 |
| MSJ:
Can you catch the readers up on the history of your involvement in music? |
|
| I come from a musical family: my father played guitar and my grandfather played mandolin, mandola, guitar, violin, doublebass and clarinet… At age eleven or twelve I learned for a short time trumpet, but I didn’t like that instrument. At age 17 I began to learn autodidactic guitar and bass guitar while I played in a band. Four years later I sold all my electric guitar stuff, bought a classical guitar and played a few years just on this instrument before I bought my next electric guitar. I played over the years in several bands and with different musicians. |
|
| MSJ: If you weren't involved in music what do you think you'd be doing? |
|
| I like to take photographs, especially pinhole photographs. And I’d like to take photographs with a large format camera. |
|
| MSJ: Who would you see as your musical influences? |
|
| I guess the most important music for me is the one from the renaissance composer Josquin Desprez, I like the clarity and the ethereal sound of the modal keys in it. As a guitarist these musicians: David Torn, Terje Rypdal, Robert Fripp, Ralph Towner, Egberto Gismonti and Mike Oldfield. And last but not least the composers Steve Reich and Arvo Pärt. |
|
| MSJ: What's ahead for you? |
|
| Actually I’m working on my second solo album and I’m learning to play the Hanottere, a traditional Swiss instrument. You’ll hear the instrument on the new album. |
|
| MSJ: I know artists hate to have their music pigeonholed or labeled, but how would you describe your music? |
|
| While I recorded and produced my album I have never thought about it. But now I think it’s prog rock with fusion and soundscape elements. |
|
| MSJ: Are there musicians with whom you would like to play with in the future? |
|
Yes, I’ll play with Christoph Greuter, a swiss lutenist and guitarist. We’ll do something acoustic with traditional swiss instruments (Hanottere, Neck Cisters) and guitars. By the way, since five years I play in the worship band “LeChaim.” |
|
| MSJ: Do you think that illegal downloading of music is a help or hindrance to the careers of musicians? |
|
| In my opinion it’s a hindrance; the people lose the sense for the worth of music. |
|
| MSJ: If you were to put together your ultimate band (a band you'd like to hear or catch live), who would be in it and why? |
|
| Abraham Laboriel on bass and Terl Bryant on drums. |
|
| MSJ: If you were in charge of assembling a music festival and wanted it to be the ultimate one from your point of view who would be playing? |
|
| It would be a mess with different kinds of music…David Torn, Terje Rypdal, ensembles playing music from Steve Reich and Arvo Pärt, singers that perform a mass from Josquin Desprez, Iona, Apple Pie, Firefalldown and for dessert ice music by Terje Isungset. |
|
| MSJ: What was the last CD you bought and/or what have you been listening to lately? |
|
| I bought Steve Reich’s Double Sextett and Music for 18 Musicians. And I listened to Inna Zhelannaya and Japanese koto music. |
|
| MSJ: Have you read any good books lately? |
|
| I read the biography of C.S. Lewis - A Life, by Alister McGrath. And I read always the Bible. |
|
| MSJ: What about the last concert you attended for your enjoyment? |
|
| I’m not sure, I think it was when Iona played in Switzerland. |
|
| MSJ: Do you have a musical “guilty pleasure?” |
|
| Maybe that I sometimes play Swiss folk songs. |
|
| MSJ: If you could sit down to dinner with any three people, living or dead, for food and conversation, with whom would you be dining? |
|
| Jesus Christ, Josquin Desprez and my grandfather who taught me to play mandola. |
|
| MSJ: What would be on the menu? |
|
For me and for my grandfather (he grew up in Italy) some Italian food, for the others I don’t know… |
|
| MSJ: Are there any closing thoughts you would like to get out there? |
|
| I hope when you listen to my music that you realize that there is more as you can see with your eyes and more as you can hear with your ears.
|
|
| MSJ: This interview is available in book format (hardcover and paperback) in Music Street Journal: 2015 Volume 3 at lulu.com/strangesound. |
|
|
|
