advice whenever I don’t feel inspired or I’m at a loss for ideas. When I l finally left my hometown Hagen to study in Cologne, I went to see Achim whenever he played in town. Every time I was in awe and I always tried to talk to him after the gigs, to ask him what he was working on or listening to lately. Many years later, after I started this series of interviews, Achim sent me a nice note, telling me that he enjoyed watching them. Naturally asked him if he would be interested in participating. Today I’m happy to share our conversation with you. Hope you enjoy! …. … OK, now I feel bad for not mentioning some other records that have been very influental to me so here’s another list: Achim’s Kyrill, Verivyr, Later, Mnemon Peter Bolte – Trio &amp; Keeping Christian Lillinger’s Grund – Second Reason &amp; Grund &amp; COR Christian Weidner – Dream Boogie &amp; Every Hour of Light and Dark Common Ground Robert Landfermann – Topaz all the records with Grünen “Furthermore” “Nothing Something” &amp; “Something Nothing” with Michael Moore

This episode is in German. The <a href="https://youtu.be/hZ5qf3jzQxU" rel="noreferrer noopener nofollow" target="_blank">video version</a> has English subtitles. My story with <a href="http://www.achimkaufmann.com/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Achim Kaufmann</a> started when I discovered Paul Heller’s great albums <a href="https://open.spotify.com/album/6n9NlbI8xUyh6WCaB0Ca5U?si=-WHl1LQBR-6Y3vilZAMhFg" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">“Kaleidoscope”</a> &amp; <a href="https://www.paul-heller.com/discographie.php" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">“Little Songs”</a> as a teenager. I listened to them a lot, and Achim played piano on both. I really liked his playing, so I started to check out his own stuff. I started with his first album <a href="http://www.achimkaufmann.com/weave.html" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">“Weave”</a> — and it changed me forever! To this day it is one of my top 5 piano trio albums and I still listen to it quite regularly. The compositions, Achim’s chemistry with bassist Ingmar Heller &amp; drummer Jochen Rückert, their playing, the sound — this record has inspired generations of musicians since it came out in 1998. To understand his journey better, I worked my way through Achim’s records in the order they were recorded. Next up were the amazing quartet records <a href="http://www.achimkaufmann.com/doubleex.html" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">“Double Exposure”</a> &amp; <a href="https://achimkaufmanntrokaan.bandcamp.com/album/gueuledeloup" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">“Gueuledeloup”</a> . I got obsessed with them and totally loved the music but had some difficulties following it. I couldn’t tell what was improvised and what was written. So I got in touch with Achim to take a lesson. I asked him lots of questions about these records and he graciously explained his process to me, showing me the leadsheets while listening to the music together. He showed me other records that I didn’t know before and we played together a little bit, me on piano and Achim on Wurlitzer. After this lesson I was full of inspiration!! In the follow-up to that we exchanged e-mails and I asked Achim how he dealt with writers-block… I still look at his advice whenever I don’t feel inspired or I’m at a loss for ideas. When I l finally left my hometown Hagen to study in Cologne, I went to see Achim whenever he played in town. Every time I was in awe and I always tried to talk to him after the gigs, to ask him what he was working on or listening to lately. Many years later, after I started this series of interviews, Achim sent me a nice note, telling me that he enjoyed watching them. Naturally asked him if he would be interested in participating. Today I’m happy to share our conversation with you. Hope you enjoy! …. … OK, now I feel bad for not mentioning some other records that have been very influental to me so here’s another list: Achim’s <a href="http://www.achimkaufmann.com/kyrill.html" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Kyrill</a>, <a href="http://achimkaufmann.com/verivyr.html" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Verivyr</a>, <a href="http://www.achimkaufmann.com/later.html" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Later</a>, <a href="http://www.achimkaufmann.com/mnemon.html" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Mnemon</a> Peter Bolte – <a href="https://www.amazon.de/Trio-Peter-Bolte/dp/B00002563D" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Trio</a> &amp; <a href="https://www.amazon.de/Keeping-Peter-Bolte/dp/B000ICM12A" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Keeping</a> Christian Lillinger’s Grund – <a href="http://cleanfeed-records.com/product/second-reason/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Second Reason</a> &amp; <a href="http://www.pirouet.com/home/album_d.php?release=PIT3086" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Grund</a> &amp; <a href="https://www.plaist-music.com/cor-cd" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">COR</a> Christian Weidner – <a href="http://www.pirouet.com/home/album_d.php?release=PIT3065" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Dream Boogie</a> &amp; <a href="https://open.spotify.com/album/7qtSq2zsOHPJvI31nTnBJl?si=NIxCZn6-R_y5806toUooyA" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Every Hour of Light and Dark</a> <a href="http://www.achimkaufmann.com/commonground.html" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Common Ground</a> Robert Landfermann – <a href="https://klaengrecords.de/de/cds/robert-landfermann-topaz-cd.html" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Topaz</a> all the records with <a href="https://achimkaufmanntrokaan.bandcamp.com/album/disenjambment" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Grünen</a> <a href="http://www.achimkaufmann.com/furthermore.html" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">“Furthermore”</a> <a href="http://achimkaufmann.com/nothingsomething.html" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">“Nothing Something”</a> &amp; <a href="http://achimkaufmann.com/somethingnothing.html" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">“Something Nothing” </a>with Michael Moore

(This episode is in German) Ich kann’s immer noch kaum fassen, dass das hier passiert ist. Helge Schneider, mein Held seit Kindertagen, hat einem Interview mit mir zugesagt und mich und meinen Produzenten Till Kammertöns zu sich nach Hause eingeladen um zu quatschen. Wir sprechen hier über Helges Bühnenpräsenz, seine Gabe, besondere Typen wie Charlie Weiss, Sergej Gleitmann oder Peter Thoms zu finden, die Kunst im Moment zu sein, Thelonious Monk, Teddy Wilson, Jimmy Woode, Proben, seinen Intelligenztest, die DCTP Interviews und vieles mehr. Danach waren wir Eis essen in Helges Lieblingseisdiele – war lecker!

(This episode is in German) Ich kann’s immer noch kaum fassen, dass das hier passiert ist. Helge Schneider, mein Held seit Kindertagen, hat einem Interview mit mir zugesagt und mich und meinen Produzenten Till Kammertöns zu sich nach Hause eingeladen um zu quatschen. Wir sprechen hier über Helges Bühnenpräsenz, seine Gabe, besondere Typen wie Charlie Weiss, Sergej Gleitmann oder Peter Thoms zu finden, die Kunst im Moment zu sein, Thelonious Monk, Teddy Wilson, Jimmy Woode, Proben, seinen Intelligenztest, die DCTP Interviews und vieles mehr. Danach waren wir Eis essen in Helges Lieblingseisdiele – war lecker!

Helge Schneider

I’m happy to share my interview with the great Aaron Parks. I first heard him sometime 2004 on Terence Blanchard’s “Bounce” album. Being very impressed by his playing I began to investigate more and came across lots of recordings that featured his playing. Too many to list here, but I’ll say that especially during that time “Bounce” and “Flow” by Terence Blanchard, Gretchen Parlato’s eponymous record and lots of bootlegs of Kurt Rosenwinkel’s bands with Aaron were particularly inspiring for me. I’ve closely followed Aaron’s music every since. As I tell him at some point during the interivew, I really think that Aaron introduced a fresh new approach to the piano that wasn’t there before he came on the scene. We also talk about what he’s working on at the moment, his relationship with Thomas Morgan and Ben Street, the different approaches in his trios with Ben Street &amp; Billy Hart vs. Thomas Morgan &amp; RJ Miller, finding a personal approach on the piano, different piano players who are on the scene today, his process of strengthening his musical foundation, listening habits, and daily practices… lots of things! It’s always great to talk to Aaron. I’m happy he agreed to do this interview and that we can share it with all of you. Enjoy!

I’m happy to share my interview with the great <a href="https://www.aaronparks.com/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Aaron Parks</a>. I first heard him sometime 2004 on <a href="https://www.discogs.com/Terence-Blanchard-Bounce/master/849904" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Terence Blanchard’s “Bounce” album</a>. Being very impressed by his playing I began to investigate more and came across lots of recordings that featured his playing. Too many to list here, but I’ll say that especially during that time “Bounce” and <a href="https://www.discogs.com/Terence-Blanchard-Flow/release/833859" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">“Flow”</a> by Terence Blanchard, Gretchen Parlato’s <a href="https://www.discogs.com/Gretchen-Parlato-Gretchen-Parlato/release/2376077" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">eponymous record</a> and lots of bootlegs of Kurt Rosenwinkel’s bands with Aaron were particularly inspiring for me. I’ve closely followed Aaron’s music every since. As I tell him at some point during the interivew, I really think that Aaron introduced a fresh new approach to the piano that wasn’t there before he came on the scene. We also talk about what he’s working on at the moment, his relationship with <a href="https://pabloheldinvestigates.com/2018/12/11/pablo-held-investigates-thomas-morgan/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Thomas Morgan</a> and Ben Street, the different approaches in his trios with <a href="https://www.ecmrecords.com/catalogue/1486378042/find-the-way-aaron-parks-ben-street-billy-hart" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Ben Street &amp; Billy Hart</a> vs. <a href="https://aaronparks.bandcamp.com/album/alive-in-japan" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Thomas Morgan &amp; RJ Miller</a>, finding a personal approach on the piano, different piano players who are on the scene today, his process of strengthening his musical foundation, listening habits, and daily practices… lots of things! It’s always great to talk to Aaron. I’m happy he agreed to do this interview and that we can share it with all of you. Enjoy!

Aaron Parks

Lau Noah

I first heard about Lau Noah in a podcast with Larry Goldings where he talked about how much admiration he had for her work. (I always listen very closely when my heroes talk about music that they’re checking out. This was no exception.) I’ve been following Lau Noah’s music since back then. She has such a unique songwriting style and a very personal approach to accompanying herself. Hear for yourself: her Tiny Desk concert is a great documentation of her beautiful music. We first met when she performed at our KLAENG festival in Köln in 2019 and this conversation happened a a couple of months later. I’m glad I got to talk to her. Hope you enjoy our conversation!

I first heard about <a href="https://www.launoahmusic.com/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Lau Noah</a> in a podcast with <a href="https://pabloheldinvestigates.com/larry-goldings/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Larry Goldings</a> where he talked about how much admiration he had for her work. (I always listen very closely when my heroes talk about music that they’re checking out. This was no exception.) I’ve been following Lau Noah’s music since back then. She has such a unique songwriting style and a very personal approach to accompanying herself. Hear for yourself: her <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o4Abt48WxkA" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Tiny Desk concert</a> is a great documentation of her beautiful music. We first met when she performed at our <a href="https://klaengfestival.de/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">KLAENG festival</a> in Köln in 2019 and this conversation happened a a couple of months later. I’m glad I got to talk to her. Hope you enjoy our conversation!

Lionel Loueke

I first became aware of Lionel Loueke’s playing on records by Gretchen Parlato, Terence Blanchard and of course through closely following everything that Herbie Hancock was up to. I was completely blown away and wanted to know more about him. That led me to check out his own record “Virgin Forest” and then when it came out I obsessed over “Karibu”– I still go back to that album regularly! All of the stuff he’s done since is amazing. In fact, his new album is released today! I really admire his unique approach to the guitar and his musicality in general. Lionel is doing things I never heard anybody else do – he’s a true innovator! I was very excited to talk to him. Hope you enjoy this conversation!

I first became aware of Lionel Loueke’s playing on records by <a href="http://www.gretchenparlato.com/music/gretchenparlato.php" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Gretchen Parlato</a>, <a href="https://www.discogs.com/de/Terence-Blanchard-Bounce/release/462046" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Terence Blanchard</a> and of course through closely following everything that Herbie Hancock was up to. I was completely blown away and wanted to know more about him. That led me to check out his own record <a href="https://www.discogs.com/de/Lionel-Loueke-Virgin-Forest/release/5937411" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">“Virgin Forest”</a> and then when it came out I obsessed over <a href="https://www.discogs.com/de/Lionel-Loueke-Karibu/release/2440344" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">“Karibu”</a>– I still go back to that album regularly! All of the stuff he’s done since is amazing. In fact, his <a href="https://youtu.be/rI3S_CkJCMo" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">new album</a> is released today! I really admire his unique approach to the guitar and his musicality in general. Lionel is doing things I never heard anybody else do – he’s a true innovator! I was very excited to talk to him. Hope you enjoy this conversation!

Christian Lillinger

This episode is in German, for English subtitles please watch the video version. I’m excited to include Christian Lillinger, one of the most individual voices on the drumset in music today, in this series of interviews. Christian is a role model for me on a lot of levels. His no-bullshit/no-compromise attitude is admirable and I think it results in a crystal clear vision of a singular artist. As a leader &amp; sideman he’s been involved with a lot of my favorite groups today: GRUND, Open Form For Society, GRÜNEN, Dell/Lillinger/Westergaard, Amok Amor, Ronny Graupe’s SPOOM and Gropper/Graupe/Lillinger, to name a few. Also, Christian runs an incredible label called PLAIST MUSIC, where he releases genre-free music by himself and other cutting edge artists. I have know Christian for a long time. We came up more or less at the same time and throughout the years I’ve have had the great pleasure of playing with him on different occasions*. I’m happy to share our interview which by the way features a little cameo (totally unplanned, although it looks staged) by a frequent collaborator of Christian’s. Enjoy!

This episode is in German, for English subtitles please watch the <a href="https://youtu.be/s0XKuuqBo_I" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">video version</a>. I’m excited to include <a href="https://www.christianlillinger.com/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Christian Lillinger</a>, one of the most individual voices on the drumset in music today, in this series of interviews. Christian is a role model for me on a lot of levels. His no-bullshit/no-compromise attitude is admirable and I think it results in a crystal clear vision of a singular artist. As a leader &amp; sideman he’s been involved with a lot of my favorite groups today: <a href="https://www.plaist-music.com/cor-cd" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">GRUND</a>, <a href="https://www.plaist-music.com/offs-cd" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Open Form For Society</a>, <a href="https://achimkaufmanntrokaan.bandcamp.com/album/disenjambment" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">GRÜNEN</a>, <a href="https://www.plaist-music.com/grammar-ii-cd" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Dell/Lillinger/Westergaard</a>, <a href="http://www.intaktrec.ch/279-a.htm" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Amok Amor</a>, <a href="https://youtu.be/o3exMjv-bJ4" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Ronny Graupe’s SPOOM</a> and <a href="http://hyperactivekid.de/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Gropper/Graupe/Lillinger</a>, to name a few. Also, Christian runs an incredible label called <a href="https://www.plaist-music.com/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">PLAIST MUSIC</a>, where he releases genre-free music by himself and other cutting edge artists. I have know Christian for a long time. We came up more or less at the same time and throughout the years I’ve have had the great pleasure of playing with him on different occasions*. I’m happy to share our interview which by the way features a little cameo (totally unplanned, although it looks staged) by a frequent collaborator of Christian’s. Enjoy!

Bill Frisell

Bill Frisell was on the top my list right from the start of this interview series. Through the help of Mike Gibbs, I finally got in touch with Bill and we had a lovely conversation. What is there to say about Bill Frisell’s music that hasn’t been said yet? I mean, I don’t know anyone who knows about his music and doesn’t like it – everybody loves Bill Frisell! Maybe it’s because he’s so eclectic, so there’s something in there for everybody? Or because of his unique approach to the guitar? Or maybe because he enriches every musical setting? Because of his great tunes? His many different bands? The classic recordings he contributed to as a sideman? I really don’t know… there are so many things to love about him, his playing and his music. OK maybe I should stop rambling… You have a 2 hour conversation ahead of you, and you’re in for a ride. Enjoy! For further listening, here are some of my favorite recordings with Bill: • In Line, Bill Frisell with Dave Holland &amp; Elvin Jones, Sign Of Life, Gone Just like a Train, Where in the World?, Hemisphere’s (with Jim Hall), Quartet, Bill Frisell/Ron Carter/Paul Motian/, Have a Little Faith, Small Town &amp; Epistrophy (with Thomas Morgan), Songs we know (with Fred Hersch) ALL albums by Paul Motian w/ BillALL albums by Jakob Bro w/ BillKenny Wheeler – Angel SongAmarcord Nino RotaMarc Johnson – Bass Desires / The Sound Of Summer RunningLyle Mays – Lyle Mays / Street DreamsPaul Bley – FragmentsJohn Scofield – Grace under Pressure / This meets ThatMike Gibbs – A Bill Frisell Set ListJoey Baron – Down HomeTony Scherr – Come AroundRon Miles – I Am A Man / QuiverScott Colley – EmpireAndrew Cyrille – The Declaration of Musical Independence

Bill Frisell was on the top my list right from the start of this interview series. Through the help of <a href="https://pabloheldinvestigates.com/mike-gibbs/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Mike Gibbs</a>, I finally got in touch with Bill and we had a lovely conversation. What is there to say about Bill Frisell’s music that hasn’t been said yet? I mean, I don’t know anyone who knows about his music and doesn’t like it – everybody loves Bill Frisell! Maybe it’s because he’s so eclectic, so there’s something in there for everybody? Or because of his unique approach to the guitar? Or maybe because he enriches every musical setting? Because of his great tunes? His many different bands? The classic recordings he contributed to as a sideman? I really don’t know… there are so many things to love about him, his playing and his music. OK maybe I should stop rambling… You have a 2 hour conversation ahead of you, and you’re in for a ride. Enjoy! For further listening, here are some of my favorite recordings with Bill: • In Line, Bill Frisell with <a href="https://pabloheldinvestigates.com/dave-holland/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Dave Holland</a> &amp; Elvin Jones, Sign Of Life, Gone Just like a Train, Where in the World?, Hemisphere’s (with Jim Hall), Quartet, Bill Frisell/Ron Carter/Paul Motian/, Have a Little Faith, Small Town &amp; Epistrophy (with <a href="https://pabloheldinvestigates.com/thomas-morgan/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Thomas Morgan</a>), Songs we know (with Fred Hersch) <ul><li>ALL albums by Paul Motian w/ Bill</li><li>ALL albums by <a href="https://pabloheldinvestigates.com/jakob-bro/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Jakob Bro</a> w/ Bill</li><li>Kenny Wheeler – Angel Song</li><li>Amarcord Nino Rota</li><li><a href="https://pabloheldinvestigates.com/marc-johnson/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Marc Johnson</a> – Bass Desires / The Sound Of Summer Running</li><li>Lyle Mays – Lyle Mays / Street Dreams</li><li>Paul Bley – Fragments</li><li><a href="https://pabloheldinvestigates.com/john-scofield/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">John Scofield</a> – Grace under Pressure / This meets That</li><li><a href="https://pabloheldinvestigates.com/mike-gibbs/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Mike Gibbs</a> – A Bill Frisell Set List</li><li><a href="https://pabloheldinvestigates.com/joey-baron/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Joey Baron</a> – Down Home</li><li>Tony Scherr – Come Around</li><li>Ron Miles – I Am A Man / Quiver</li><li>Scott Colley – Empire</li><li>Andrew Cyrille – The Declaration of Musical Independence</li></ul>

I was 7 years old when I first heard Wallace Roney’s playing on Herbie Hancock’s “Dis Is Da Drum”, a record that has over the years remained very important to me.I was always drawing to people that respect (and draw their inspiration from) the masters that came before them. Wallace was somebody who went all the way. Where some only deal with the surface, the cliché, the easy way out, Wallace went deep and found his own stuff. And this is why he was taken on by the masters. I mean – Miles’ ONLY student? Come on! When Herbie, Wayne, Ron &amp; Tony could have chosen every trumpet player on earth, they chose him. And he was somebody who didn’t keep his gained knowledge from those masters to himself. He shared it with others. That’s a big lesson, right?To me, inspiration is like a trampoline. If you only jump into it with little energy and conviction, the jump will not be significant and likely not memorable. But if you go ALL THE WAY, jump into it with all you have, it will catapult you into heights where you’ll be able to see differently, see things more clearly. Plus, it will bring you away from the inital source of inspiration…. and then back again with a new perspective!! I think that’s what Wallace did over and over again with all the music he loved. Listening to him I can hear so much love for his idols, but he didn’t stop there. He took those lessons and applied them to his music.When I released my first interview of this series, my conversation with Wayne Shorter, Wallace Roney was one of the first people to send me a nice message via Facebook Messenger congratulating me on interviewing Wayne. I was really taken by that gesture, kept in touch with him after that and finally in 2019 I asked him if he’d like to do an interview with me as well. I’m so happy that we got to do this and I learned so much during this conversation. Yet, at the same time I’m really sad that we didn’t get to finish it. You’ll hear a pretty aprupt ending of our conversation which was due to a bad interview connection (hence this interview is audio-only) .We decided to finish it some other time and sadly we didn’t get around to it after all. However, I think there’s enough that we all can learn from the things Wallace has shared during this conversation. He will be missed by many. Thank you for all the inspiration and wisdom, Maestro Wallace!Supported by NICA artist development, a program funded by 

I was 7 years old when I first heard Wallace Roney’s playing on Herbie Hancock’s <a href="https://www.discogs.com/Herbie-Hancock-Dis-Is-Da-Drum/release/325453" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">“Dis Is Da Drum”</a>, a record that has over the years remained very important to me.I was always drawing to people that respect (and draw their inspiration from) the masters that came before them. Wallace was somebody who went all the way. Where some only deal with the surface, the cliché, the easy way out, Wallace went deep and found his own stuff. And this is why he was taken on by the masters. I mean – Miles’ ONLY student? Come on! When Herbie, Wayne, Ron &amp; Tony could have chosen every trumpet player on earth, they chose him. And he was somebody who didn’t keep his gained knowledge from those masters to himself. He shared it with others. That’s a big lesson, right?To me, inspiration is like a trampoline. If you only jump into it with little energy and conviction, the jump will not be significant and likely not memorable. But if you go ALL THE WAY, jump into it with all you have, it will catapult you into heights where you’ll be able to see differently, see things more clearly. Plus, it will bring you away from the inital source of inspiration…. and then back again with a new perspective!! I think that’s what Wallace did over and over again with all the music he loved. Listening to him I can hear so much love for his idols, but he didn’t stop there. He took those lessons and applied them to his music.When I released my first interview of this series, <a href="https://pabloheldinvestigates.com/wayne-shorter/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">my conversation with Wayne Shorter</a>, Wallace Roney was one of the first people to send me a nice message via Facebook Messenger congratulating me on interviewing Wayne. I was really taken by that gesture, kept in touch with him after that and finally in 2019 I asked him if he’d like to do an interview with me as well. I’m so happy that we got to do this and I learned so much during this conversation. Yet, at the same time I’m really sad that we didn’t get to finish it. You’ll hear a pretty aprupt ending of our conversation which was due to a bad interview connection (hence this interview is audio-only) .We decided to finish it some other time and sadly we didn’t get around to it after all. However, I think there’s enough that we all can learn from the things Wallace has shared during this conversation. He will be missed by many. Thank you for all the inspiration and wisdom, Maestro Wallace!Supported by NICA artist development, a program funded by

WALLACE RONEY

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